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tion to their regular lessons, the First Class read Horne's Introduction, and Pearson on the Creed.

On Christmas Day, the children from all the schools came to Cotta, to attend Divine Service. I had the pleasure to see the Cotta Church fuller than, as far as I recollect, I had ever seen it before; there being, in addition to the adults, more than 400 children; to whom I preached from Luke ii., on the Birth of Christ. After the Service, they all assembled in the English School and verandah, and had their annual feast. On such occasions as this, when they are all so busily engaged in eating and drinking, one might think they would forget all about their caste; and I believe that the children do so in a great measure, as they all sit on the same benches, and drink out of the same cup-a thing which they do not on ordinary occasions. Their parents, however, who seldom come to see what the children do, use all their influence, at home, to instil into their minds their notions about caste; and it frequently has happened that several children have been taken away from the schools by their parents, after the Christmas Vacation, for no other reason than because their children drank coffee out of the same cup as some of their classfellows of a lower caste. This has been the case this year, to such a degree, in one of our Girls' Schools, as almost to have annihilated it; and for several weeks back, instead of seeing a little band of nearly thirty girls when we have gone to preach, we have not found more than ten or twelve. The mother of one of the little girls, when she was told by her daughter that she had sat near a lowcaste girl, and had drunk coffee out of the same cup, became very angry, and went to the mothers of the other girls, and prevailed upon them to take them from the school. As soon as the School

master mentioned this to me, I requested

him not to re-admit, for six months, any of the girls who had thus been taken away. As I was sorry, however, to see the school so reduced, and most of the girls had themselves requested to be permitted to come again-and as the mothers of all, except the one who had persuaded the rest not to send their children to school, had gone to the master, and entreated him to take them back, saying that they were sorry for their foolishness-they were therefore taken

again, and are now attending as usual. The children themselves, I am convinced, were not to blame; as one little girl, one of the cleverest in the school, and who every month was accustomed to surprise us by the very correct manner in which she repeated her lessons, came several times to the Schoolmaster, before I gave him permission to take them back, and cried to be re-admitted. All is now going on quietly; and I trust that another year we shall not see a repetition of their foolishness.

In January we opened a New School, at a village called Talamgama. The school is so situated, as to be within a reasonable distance, not only for the children of the village itself, but for those of two or three others to attend. There are now between fifty and sixty names. We have had one Monthly Examination; when they repeated their lessons as well as we could expect. They learn the same lessons as the boys. We have, as yet, had Divine Service in the school every Sunday Afternoon, which is very well attended; several of the fathers and mothers of the children having been present every time. We have also had application from the inhabitants of some other villages, to establish schools among them; but have not yet complied with their request.

April 1, 1836: Good Friday-We had the children of all the schools at the church at Cotta, at eleven o'clock. There were nearly 100 girls, and, as far as I could judge, about 400 others-boys from the schools, and people of the different villages. It does one's heart good to see so large a Congregation. Mr. Browning preached a faithful Sermon to them, from 1 Peter iii. 18.

Mr. Selkirk justly remarks, in one of his Letters, that "unless the Schools are constantly looked after, He describes, they will go to ruin." under date of Oct. 20, 1835, the following simple, and therefore very

useful mode of

Catechetical Examination of a Girls'
School.

As the education of girls in the outschools is a new thing, and as I felt desirous to know how they said their lessons at the end of the month, I went, both last month and this, to the schools, to superintend the examinations. Both

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times, I was much pleased with the correct manner in which most of them repeated their lessons. On Tuesday, about twelve o'clock, I left the Institution, and went to Bewila. The first class of girls contains nine, who repeated a portion of the Church Catechism, from My duty toward my neighbour," to the end. As there was not time to ask questions on every part of it, I took the Lord's Prayer; and, so far as I can recollect, the questions proposed, and the answers returned, were as follows: Whose prayer is this ?" The Lord's."-" What Lord?" 'Our Lord Jesus Christ's."-" Whose Lord is Christ ?" The Lord of All." -"To whom do we pray?" "God."

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What is He here called ?" Our Father." -"Whose Father?" Ours." -"The Father of black men, or of white, or of both?" "Of both of all." Where does He live ?" "In heaven." 'Who lives in heaven ?" God, our Father."- "What does God possess?" "The kingdom, the power, and the glory."-This question, and those immediately following, were asked here, because, according to the Singhalese idiom, the doxology follows the invocation."What kingdom is it that belongs to God?" The kingdom of heaven."- "Whether is the kingdom of God, or of the kings of this world, the greater ?" That of God." -"What else does God possess?” “The power."- How much?” “Very much.” -"A king receives his kingdom when he is born, and loses it when he dies: is that the case with God?" "No."Why not?" Because God is not born, nor does He die."-" The power of a king extends over one country, but not over another is it the case with God?" "No; He reigns over all."-" What else belongs to God?" Glory."When will God lose his kingdom and power and glory ?" "Never." What do we pray God's name may receive ?" "Honour." What do we pray may come ?" His kingdom."-"How can his kingdom come, when you have just said He is king over all, and possesses His kingdom for ever?" No answer."Who lives in heaven ?" " "God, and Jesus Christ."-"Who is there in heaven to do God's will?" Jesus Christ." And who else ?" 'The angels.' And who else ?" No answer. becomes of good men, when they die ?" "They go to heaven." -"Do not they perform God's will in heaven ?"

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"Good men on earth do many things wrong, and all things imperfectly: will they do any thing wrong, or imperfectly, in heaven?" No, they will do all God's will there."-" What do we pray respecting the earth?" "That God's will may be done here as it is in heaven." -"How is that ?" "Perfectly, and by every body."- What do we pray God to give us?" Our daily bread."'How much is that?" Enough for our daily wants.". What should we "Nodo, besides praying for it?" thing, said one. "What did God give our hands and feet for ?" "To work with." "Then what should we do, besides praying for it?" "Work for it.". "What necessity is there to ask for forgiveness of sins?" "Because we are "Who can forgive sin? Only God."-"Whose sins will God forgive ?" Of all, who call on Him."If children quarrel, and keep their bad feelings in their minds all night, and yet use this prayer, will God hear them?" No."-" Why not?" "Because of their revengeful thoughts." How should one man act toward another who had offended him ?" "He should forgive him."-" If he do not ?" " God will not forgive him."- What do we pray not to be led into ?" Temptation."—" And

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What is evil ?" " Sin."- And what else is evil?" "Hell." What does Amen signify?" May it be so.' Such is, so far as I can recollect, the examination of one class of nine little girls, on the Lord's Prayer, who had only been at school two or three months. There was another class of six or seven, who repeated the First Part of the Catechism, and were questioned in a similar manner out of the Creed; but they did not answer so well: still, they did it in such a manner as to show that a good deal of pains had been taken with them.

The visits occasionally paid by the Missionaries to the remoter parts of the countries where they dwell, forcibly and painfully remind us how slow has been the progress, hitherto, of Christian Knowledge, and its attendant blessing, civilization. Even in some parts of Ceylon where Christianity has long existed in name, an almost heathen darkness still prevails. We extract, with a view to exhibit

this state of things, a considerable part of Mr. Selkirk's account of a Missionary Excursion toward Adam's Peak.

Dec. 26, 1835-I left Pantura this morning-sixteen miles from Colombohaving been joined by Cornelius Alvis, the Assistant at the Institution; and proceeded to Horona, thirteen miles, on foot. Having refreshed ourselves there, and remained an hour or two, we left about two o'clock; and reached Nambapana, thirty-two miles from Colombo, about eight o'clock. The road between the last two places is through jungles and across swamps: in many places, there are not even bridges across the small rivers and swamps. We found this to be the case to such a degree, that, during the whole of the last sixteen miles, we could not proceed a single mile without taking off our shoes, and wading sometimes above the knees for several hundred yards together. I distributed several Tracts at Horona; but not one of the people that we met on the road could read. The houses are very thinly scattered over this part of the country, as we passed by large tracts of jungly country that had never been turned up by the husbandman. Our road lay between large mountains; several of them of very romantic appearance. Here and there we met with a solitary individual, and sometimes with groups of ten or twelve, going to Colombo with fowls, and other things to sell.

Dec. 27-As this was Sunday, we remained at the Nambapana rest-house, till nearly two o'clock P. M. That it might not be an unprofitable Sunday, I assembled the men who were with me, and read to them prayers and a Sermon. After passing through a very rough and stony country, we arrived at Ratnapoora about eight o'clock.

Dec. 28-We left Ratnapoora this morning about twelve o'clock; but our road was far more difficult than any we had yet passed, as the hills we had to climb were very steep, and only capable of being ascended by large stones placed as steps, which in some places amounted to several hundreds. We had also to cross on foot several rivers. After coming over the most difficult road I ever saw, we arrived, about three o'clock, at Gillemalla, a place famed for betel; and then began to ascend the mountains bordering on Adam's Peak. The Peak, indeed, was

in sight all day, apparently not more than three miles distant, but in reality—that is, by the road we have to travel-eight from the place we are now visiting, Pallabadulla. The villages which we passed through were all very small; not more than four or five houses in each: and when we spoke to any of the people, whom we met on the road, on the subject of taking some of the little books, they were all afraid to take them. This place is situated on the top of a high mountain; and contains a rest-house, having two rooms about twelve feet square each, with two old bedsteads, which we were

afraid to sleep on. The rest-house is in the same compound as a Buddhist Temple; where, at first, we met only one priest, who had come from a distant village. The other priests who reside here had, early in the morning, gone to Adam's Peak, and came back about dark. After some difficulty, we got some cooking vessels, and had some rice and curry prepared. If it were not that we were so near the Peak, we would all have returned, owing to the difficulty of the road; which in several places, for many hundred yards together, was nothing but large stones; from one of which we had to jump to another, now and then passing a river, or ascending a steep mountain side. The water, all along the road, is excellent, and is as cold as in England. We intend to set off from this place early to-morrow morning, that we may, if possible, gain the summit before midday.

Dec. 29-We set forward this morning at six o'clock, and proceeded about two or three miles up the steepest and most difficult hills that I ever was on. They were so difficult indeed, that we were afraid of setting our feet upon the stones, lest we should slip, and break some of our bones. At nine o'clock, we had only proceeded three miles. The sun was then just beginning to disperse the thick clouds and fog with which these high mountains are always enveloped in the morning. We were, however, so weary and foot-sore, that we all agreed to return, without accomplishing this part of our purpose-the visiting of the top of Adam's Peak. After arriving at Pallabadulla, we remained there, so tired that we could scarcely move hand, foot, or tongue, for an hour or two. After washing our feet, and bathing in a beautiful rivulet brought down to the back of the

rest-house in spouts, we set off for Ratnapoora at one o'clock, and arrived there at six. One reason why I was not sorry for having come back to Pallabadulla at the time I did, was, that I found a Buddhist Priest there, a young man, much more modest than the generality of them are; with whom I had some conversation on the subject of Religion. As he, also, expressed a willingness to receive a copy of the Book of Genesis, which I had with me, I very readily gave it him, telling him, first, some of its contents. He listened to all I said with patience, and went away much pleased with his book.

Dec. 30, 1835-We stayed at Ratnapoora to-day. After breakfast, I baptized the children of two persons of Portuguese extraction, living here.

Dec. 31-Being somewhat refreshed with our yesterday's rest, we left Ratnapoora this morning, and arrived at Curuwittia about nine, for breakfast. The road which we had to pass was, in many places, covered with water; which we had to wade through, as on former days. Leaving Curuwittia, we went on to Nakandella; where we arrived about five o'clock, having waded through three or four rivers. A number of people soon assembled at the rest-house; to whom I distributed more books and Tracts than at any place, since I left home. I briefly explained what the contents of each of the Tracts were; and they received them very readily, and promised that they would read them. The police-constable of a neighbouring village was also here, to whom I gave a great number; as he said that he was very willing to distribute them to the people of his own and other villages, who were able to read. All to whom I gave the Tracts were Buddhists; except one man, who comes from near Colombo, and who is settled in this village. I conversed a long time with him; and, besides giving a copy of each of the Tracts, I also gave him a copy of the Book of Proverbs. He was highly pleased. I expect that several persons will come in the morning, to receive more. While I am now sitting and writing this, at the rest-house, I hear the people of the neighbouring house reading the books I have just given them.

Jan. 1, 1836-Many of the people of the village, and of other villages, came, as I had expected, and asked for books; which I was very willing to give them; charging all that received them, to read,

and take to heart the things that were written in them. About eight o'clock, we set out on our road to Avishavella. We found several persons on the road, and at some of the little rest-sheds, where we sat down to rest, to whom we gave books. One old man, with a fine white head, and a venerable beard—the people of the Kandian country never shave, while those in the Maritime Provinces always do-walked with us about two miles, to whom I explained many things relative to the Christian Religion. Before we parted, I gave him one of the Tracts which has a wood-cut on the Title-page. As soon as he saw it, he began to laugh aloud, and called out, "Oh! this is Buddhu's image." He had not gone far before he showed it to another man whom we met; and to whom, at first sight, I did not speak. When I looked back, however, and saw that they were looking at the book, I called the man, and gave him one too.

They had

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a long conversation about the picture. We arrived at Avishavella about one o'clock; and remained about half-an-hour, to eat. Here we found no rest-house keeper, and no one came near us. It was the new year, and they were all too much intent upon their pleasure. mention this to show that we had now arrived within the Colombo Districtthough still thirty miles from Colombo; and that the people were, at least in name, Christians. The people, in the parts of the country through which we have till now passed, are all Kandians, and most of them devoted idolaters. We have passed through some villages of Rodias or outcasts, but saw only one or two of the women. We visited a temple near the road to-day; but there were only two young men, Priests, who were very shy. We arrived at Hangwelle about six o'clock, very tired. This is a large village, about twenty miles from Colombo, where the Baptist Missionary Society formerly had a Chapel and a school about a year ago, they were washed away by the great flood. The chapel is now in ruins; and the school has been removed to a place a few miles off, on the road to Colombo. Last night, and every night since we left home, we slept on old couches, without mattrasses, which are part of the furniture of the rest-houses; or on couches which the people brought us from their houses. To-night, we are going to sleep on the

hard tables, as there are no couches or chairs, or any thing else in the resthouse. The people around us are making merry-shouting and singing, dancing, and beating the tomtom. Before I lay down, I wrote a note, and sent a number of Tracts, which I had with me, to the Modeliar of this place, who lives about half-a-mile from the rest-house.

Jan. 2, 1836-We left Hangwelle this morning, about six; and as the people had been beating the tomtom, and dancing and singing, till very early this morning, we saw very few, as we passed through the village. We distributed very few Tracts on the road; as the persons whom we met, or who went along with us, were unable to read. We arrived at Kaduwila about ten o'clock, and sat under a large tree, where we had some coffee. At a village on the road we distributed a great number of Tracts. From hence to Colombo is about ten miles; where we arrived about two o'clock, and at Cotta about four.

Kandy.

The Rev. T. Browning and the Rev. W. Oakley continue labouring, with much harmony and comfort, at this Station; though, in his health, Mr. Browning still suffers much, at times. Their Journals exhibit fully the

State of Religious Services, and of the
Schools.

Jan. 19-In looking over one of the Catechist's Journals to-day, I was happy to observe, in a conversation which he had with a Kandian, that light is gradually breaking in upon the minds of these benighted people. The Kandian told the Catechist, that there were many of the people convinced of the falsehood of Buddhism; but they had not courage to come forward and declare their sentiments, for fear of persecution. May the Lord increase their light, and give them strength to forsake error, and confess the truth!

Feb. 1-I was

struck the other day, on reading the Journal of one of our Catechists, by a remark which he made— that he discovered the advantage which a Christian School produced upon the minds of the heathen children. A striking instance of it came to his notice, in some children that had been withdrawn from one of our schools by a heathen man, who opened a school in opposition to ours. He succeeded in withdrawing the boys from our school; but, he could not succeed in making them willing to tell a known lie. I fear the influence of Christo make this conduct at all general among tian principles does not prevail sufficiently our scholars; but it is pleasing to find, even in one instance, that they have learned to have any regard for truth.

Mr. Browning remarks, with fraternal feeling, July 22, 1836

He is

Brother Oakley is quite well. diligently employed in visiting the people, and making known the Saviour to them. Browning, we select the following able to take a part of the Service, in the You will be happy to hear, that he is

From the communications of Mr.

brief notices :

It

Jan. 3,1836: Lord's Day-The weather was unfavourable to-day. Our Congregation was not very good, in consequence. Administered the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Seventeen Communicants partook of the Sacred Ordinance with us. Three of these were youths from the Institution at Cotta, who are visiting their friends during the vacation. was pleasing to me to look upon the number kneeling before me; and to be able to count nine young persons, out of the seventeen, who have been educated in the schools at this Station. May the Lord give them grace to walk worthy of their sacred profession! Surely our work is not altogether in vain! Oh! may the little one become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation!

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