perintending the Schools was able to report favourably of the progress of the boys in the Grammar School; and to give a long List of Parochial Schools, many of them containing from 30 to 40 Scholars each at present, however, appearances are not so promising. The coming of Mar Athanasius from Syria, and his violent proceedings during his short stay in Travancore, with those of some evil-disposed Catanars who attached themselves to him with the hope of advancing themselves, very much unsettled the minds of the people; and rendered them, in a great measure, indifferent to the plans now in operation, under the sanction of Mar Philoxenus, for their instruction and benefit. But this state of things, there is reason to hope, will not continue long; as some signs of better feeling begin to appear.

Of the Grammar School Mr. Baker says—

Nearly all the boys lately at the Grammar School were transferred to the College in July; when, at Mr. Doran's request, Mr. Baker resumed the charge of that School: so that scarcely any of the number of those, of whose progress report was made last year, now remain. With the exception of four who now form the first and necessarily a very indifferent class from being nearly all that remain of the whole former School, and with the further exception of one boy of good abilities still remaining and another of very inferior, all the boys in the Grammar School are new-comers.

The whole number now attending the School is about 70; among whom are included some Day Scholars from the village; and some Heathen Children, to whom our attention has not hitherto been turned. The First Class, consisting of only 4, parse Murray's Exercises commit to memory the rules of Syntaxwrite copies on their slates-and have begun arithmetic: in Sanscrit, this Class has made some proficiency. The Second Class, consisting of 12, read, in English, the Miracles and Parables of our Lord-commit to memory the words of a small English and Malayalim Vocabulary-write copies on their slates-will soon begin English Grammar-and have just commenced Sanscrit. The Third Class, consisting of 16, have just begun No. 1 of the Reading School Books, and are spelling the Cards of Dissyllables: in Malayalim, they are reading St. Mat

thew's Gospel: they also write on slates from dictation. The Fourth Class, consisting of 8, might be joined to the Third in English, but that they are not so forward in Malayalim, and could not be spared from the Malayalim Class at the same time with the others. The Fifth Class is rather a numerous one of little boys, chiefly Day Scholars; who are learning reading and accounts in Malayalim.

On the Lord's Day, the larger boys attend the English Service in the College Chapel, while the smaller go to one of the Syrian Churches in the village: the whole of them receive religious instruction in the afternoon; besides which they are regularly catechized by the Teachers on Saturdays.

The establishment of two other Grammar Schools, according to the plan originally proposed by that earliest friend of our Mission, Colonel Monro, is very desirable; as the large demands made for Boys upon the present School by the College must, if continued, effectually prevent its ever becoming any thing like what its name imports.

The Parochial Schools were 29 in number; and contained 445 Syrian Scholars and 325 Heathen: of these Schools Mr. Baker writes—

The Parochial Schools are now only few in number: many of the former Schools were very thinly attended; and this, added to the total failure of contributions from the Churches, has led to the necessity of giving up some of them. Besides being thinly attended, several were so inconveniently situated, that they could be visited but seldom, and then not without considerable labour and difficulty: it was, therefore, deemed advisable to remove the Schoolmasters from thence, and to place them in some of the more populous districts nearer home; and this has been accordingly done, in two or three instances.

Petitions for Schools having been presented by the Heathen Population around us, some Schools have been opened in the vicinity of Cottayam, with the prospect of much good: many petitions were presented; but they could not all be attended to, as the Mission Funds would not allow of more Schools being established.

It appears, from the List of Schools, that, while most of them have kept up their numbers, several, which used to

be well attended, are now almost deserted. The Schoolmasters are, however, continued; and there is no reason to doubt but that the people will send their children again after a time. In such Schools as have continued to be well attended, the attention of the Schoolmasters has been regular; and several of them, though Heathens, have given considerable satisfaction by their diligence in teaching the Catechisms and other religious books.

Beginning and good Prospect of Female Schools.

In May, Mrs. Baker thus addresses the Secretary on the subject of Native-Female Education

As I perceive, from the Missionary Register, that great interest is felt for the Education of Native Females in India, I take the liberty of writing you a short account of my little School, in the hope that it may afford some additional interest to pious and charitable friends, and direct their attention toward the education, in particular, of Syrian Females. Several years ago, Mrs. Fenn and myself, as our houses were near, had a School of 10 or 12 girls, who attended from the village near us. These girls learnt to sew, and to read a little English: they learnt also Watts's small Catechisms: but their parents took them away, one after another, and our School was broken up. After waiting some time, it was thought, that, by altering the plan a little, we should succeed better: accordingly, I took several into our house to live with us, in order that they might learn different kinds of work, and reading and arithmetic in their own language. I have now 12 little girls: six of these came to me in July 1825, three in July 1826, and the rest later.

After describing these girls, she adds

All these children, except two, are under 12 years of age, and had scarcely learnt any thing before they came: they are now employed, from morning till noon, at their needles, &c.; and, in the after part of the day, at their books. The First Class read the responses of a part of the Liturgy, which we use at Morning Prayer; and are regularly catechized and examined on the Lord's Day. Under the blessing of God we have some prospect before us of their turning out well.

The expense of each child I find to be

no more than one pagoda per quarter, or 11. 12s. a-year: this, if I mistake not, will find them in every thing, even a Schoolmaster to teach them. I hope when this account reaches you, you will make it known, that not 57. but 17. 12s. is sufficient for the education of SyrianFemale Children; and, by that means, raise such a Fund as shall enable us to commence Schools on a very large scale.

The subject will shortly be brought before you, I believe, in an official way; but I could not withhold these few particulars beforehand.

You will, I am sure, remember us in your prayers, and not forget my little flock and the rest of the Syrian-Female Children. Though I have never had the pleasure of seeing you or even the highly-favoured country in which you live, you will, I am sure, accept of my Christian regards, with those of Mr. Baker.

Mr. Doran thus speaks on this subject

As it regards the practicability of educating the Syrian Females, I have only to point to a School, which Mrs. Baker supports and instructs at her own charge. I never visit this little Establishment, and see the pretty little children engaged in their equally useful and sacred employments, without mingled feelings of thankfulness and pain-of thankfulness, that even so much is doing; of pain, that so much is left undone. Parents are now so satisfied that their female children are deriving benefit from being under Mrs. Baker's kind care, that many of them are coming forward to solicit an entrance for more. Mr. Baker assures me that he might have a School of 80, had he but the means to support it. Here, then, is a most promising and interesting channel, through which Christian Benevolence and Sympathy may move: the Christian Heart, which now beats responsive to the calls of Bengal Females, will not be insensible to the spiritual and intellectual wants of SyroIndian Females. Christianity (alas! falsely so called) has done but little, if any thing, for the Syrian Women. The marks of degradation are, I believe, equally apparent in Syrian and Heathen Women. I need not say that female improvement ought to go hand in hand with that of man, if not to precede it. In making these observations, I am but recording the sentiments and feelings of our whole circle.

To what I have said as to Mrs. Baker, I might add the testimony of Mrs. Bailey; who, from the first, has had from three to four girls in her house, and at her own charge.

The Madras Corresponding Committee apprised the Missionaries, that they were fully disposed to give effect to any judicious measures, which they might have to propose in furtherance of NativeFemale Education.

Ceremonies at the Funeral of Mar Dionysius. Mr. Fenn has supplied the following description, and that which succeeds it: they are interesting as a display of the habits and feelings of the Syrians.

Immediately on the death of the Metropolitan, the bells tolled to give notice of it, and shouts of lamentation were heard through the village. The crowds in the house, and in the church-yard, and outside, were immense. All castes flocked to the place, so that the whole village seemed crowded together; but the lower castes remained at a little distance on the outside of the burying ground. Their groans and wailing were beyond all description: they did not appear, however, to proceed so much from grief, as from a regard to custom; though, here and there, was found a solitary individual, in some remote corner, weeping silently.

Amidst all this noise, the Priests proceeded with their ceremonies. The body, wiped with a moist cloth, and dressed in the episcopal robes and accoutred in all the insignia of office, was placed, in a sitting posture, in a chair: many wax tapers, of considerable magnitude, were fixed before and on each side of it; and funeral dirges were chaunted for the soul: this was accompanied by burning of incense. These prayers continued through the night; in the course of which they removed the body, sitting as it was in the chair, into the church, and placed it near the steps leading to the altar, and within the rail dividing the body of the church from the chancel, and fronting the west.

During the whole of the following day, funeral dirges were chaunted and masses performed by a large body of Clergy, in the presence of a crowded audience. It was proposed by some that the body should be placed in the

Metropolitan's state-palanquin, and carried in procession through the village; but, on its being represented that the body was too stiff to allow of its being introduced into the palanquin, and that the attempt would be attended with great injury to the remains, it was overruled: about four o'clock, however, in the afternoon, the chair was borne by four of the

Priests, no others being allowed to touch the body from an opinion of its sanctity, and carried in procession round the church, within the walls of the church-yard, followed by the Metropolitan's state and private palanquins. Solemn dirges were sung, and an immense concourse of people attended. The body was then brought back again to the church, and carried to the altar; and was raised nine successive times fronting the north, and three times fronting the south. After this ceremony, it was returned to its former place in the church; and all the people, men, women, and children, kissed the hands.

During this ceremony, Mar Philox enus arrived. On beholding the corpse of his deceased friend, he burst out into exclamations of grief. It was his duty to take the ring and the pastoral staff and cross from the hands of the deceased Metropolitan: he did this, and returned to his seat near the altar. The body was then placed in a large wooden chair nearly six feet high: a wooden cross was hung round the neck, another placed in the right-hand, and the pastoral staff at his left-hand. In this way it was interred in a grave, a little below the altar, on the north side, opposite the grave of Mar Gabriel, a former Metropolitan who came from Syria. Mar Philoxenus, being supported by two or three individuals, then approached the grave, and poured a small phial of oil-olive on the head: on returning to his seat near the altar, he swooned; and remained so for nearly twenty minutes. The assembly then dispersed.

Every day, for 40 days, were masses performed, by some or other of the Priests. Letters announcing the decease were forwarded by Mar Philoxenus to the Government of Travancore and Cochin, and to all the Churches. In the coure of the following days, deputations, consisting of one or more Priests and several Laymen, arrived from nearly every Church; and the Feast, usual on such occasions in honour of the dead, was fixed upon for the 20th day from the

decease. Provision for ten thousand persons was made: six or seven thousand partook of it. The greater part of the church-yard was covered in with ollas, sufficient to accommodate from 1000 to 1200 people; and others dined in the lower rooms of the Metropolitan's house, and in the verandah: after one set had dined, another succeeded: there were, in this way, four or five changes of guests. No meat or fish was allowed; but rice in abundance, ghee, curds, oil, pulse, pickled mangoes, ginger, sweetmeats and preserves, butter, milk, cakes, and pancakes fried in ghee and sugar.

Manner of electing a Metropolitan. Mr. Fenn thus describes the mode of appointing a successor to Mar Dionysius

The day after this Feast, the Clergy and most wealthy and respectable part of the Laity met for the selection of a

person to succeed the deceased Metropolitan. The two principal Malpans, Abraham of Mamalecherry and Philippus of Chapad, were mentioned by them as suitable persons: the Catanar, named Joseph, of Cullapa, was added to these two, in consequence of the recommendation of the late Metropolitan.

Just previously to his decease and in the prospect of it, he had mentioned his wish, that one of two Deacons, named Marcus and Matthew, both of Cottayam, and his pupils and protegés, might be appointed as his successor; but their youth was deemed by the Clergy as a bar: they said, however, that they considered them as destined to the office at the proper age. The two Malpans and the Priest Joseph abovenamed were desired to draw lots for the appointment: this was done in allusion to the circum

stance which is recorded in Scripture, relating to the appointment of a successor to Judas Iscariot. Two papers were drawn up for each candidate: each of these was an appeal for the Divine Blessing, something in this form-" If

it be the will of God that Abraham Malpan be raised to the office of Metropolitan, let this paper come up :" the other-" If it be NOT the will of God that Abraham Malpan be raised to the office of Metropolitan, let this paper come up"-and thus for each candidate. The papers were carefully folded up; and Mar Philoxenus, attended by a large body of Clergy and Laity, went to the church. Each paper was then read

out loud to the people, and folded up. The Metropolitan requested the people to implore the Divine guidance and determination; and he and his Priests chaunted some prayers. The papers

had been placed on the altar; and a Deacon was directed to approach the altar, making three prostrations at different distances, and to take one of the papers. The first that was taken was that rejecting Abraham Malpan: the other paper, electing him, was then looked for and removed-the rest folded up, and deposited as before-prayers resumed-and one drawn by the Deacon beforementioned, in the same manner. The next paper drawn was that apsembly was immediately dismissed, and pointing Phillippus Malpan. The asa day fixed upon for his Ordination.

Testimony of the late British Resident.
On occasion of the late Colonel

Newall's preparations to quit India on account of his declining health, the Missionaries addressed to him, on the 30th of March, a Letter of Thanks for his kindness, and of Condolence with him in his sufferings. The Resident returned the following answer, dated on the 10th of April at Quilon

GENTLEMEN

Letter, dated 30th ultimo, I have to In acknowledging the receipt of your offer you my best thanks for your good wishes.

It has been not less my duty than my inclination, to support, protect, and forward the great and sacred objects which you have in view; and to which so much have been devoted. The works of man talent, zeal, and indefatigable labour are in the hands of God: He alone can

bring them to perfection. I, therefore, earnestly pray, that your infant and interesting Institution may be taken under Divine Protection.

interest in the prosperity of the CotBe assured I shall always feel a deep tayam Establishment and the welfare of the Syrian Church.

Ceylon.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. A COPIOUS digest of the proceedings at the Society's Four Stations in Ceylon-Cotta, Kandy, Baddagame, and Nellore—was given at pp. 555

the more recent communications we shall here select various details, reserving other intelligence for the Survey.

Improvement of the Scholars at Cotta in

Scripture Knowledge.

The Rev. James Selkirk, who has now under his charge the School Department at Cotta, has sent home satisfactory evidence of the improvement of the Scholars: he writes

The boys of all the Schools come to Cotta, at the beginning of every month, to be examined. The following are some of the questions which I proposed to them at the last Examination, with their answers

"What is the name of the Book out of which you have been repeating your lessons?" "The Gospel according to St. Matthew". "Who wrote this Book?" "Jesus Christ," said one; " Matthew," another-"Who was Matthew?" "A Disciple of Jesus Christ" "What does this book tell us about?" "About Jesus Christ"-"Why was he called Jesus?" "Because he was to save His people from their sins"-Who are His people?"

4 To

"Those who believe on Him"-"What did He do to save them?" "He died upon the cross"-"Could we have had any hopes of being saved, if Jesus Christ had not died?" "No"-Did Jesus Christ teach His disciples to pray?" "Yes" -"To whom?" God"-"Repeat a text which leads us to expect, that God will hear the prayers of those who pray to Him." On which one of them said, "Ask and it shall be given you, &c."-"By what Name does Jesus Christ teach us to call God, when we pray to Him?" "Our Father, which art in heaven"-" Why do we call God our Father?" No answer"Is it right or wrong to swear?" "Wrong

"Repeat a text, which tells us it is wrong. "Swear not at all"-"What commandment forbids us to swear?" "The third"-" Repeat it." One of them repeated it correctly "Who was Herod ?" "King of Judea -"Was he a good or a bad king?" "A bad

one

-"What particular crime did he commit, which makes you think that he was a bad one?" "He commanded all the little children to be put to death, who were under two years of age"-"Why did he order all the children to be killed?" "Because he knew that Jesus Christ was born King of the Jews, and he was afraid that He would endeavour to take his kingdom"-"Why did the Wise Men come to Jerusalem ?" "To see Jesus Christ "-" How came they to know in what country Jesus Christ was born?" "A star led them to it"-" What did they do when they saw Him?" "They presented unto Him gold, and frankincense, and myrrh "-"Mention a text, which says that Jesus means Saviour." "Thou shalt call

His name Jesus, because He shall save His people from their sins"- "Will Jesus Christ save those who continue to live in sin ?” "No"-"What other name has He, beside Jesus Christ ?" "Son of God, Son of Man, Emmanuel" "What does Emmanuel mean?" "God with us"-"Will every one that says to Christ, Lord, Lord, be saved?" "No""Who will?" "He, that doeth the

will of my Father, which is in heaven". "How are we to know a good tree from a bad?" "By its fruits"-"How are we to know a good man from a bad?" "By his actions "How does Christ say that we are to conduct ourselves toward our enemies ?" "Love your enemies"- Where does He say that we are to lay up for ourselves treasures ?" "In heaven "_"Why not on earth?" "Because moth and rust would corrupt them, and thieves would break through and steal."

You will see, from these answers to my questions, that, though our dear brother Lambrick has been unable, through the multiplicity of his employments, to pay unceasing attention to the Schools, yet the children are not ignorant of that which is of the greatest concern to us all, and is the end at which we aim in all our instructions-the Way of Salvation. It is, indeed, an encouragement to us in our labours, to see these BLOSSOMs at least springing forth

the earnest of a future, and we trust thing to my mind very delightful in the an abundant, harvest. There is somethought, that many of those, who have been taught from their infancy to sing the songs of Buddhu and to worship in his temple, are now taught to praise the name of the Lord, and to honour the Son even as they honour the Father.

About three weeks afterward, on the 4th of December, Mr. Selkirk writes

I had the children at our bungalow on Thursday and Friday last, for the Monthly Examination. As I had given directions to the Schoolmasters, the month previous, to be sure to pay increased attention to the reading of the boys, and also to be very particular in asking them questions on what they read to see if they understood it, I was very desirous of knowing in what manner these directions had been attended to. In order, therefore, to ascertain, not merely the ability of the children to answer, but also that of the Masters to ask questions, I called upon the Masters, after the Examination in reading was finished, to ask the boys some of the questions which they had proposed