No Glergyman having been connected with the Mission at Astrachan before the arrival of Mr. Glen, as neither Mr. Mitchell nor Mr. Dickson had been ordained, the Missionaries speak with exultation of the 12th of October; their Chapel being then opened by Mr. Glen, and the regular dis-burg than is usual in such cases. pensation of Christian Ordinances for the first time established among them.

had not the types for it, furnished by the British and Foreign Bible Society, been much longer on their way from St. Peters

A Sunday School and a Day School were ❤pened, for the benefit of the Missionaries' children, and of some ransomed girls living Hunter, two ransomed young men emin their families. They request that per-ployed in the Mission, it is addedsons suitably qualified may be sent out, to take charge of the youth connected with the Mission. The Directors have, in consequence, determined that one of their students, Mr. McPherson, shall be charged with that duty.

Mr. Glen has been chiefly occupied in studying the Tartar, Russian, and Persian The aggregate number of Books and languages. Of the labours of Messrs. Tracts issued from the Missionary Deposi Mitchell and Dickson, the Report states-tory, during the same period, for sale, Notwithstanding Mr. Mitchell's illness gratis distribution, and the use of various since the beginning of November, from Bible Committees, throughout those parts which time till the date of the last letter he of Russia in which the Tartar language is had been unable to attend the printing understood, has been 5348; among which office, the following number of works had were about 700 copies of the New Testa

ment, 300 of the Psalms, and 400 of the to a considerable number of Mahomedary Gospel according to Luke, all in Tartar. and Jews, with many of whom the Missiona"The number of these, however, great as ries have conversed freely respecting the it is, assumes a far more interesting and principles of the Gospel: but, though they important aspect, when the extent of coun- hope that good has been done, they are still try, through which many of them have been constrained to adopt the language of the circulated, is considered. We are as- prophet, Who hath believed our report?

sured,' says the Missionaries, that books-no case having come to their knowledge, from our depository have already found that appeared decidedly to indicate a their way to Bagdat, to many parts of Per- cordial reception of the truth as it is in sia, to Bucharia, and to China; and we Jesus.

have reason to believe, that there are few of "At the same time, there are not a few the tribes between the Caspian and the promising appearances connected with the sources of the Indus and the Ganges, of facts on which this general statement is which there are not to be found individuals founded, and of which it may not be unwho have received parts of the Scriptures interesting to give a concise detail. from us, by means of Armenian merchants "The multitude of Pilgrims, most of whom and others, who received them at our come immediately from Bucharia to AstraDepository. Within the boundaries of the chan, on their way to Mecca, continues to Russian Empire, the facilities for circulating be very great; and the readiness with our Tartar Version of the New Testament, which they receive copies of the Persian or and other portions of the Sacred Volume, Tartar New Testament is extremely enhave been wonderfully increased by the couraging. In the month of June last, establishment of the Russian Bible Society; there were, at one time, no fewer than from which we received permission to send one hundred and thirty-five of them, waitour parcels by post, free of expense, under ing in the city for passports to enable them seal of the Astrachan Committee, to what the more safely to pursue their journey. ever place we had occasion to forward Many of them are from the Western States them. This privilege we find to be of in-of India; and, although the Scriptures are calculable importance, not so much in a preparing in so many Indian Languages, all pecuniary point of view, though the saving the Mahomedans from these quarters, whom is great, as from the security and despatch the Missionaries have met with, use no with which we are enabled to transmit our written language except either the Arabic Books to any Post-town in the Empire, to or the Persian. They crowd into Bucharia, which we may be requested to send them.' froin all the surrounding countries, for the How interesting and majestic are these purpose of studying the Mahomedan Relimovements of Divine Providence, in behalf gion, and its sacred language, which they of that Word which contains the record of deem the Arabic to be; as well as to make eternal life, and which shall not return unto themselves masters of the Persic, and the Him void, but shall accomplish that which He pleaseth!

Turkish; the last being the name which they uniformly give the Tartar. They "It would be most gratifying, could the there receive their education, at the expense Directors report any instances of the influ- of the Schah, provided they cannot supence of this Word, on the understanding port themselves; and, when they leave and conscience of those among whom it has the schools, they are rewarded with prebeen so widely dispersed. Many opportu-sents. Thus, Bucharia appears to be the nities have, indeed, occurred, of recom-strong-hold of Mahomedanisin throughout mending a crucified Saviour to the attention Tartary; but it can only support a part of some Heathen, chiefly from India; and of that tottering fabric, which will ere long

fall before the joyful sound of the Gospel. procure for him. Application has accordAnd who shall say but that the reception of ingly been made to the Baptist Society the New Testament, by some of those who for some copies, which the Directors have have during the past or preceding years no doubt will be readily granted, and held intercourse with the Missionaries, may which will be sent out to Astrachan by pave the way for this most desirable and the earliest opportunity after they are obglorious end! One of them, who they

tained. learned was an Effendi employed by the "They have likewise had repeated con} Khan of Bucharia himself, took away versations with several Jews from Endery, with him not only a New Testament, but a town of the Kumack country, about a a copy of Grotius in Arabic; with which day's journey to the southwest of Kitzliar, valuable publication, as mentioned in the and in which there are no fewer than about last Report, the Church Missionary So- 300 families who profess the Jewish reli ciety of London generously furnished our ligion. Besides these, there are said to be Missionaries. 500 Jewish families at no great distance to "Several Pilgrims have also visited them the south of Endery; among whom they from Affghanistan, as they passed on to the reckon about 100 Rabbis. They all speak Caaba; and, among others, an Effendi of the Persian language in their families, but that nation, a very accomplished young have no books except in Hebrew; and man, who they were informed was also of indeed they are acquainted with no alphahigh rank, being a Schah's son, and who bet but the Hebrew. They appeared to readily accepted of a Persian Testament be completely ignorant of the New Testaand an Arabic Tract. The very pilgrimage ment; and, when the prophecies conto Mecca, though worse than useless in cerning the Messiah were mentioned to itself, may thus be overruled as the means them, they endeavoured to explain away of conveying the Scriptures into countries, or pervert the meaning of almost every one where, on account of the suspicious jea- of them. They said, however, that they lousy, the virulent bigotry, and the san- would read the New Testament, if they guinary laws of the Mahomedan inhabitants and rulers, there are few, if any, facilities for dispersing them.

had it in Hebrew. The Missionaries, ac◄ cordingly, having procured some copies from the Astrachan Bible Committee, Mr. "Even Brahmins may yet be brought to Dickson, after a long and interesting conthe knowledge of the truth, at Astrachan: versation with them, in which he laboured for, in the month of May, an Indian having to convince them, that the expectations called on the Missionaries, to whom they which they still cherished of the personal showed specimens of the Serampore trans-appearance of the Messiah, as their Tempolations of the Scriptures, they learned from ral Deliverer, would never be realized, him, that about 200 of his countrymen were because he has already come in a very resident in the city, of whom the greatest different character, as a Spiritual Saviour, part were Brahmins. On his next visit, he presented them with nine copies, which, brought along with him one of these priests, with one formerly given, make, in all, ten who read with ease the specimen of San- copies of the Four Gospels and Acts of the scrit which they put into his hands, and con- Apostles in Hebrew. May his prayer and versed with them a considerable time ours be heard and answered, that the concerning India; though, having to talk reading of them may be the dawn of Gospel with him by means of an interpreter, they light among the Jews of Endery; that so could not say much to him on the subject the veil may be removed from their hearts, of religion. He discovered, however, a and many of them be made to see that desire to obtain the Scriptures in Sanscrit, Jesus is the Messiah promised to their which they promised to endeavour to fathers, and that he is able to save to

the uttermost all who come unto God by with the most grateful and animated feel him!' ings, to relate.

"The formation of Bible Societies or "They do not refer to the continued zeal Committees in the Governments both of and steadiness of Walter Buchanan, the Penza and Perm, the members of which converted Cabardian, and Mr. M'Alpine's seem peculiarly zealous for the circulation ardent fellow-labourer; though these must of the Scriptures, among the Tartars in not be overlooked or unnoticed: but to their neighbourhood, no less than among the decided change, which they have now the subjects of the Greek Church, is also no reason to doubt has taken place on one deserving of particular notice. A consi- of the Kirghisians, whose name has not yet derable number of Tartar New Testaments, appeared in any of the Society's Reports. and of the Gospel according to Luke, in And they know not how they can so well the same language, have accordingly been introduce their narrative concerning this sent to them; in the distribution of which, interesting subject of divine grace, as by among the Tartars in his Diocess, the Arch- the following extract of a letter from bishop of Perm has taken a lively interest. Walter Buchanan to one of the Directors, Thus the Lord appears to be opening up which speaks at once for his own state of ways, in every direction throughout the mind and that of his Kirghisian Convert Russian Empire, for the diffusion of Divine "I was once in slavery; but, by your Truth, among a people fettered by strong bounty, I am now free. Once I was withdelusion, and trusting in vanities and lies. out God and without a Saviour; but now, "These, surely, are increasing evidences by your means, under God, I have been of the peculiar importance of Astrachan brought to the knowledge of my God and as a Missionary Station; and, it is to be Saviour, whose blood cleanseth from all hoped, presages also of greater events in sin. It is now become my daily desire to due time to be brought to pass, under the get an interest in Him and His righteousinfluence of that God who will not forsake ness; and I can say, that in Him I have the work of his own hands, but will as- found a resting-place for my soul. In Hin suredly prosper his Word unto that to believe; and trust He will never forsake which he has sent it."

Some favourable indications are given respecting two Tartars, named Moulem Birdy and Khojy Jan; after which the Report proceeds to speak of

ORENBURG.

me.

"You know that Mr. Fraser has encouraged me to open my mouth to the poor Kirghisians. Among these people I have been constantly labouring for two years; and, I trust, not without advantage to them as well as to myself. The Kirghisians profess to believe every thing that is said to them on religion; and, although "At the period to which the last Report the word seems to make little impression on brought down the accounts respecting this their hearts, yet the frank and open way in Station, the interest which had been exci- which many of them listen, gives encourted, by those of the preceding year, was agement to hope, that a work of grace will not inconsiderably diminished. But the take place among them. I am truly happy return of Mr. M'Alpine, who at that time to have it in my power to inform you, thaf was employed along with Walter Buchanan Mollonazar is become a devoted disciple in labouring among the Kirghisians, and of Jesus, and has thrown away all his Mawho was under the painful necessity of homedan nonsense. He appears to be exleaving Orenburg to visit his native country ceedingly serious, and much devoted to on account of his health, prepared them for his Saviour." " expecting something of what they have now,

Various particulars are stated respecting this young Convert; and, in a note, the following account is given of another promising Mahomedan, named Achmet.

explain the Word; and are, consequently called Elders or Presbyters. They call themselves, in contradistinction to those of the Greek Church, Spiritual Christians Crossing, they look upon, as the real mark "He is a native of the Cabardian Coun- of the beast mentioned in the Revelation. try, and speaks its language; though his They believe, most firmly, that worshipfather was a Trukman, and his mother a ping images or saints is idolatry; and conKirghisian. For three months he had sequently pray, that they may be preserved from the influence of the Beast and of the been visiting the Missionaries, almost every second night; and the result, according to Dragon. They believe, that Christians Mr. Fraser, has been, that he is almost, if ought rigorously to observe the laws of not altogether, a believer in the New Moses respecting meats. Tobacco and Testament. At the age of twenty-four, onions are condemned by them. The comAchmet accompanied his father on a pil- mand of our Saviour about observing his grimage to Mecca from the neighbourhood Supper they look upon, as encouraging of Troitzka, where he had settled: having them to suffer death rather than worship the accomplished which, on their return thither, Beast. Baptism, by them, is considered as by the way of Egypt, his father died there, meaning the instruction of the Word of God, at the great age of 104. Among his last and putting all evil away from them, dewords, the dying parent enjoined him to siring the sincere milk of the Word, &c. read the New Testament; telling him, that On this account they have given themselves he would never learn the True Religion the name of Malakani; for the word malaka unless he did so. After various hardships, signifies milk. They consider all wars unlawful. On this principle, they think it no evil for any of them, should he be taken for a recruit, to desert; alleging, that Christians are called to peace, and see no right any one has of forcing them to fight, and that too, it may be, against Christians. The Malakani of the present day are turned very careless, and are also divided among themselves."

Achmet reached Orenburg last summer, in his way towards Troitzka, where he supposed he has still a sister living; but has been detained there ever since. At his first interview with the Missionaries, he earnestly solicited a copy of the New Testament, declaring his anxiety to fulfil his dying father's injunction. He soon began to entertain doubts of the Korân. He has often since been heard crying out, with seeming earnestness: 'Ai Chodai mene Anjeel-dan aer masin,' i. e. ‘O God, never separate me from the New Testament!'

Of Mahomed and his religion he now speaks with disdain; and has even threatened to burn all his Mahomedan books."

From the Appendix, we extract the following account, given by Mr. Fraser, of a singular sect, named Malakani.

"The Bible, they believe, contains the whole will of God; and that He alone is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth. The most learned among them read and VOL. II....No. 11.

On the subject of Orenburg, the Report further states

"The readiness and joy with which the Kirghisians continue to welcome the visits and instructions of Walter Buchanan, and the feeling with which they listen to his explanations of Divine Truth, frequently crying out, 'We repent, we return to thee, O God! Cast us not away! Have mercy on us!' appear, indeed, to indicate the approach of some more general movements of the power and grace of Christ in their behalf.

"It is not, however, among the poorer sort of them only, that interest appears to 33