also to defer subscribing their names, till they were firmly convinced. They replied, that they, and two more of their number, had examined Christianity already these six months; and that they are fully persuaded in their minds, and desired to believe in Christ, and serve the Living God.

Sept. 17, 1829-Old Ignatius, Catechist of Vaanaramutti, in the Etiyapooram Zemindary, came to-day, with some of the people, shewing me his back; having been flogged by the Zemindar's people, because he remonstrated with them against their cruelties towards the people (see Sept. 10). They have also lately sealed up their straw-heaps, so that their cattle are left to starve. Indeed, the people are. now so hemmed in on all sides, that they must either wander about or starve; yet they stand fast, and say that they will rather die than return to their former Idols. It is remarkable, that their women also are steadfast, and learn the Catechism well. What can we do for them? In the evening we had a special Prayer Meeting on their account; and found consolation in the gracious designs of God by these afflictions, viz. to root out pride, envy, and love of the world. I think to write to the Zemindar.

Sept. 19-My Letter to the Zemindar went off this morning, by a special messenger. I sent him also a copy of the Extracts from Scripture." May the blessing of the Lord accompany both! If He pleases, all this trouble will tend to open the door to the Gospel more widely: but we must not trust in Princes.

Sept. 24-This day the messenger returned with the Zemindar's answer: he had great difficulty in getting my Letter into his hand: his answer is unsatisfactory. From what the messenger observed, he is led by his servants. He has returned the book, having read the page which I pointed out to him: still, it may not be altogether useless. The new people from Jlandeikoollam, north-west of Palamcottah, came again, requesting a Teacher immediately. Not knowing whom to send, as the present Preparandi are yet rather dull, I resolved on sending Samuel, one of the elder Seminarists. Manikam is to accompany him for a few days. They were this evening committed in prayer to the Lord.

Sept. 30-The Anniversary of our Native Tract Society.-The Church was filled. Animating Speeches were made by our Native Brethren, Michael, David, Mootteyen, Asirvadam, and also by the

Country-Priest Adeikalam. The income during the year was 1298 Rupees, including the amount of the Nagercoil Branch: 35,000 Tracts have been printed-in all, since the commencement, 146,900 copies. Mootteyen stood up, and said, that last year he had been prevented stating a particular mode of providing means for the Society, which he would therefore do now; namely, In the course of the year his wife had taken daily a small portion from the quantity of rice allotted for every day's meals, and put it by: this had produced, in the course of the year, 1 Rupee, which he now paid in; and exhorted the people to do likewise. He was asked, whether they had felt any diminution of their food; to which he said, "No; none at all." This is certainly worthy of imitation, and may safely be followed in Europe. I would especially recommend this plan to be adopted by all the Members of the Church Missionary Society for this Mission, calling it "The Tinnevelly Provision;" which might quarterly or half-yearly be converted into money, and transmitted to us. A small portion

of tea, sugar, coffee, wheat, &c. thus daily laid by, from what otherwise would be consumed, will afford us material assistance. Let it be considered a kind of tithe, and laid up from a feeling of gratitude to God for the blessings which He bestows. Asirvadam addressed the Meeting thus:-" My dear Brethren, there is one thing which I greatly desire to tell you it is this: If we do not do this good work, who else will do it? Will the Mahomedans?-the Roman Catholics?— the Heathens ?-or other unbelievers? They will not. Shall, then, this work be left undone? Shall we Christians, also, who have received better knowledge, through our Lord Jesus Christ, be still, and do nothing? By no means. us then not be slack in this good work, but do it diligently, for the salvation of the people around us. May the Lord stir us all up to do so!"

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Yesterday, I had a conversation with a Soodra, a Schoolmaster whom Br. Schmid has lately employed, and who shews a great zeal for Christianity. He said, that about five years ago he had from me the short Catechism, which had been the means of opening his eyes. He added, "I feel my sins: I have been a very wicked man, roving about, and doing all kinds of mischief; but I never sought the grace of God." I asked him if he knew that God would forgive his sins.

sure.

Oct. 1, 1829-Business with the Catechists, and people from the country. Another outrage has just been committed on the Catechist Arokiyam, and others of the Congregation of Sekkadvali, by Heathens and Moormen. The Catechist has been beaten, and nearly strangled: other persons, also, have been maltreated, and a part of the Chapel pulled down. Two other places in the Etiyapooram Zemindary are beginning to experience the same ill-treatment as Vaanaramutti. A variety of other such things, and troubles among the Congregations themselves, put our faith to a severe trial. My mind was much oppressed to-day: the people are so timid, that the least thing frightens them. We can only commit all to the Lord.

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Oct. 2-Ignatius reports of the women at Vaanaramutti, that when we sent them assistance last month to buy provisions, they greatly marvelled, and acknowledged the hand of God in it, and were strengthened to endure. He tells us also of a bazaar-man, that he secretly expressed to him a desire to know our Vedam and to read our books, but that he was afraid of the Zemindar's orders: 'However," said he, "when in the evening you teach the people in your Compound, I shall come, and walk up and down near it, so that I may hear.' We have received 10 new persons into the Preparandi Class, who, after some labour bestowed on them, promised to become useful Labourers: we have now, in all, 15: this is the largest number we ever had together. May the Lord prosper this important branch of our labours!

Oct. 3-The Catechist of Kanabadinadenoor, old Rayappen, has been beaten by the enemies, and a part of the Chapel has been pulled down: the Congregation here is in great distress. The enemies strive hard to get the Vedam away from thence. We are endeavouring to get a piece of land in the neighbourhood there, for the settling of the Christians. Seven Rettiyars, from a village near Nannikoollam, have been here, requesting to be received into the Christian Church. I had a very pleasing conversation with them.

This afternoon, information came, that our people, the Weavers of Tinnevelly, are again very much perplexed, by an order from the Collector to pay certain taxes which they have already paid, with 50 Rupees fine. The Collector, of course, does not know that they have paid them

him; and are aiding the enemies to afflict the Christians, because, as we have stated, they had been the means of discovering the frauds of the Native Officers, &c., in embezzling the taxes of a number of their looms. That embezzled money is now demanded from the Christians; whereas it should be demanded from the Native Officers, who in due time received it from them; and, in proof of which, our people have their receipts. The whole demanded from them, including the 50 Rupees fine, is 268 Rupees; and the order is urgent: if they do not pay immediately, their houses are to be sold. They are now petitioning the Collector on the subject.

Oct. 10-Catechist Arokiyam, and the other people of Sekkadivali, have returned from Courtallum, without being able to deliver their complaint against the outrage, because the Collector's Officer was just preparing to return to Tinnevelly. I had sent Masillamany with them, both to aid them, and also to visit Kanadibadinadenoor and assist the afflicted Christians there. He reports, that the enemies were very furious, and would listen to no reason: nothing short of the removal of the Christians from the place will satisfy them: the Washerman has orders not to wash for them. They used violent threatenings; so that the Catechist and the people were much cast down.

Oct. 24-Arokiyam is, thank God! well again, though still weak. The Preparandi have been out to-day, reading and distributing Tracts. One of them was called in by a rich Modelliar who knew him before, and asked to read a Tract to him. Whilst they were thus engaged, a Gooroo came in; and observing the Modelliar attentive, he was vexed, and told him that this was not proper for him; endeavouring, like Elymas, to turn his mind away from these things. But the Modelliar began to reason with him, about the excellent doctrines of these books, and about the vanity of their Idol Worship. In various other places the Tracts have been listened to.

Oct. 27-When some of the Preparandi returned to-day from the river, an aged man, newly besmeared with ashes and ornamented with his Ruttiratcham, met them, and, seeing them without ashes, stood before them, and, spreading out his hands, exclaimed, "Why are you so? No ashes this New-Moon day! They asked him what benefit he had from smearing the ashes and keeping the New

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Moon? He replied, "Why, I can now go home and eat well." They said, 'Well; we have eaten already. For what shall we do vain things?" The man, perceiving that they were Christians, said, "As your Christ is said to have become incarnate, so also our Ramasamy was. They then reasoned together about the merits of both, which was listened to by other persons. At last, the man cried out, "Oh! it is pollution to talk with these Christians. Come, let us hasten away!" and so they ran off, with full speed. One man, however, seemed to be pleased with the conversation, and said that he would come and inquire further.

Oct. 31, 1829—Most of the Catechists have assembled together; and this evening was a Missionary Prayer-Meeting. Many reported increase in their Congregations in one place, six families, who lately joined the Church, have gone back to Heathenism. During the week, things have been pretty quiet; excepting that the people from Poodiyamputtoor, in the Etiyapooram Zemindary, came, with their Catechist, reporting outrages done to them by the Heathens. Those of Vaanaramutti, also, are still in straits.

Nov. 3-This morning, a Native Christian of Pannikoollam was brought in, on a cot; having been maltreated by a Heathen Naiken and others. He has been sent to the Magistrate.

Nov. 4-This evening we had the Lord's Supper with our people; and the Catechists have been dismissed to their Stations.

Nov. 14-We have had much rain during the week: some persons came, and applied for Christian Instruction. The troubles in Sekkadivaly continue. The small Congregation of Muneinjapettah is in the way of being deceived by the Enemy. Mr. Coombes, David, and 5 Seminarists, have set out on a tour to the South.

Nov. 15: Sunday-A number of Heathen were present at our Morning Service, who seemed to be greatly interested in what they heard. In the afternoon, a Heathen Soodra asked for "the Book of John. He had seen it in the Tinnevelly School, and had heard a part of the discourse this morning in the Church.

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Nov. 24-The Etiyapooram Zemindar's Agent in Tinnevelly has expressed a wish to pay me a visit, and, in his master's name, to remove the differences respecting the Native Christians and the Zemindary.

Nov. 28 -The Catechists assemble: the rains seem to have hindered some. In several places the Congregations have increased, notwithstanding all troubles. We had a cheering Missionary PrayerMeeting this evening. The troubles in the Etiyapooram Zemindary seem to have abated a little. Rayappen of Kanabadinadenoor related, that one of the Christians had his leg broken lately, by an accident: he behaved well under the affliction, and still encouraged the Heathen to turn to Christ: at the time of the accident, he exclaimed, “ Well; I am in the Lord Jesu's hands." The Heathen there have got a little better disposed towards the Christians: Aroollappen of Elattoor reports that their enemies have at last changed their minds, and desisted from their former demand to break down the Chapel.

Dec. 2-This evening we had the Lord's Supper with our Catechists, who were dismissed to their Stations. The Congregation of Nedoonviley have quarrelled with that of Marudoorkarei: and the cause of it is, that the latter had come into the street of the former with slippers on their feet! I succeeded, at last, in reconciling them: they appear to be ashamed of their folly.

Dec. 4-To-day, the Catechist, and a number of the Elattoor Congregation, near the mountains belonging to Travancore, came, reporting the repeated afflictions which they had again suffered from some Brahmins and others of the Heathen. The Chapel, now nearly of a year's standing, was a thorn in their eyes, and they were about to force them to pull it down again; which, when they refused, the man who is now here was ill-treated, and put in the stocks: the Catechist, also, suffered for speaking in his behalf. The affair was at last settled by the interference of a Naiken, who spoke in favour of our people, and reproved the Brahmins for their wanton conduct.

Dec. 19-I am again making some progress in the Translation of the Scriptures in a few weeks more, if I am permitted to go on, I hope to finish Deuteronomy.

This evening we had a Missionary Prayer-Meeting; when the Preparandi reported various pleasing things of their excursions during the day. One of them, Sooviseshamuttoo, walking to-day in a street of Tinnevelly, observed a Soodra, surrounded by a number of people, reading and explaining a printed book: going near, he found that it was one of our

Catechisms, and that the man commented on it with a good deal of understanding. Sooviseshamuttoo appeared, at first, as if he was unacquainted with the subject, and made several inquiries about Christ and Ramasamy. The Heathen Reader shewed him that Rama's Incarnation was not at all to be compared with Christ's; telling him of the profligacy of Rama, but that all which was said of Christ was very good. After some conversation, the man perceived that he was a Christian: he then asked for more books, and expressed himself much pleased with this Vedam. The same Preparandus, on his way to the Fort, was singing a Hymn to the praise of God, when two men, following him, seemed to listen with attention. At length they passed him; but one of them returned, and asked him to sing it again. viseshamuttoo having done so, he gave him a trifling reward, and requested him to come to his house and give it him in writing in the house, he again rewarded him, and spoke very pleasingly about Christianity, and gladly received Tracts: the other Preparandi had met with encouragement.

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I received a Letter from a Brahmin of Alvar Tinnevelly, saying, that the Maravers are a very bad people, not worthy to be instructed in the Christian Vedam. "The people," says he, "are desirous of learning the Vedam of Jesus Christ, who is the image of virtue, and of walking in this good way: but this Maraver Caste is thievish, and will not leave off these wicked things." He complains, also, that some of his Slaves, very wicked people, have become Christians, and requests us not to receive them. The Brahmin fears that all the people of his village will become Christians, and therefore endeavours to prevent it by false accusations. I have answered him accordingly; and advised him not to think any people Christians who rob, steal, or lie, whatever they may say. I shewed him, also, that just such "wicked people" need the Christian Vedam, in order to make them better.

Dec. 20,1829-The Agent of the Gooroo of the Siva Convent, near the river, came to see me, and to ask for books: the conversation which I had with him bespoke the usual language of his sectthat they had the Truth as well as we; but that they could not tell it to all; and, even if I would enter their Convent, they could not tell me their secret. Thus, as a member, he must speak; but he

seemed to feel the absurdity of it. I gave him books; and he asked, not without seriousness, "Sir, pray that God may give us understanding." Whether he did so in earnest, or not, we at least can pray for them.

Dec. 23-A man from Teetampetty, of the Etiyapooram Zemindary, came and requested a Catechist: from Shankernarcovil, also, two Brahmins came and complained of their fellow-Brahmins who take care of the riches of the Temple, that they had robbed the Swamy of many jewels! Whether true or not, this evident admission, on their part, of the wickedness of the Brahmins, and of the vanity of their Idols, gave me occasion to speak seriously and affectionately to them, and to advise them to forsake their Idols and to turn to-the Living God. They, without the least hesitation, declared their Idolatry to be a system of lies.

Dec. 24-A respectable Retti of Kundakullam came to-day, and very decently expressed his desire of giving half his lands of Kariyandi and Ilangullam as a charity to the Mission. I have never seen the man before. He thinks that his other possessions will be safe, if we possess a share. I asked what charity he meant to which he replied, Schools, and other means to give knowledge to the people."

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Dec. 25-A large Congregation this morning: the English Service in the evening was but thinly attended.

Dec. 26 Towards the evening, I talked with a few men and women from Shevel, near Kovindabady, who had come to spend the festival with us; but they could not give a proper answer to any question which I put to them on Religion, so that I was much grieved. In the evening, at the Prayer Meeting, I had a further conversation with them; when, at first, they shewed the same ignorance; but, on further conversation with them, my sorrow was changed into joy: they discovered sufficient knowledge and experience to make me believe that they really have faith. Thus I have often found it with these people: either fear or surprise operates on them at first, so that they appear different from what they are.

Dec. 29-The before-mentioned Retti came to prepare the Title-Deed of the Land which he has offered as a gift to the Mission. When he delivered it to me, he added, that now a Church must be built there. I said, "First, let us have people to put into it: afterwards, we may

build."

Oh," said he, "they will not be wanting." We received glorious news in these days-the Suttees abolished by order of the Governor-General! the Mahomedan Crescent rapidly declining! These are topics which roused our hearts to give special thanks to God.

· Dec. 31, 1829-We concluded the year in the Church, by proposing various questions to our hearts for self-examination. Many of the Catechists, and other people, assembled, and united with us. The words in 1 Samuel vii. 3, Prepare your hearts unto the Lord, were our subject. We endeavoured to humble ourselves before our God, and to give thanks to Him for all the mercies which we and all His Church have received during the year. When we consider our inabilities, and the manifold trials which His Cause has had to pass through, we cannot but wonder that it still flourishes; and behold the finger of God therein. To Him alone, therefore, be all the honour and glory, through Jesus Christ, our Redeemer!

Extracts from the Journal of the Rev. B. Schmid.

July 29, 1829-Proceeded to Muneinjahpettah, where I found our PrayerHouse burnt down a few days before, and the perpetrator, a young Rettier, apprehended his father, lately dead, had been one of the principal opposers to the introduction of Christianity, and he has followed his father's footsteps. I spoke to him: he denies the fact; but the evidences are very clear. I have taken with me several of the School Preparandi, who were very active in speaking to the people of the place, and in reading and distributing Tracts among them: at Prayer, many Heathens attended; also four or five Shanars of a neighbouring village, who have lately put themselves under instruction.

In my way to Aneiappapooram, one of our new villages, where some have for saken Idolatry, I observed, at a short space from the road, a huge Idol, about three times higher than the human stature: near it was a small Temple. Nearly opposite the Idol was an earthen pillar, representing Pisosu or Pey (the Evil Spirit or Devil). Opposite the Temple commences a row of stone figures, which formed a right angle with another row, at the end of which stood the huge clay Idol. Most of these stone figures represented dogs, some with young; a few, the cobra capella; and some were of clay, representing women with [RECORD, Sept. 1830.]

their infants in their arms; and opposite to the Temple, behind the first row, was a second one, representing, nearly in a natural size, elephants with their young, fabled forms of horses with human riders, &c. A man, whom I found there, told me that the name of the clay Idol is Aly, and that his worship is the original ancient worship of this Country-the figures of the women with their children have been put there from gratitude that the god has accepted their vows and given them children; and the dogs had been vowed to him for listening to various other requests, that they might be serviceable in his huntingparties, of which the god is very fond!How is the human understanding darkened, to conceive such childish ideas of the Deity! The man himself confessed that the worship of this Idol had done him no good, and that he should be glad to be better instructed.

Aug. 18-I went this evening to Karattukatooviley; and introduced Christudasen there as an Assistant Catechist, whom I baptized on the 27th of May, and who has been for a considerable time under preparation both as a Catechist and Schoolmaster. I have good reason to hope that he will do well.

Aug. 19-I went this evening to Veeranalloor. I found the Congregation rather stationary, as regards divine knowledge: few have lately joined it.

Aug. 20-Held a general Examination of 10 Schools; which were all so near to Satangkoollam, that the children could come conveniently and return in one day: 198 Children were thus assembled, including about 12 Girls. The Satangkoollam School, consisting mostly of Christian Shanars, and the Chettikoolam School, principally Heathen Soodras and Brahmins, were by far the best in the former School, three Boys have committed to memory, with the greatest accuracy, the Short Catechism, Scripture-History Catechism, and the Sermon on the Mount; and are now learning the Short Catechism, with Scripture Proofs at large.

Aug. 26-In Aroolloor, I spent the day in conversing with those who wish to attend the Lord's Supper, and with others who wish to be baptized. These conversations, and other matters which required my attention, occupied so much time, that I was obliged to defer the administration of these Ordinances to my next visit.

I arrived, in the night, at Tadenkoolam; and had prayer with the people, whom 2 E