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of Ceylon, it is computed, is from a million and a half to two millions; the mass of whom-though from political motives many profess Christianity-are Heathens. There are several systems of superstition among them; but the prevailing objects of worship are Budhu and the Evil Spirit, and Caste is observed as in India. The Dutch, when possessed of the island, having disqualified by law all persons from inheriting property who had not been baptized, it is not uncommon to see those who have out

wardly enrolled themselves among the disciples of Jesus Christ offering sacrifices to the Devil, or prostrating themselves before the image of Budhu.

Four English Clergymen, of whom 2 were married, embarked for Ceylon at the end of 1817, and have been followed by 17 other Labourers. Missionary Stations have been formed, at Cotta, near Colombo; at Kandy, in the interior; at Baddagame, near Galle, at the southern end of the island; and at Nellore, near Jaffna, at the northern extremity.

At each of these Stations there is a regular MINISTRY OF THE WORD; and, though the Missionaries have not had the joy, as in Southern India, of seeing numerous Congregations of Native Converts, they have not been without satisfactory evidence, in several instances, that their labour in the Lord's service has not been in vain. EDUCATION has been carried on, as in other parts of the Society's operations, in connection with the Preaching of the Gospel; and Schools have been established at each Station and in its vicinity, which contain 1700 Scholars, who are daily instructed in the Word of God. The separation of children from the habits and practices of an idolatrous population appearing to be a likely method, under the blessing of God, of bringing them up in the knowledge and love of His Name, the plan, adopted in other of the Society's Missions has been followed, of maintaining and educating

a few of the more promising children in the Mission Family at each Station, with a view to their preparation for the office of Native Teachers. From the Boys thus educated, the more hopeful are afterwards removed, when sufficiently advanced, into the CHRISTIAN INSTITUTION which has been erected at Cotta.

Two PRESSES are in active operation: one at Cotta, for works in the Cingalese; and the other at Nellore, for those in the Tamul Dialect.

A TRANSLATION of the Scriptures into the vernacular Cingalese is in progress; and the Book of Genesis, the Gospel of St. Matthew, the Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistle to the Romans, are already printed.

Nellore.

A full account of the general state and prospects of the Mission will be found in the last Volume of the Missionary Register (pp. 373–380). From a Letter recently received from the Rev. J. Knight, which conveys intelligence down to the 15th June, we extract the following Notices of his own and Mr. Adley's labours at Nellore.

Ministerial Occupations.

For these last eight months we have gone on the Sunday Morning, once in every fortnight, to preach to the Native Congregation at St. John's, during the absence of Mr. David, who is now returned. In addition to our usual Sunday engagements, we usually give instruction at the School Bungalows two or three evenings in the week, when the Masters are expected to exert their influence for collecting people; and though the numbers are commonly small, averaging only from 8 or 10 to 15 or 20 persons, besides the Children of the School, and sometimes those of one or two others, yet Divine Truth has thus, from time to time, been distinctly brought before a great many: and it may be hoped, that, in some cases at least, deeper impressions are made than can be expected from casual interviews or occasional conversations. should be happy to report special benefits resulting from the use of these means; but though, we trust, the way is gradually preparing for the coming of the Lord,we have still to wait for the promised blessing.

I

Schools.

Though our Free Schools are not so encouraging as we would wish, we trust that good results from them. The daily committing to memory portions of the Holy Scriptures and Catechisms by 600 or 700 children, besides their regular attendance twice a week at the House of God, hearing Divine Truth explained from time to time at the Schools, and other means of instruction, cannot, with the DivineBlessing, be without beneficial effects. Though the progress of knowledge may be so slow as to be imperceptible, and though the influence of Heathenism may be so powerful as to present barriers apparently impregnable, yet we have evidence that progress is made; and we trust that the gradual spread of Truth will, eventually, tend to the removal of prejudices, and prove the means of winning the hearts of many to the Saviour.

Female Schools.

Female Education does not equal our wishes or the hopes which we formerly entertained: the instruction of their Girls not being valued by their parents, they are not sent to learn, except as they are rewarded with clothes or money. About as many continue to attend most of our schools as formerly, and some are able to read printed books fluently; but, in most instances, they are taken from school before they have attained such a proficiency, and then nearly all, which they have learned, is soon forgotten. I have many times been pained, in my visits to their houses, at finding little girls,whom I recognised as having been under instruction, and as having made considerable progress, who, on inquiry, proved to have lost nearly all which they had known. Those sent to school are, generally, the children of the lower classes; and, as soon as they are old enough to be made useful, they are kept at home, except where the hope of a trifling reward operates as a more powerful incentive. These are difficulties with which, as it is not in our power to remove them, we must still have to contend. We hope, however, by perseverance, to do something towards breaking down prejudice and eradicating bad customs, and thus gradually to ameliorate the condition of at least a part of the female population.

The Girls' School, mentioned in our last Report, is discontinued; the Master not being able to collect enough girls (though the pay is 4th more than for boys) to make a mere subsistence. A second

Girls' School, in another village, has met with a similar fate.

Beneficial Influence of Education.

In former communications, allusion has been made to some, who, though they have enjoyed the privilege of Christian Instruction in our Schools, are growing up hardened in sin, resisting the Truth, and more open and daring in opposition to our efforts, than persons unacquainted with us. It is cause of rejoicing, however, that there are many of a different character. I often find, in my visits to the villages around, young men, that formerly belonged to the Schools, who evince a degree of attachment for us and of reverencé for the doctrines which we preach, not to be found in others; and who readily admit their obligations to practise what they formerly learned, though, influenced by their friends, they still persist in walking according to the customs of their country. Conversation with such persons has often shewn me, that, though they stifle conviction, and yield not to the invitations of the Gospel, truth has, nevertheless, produced a salutary effect on their minds, by softening their prejudices, and giving them favourable impressions of the excellence of Christianity. And such effect may be looked for, by the Divine Blessing, on the means now employed, in an increasing ratio; and thus the way be more and more prepared for the coming of the Saviour. At the time when these young men were taught, the privileges enjoyed by the Schools, of a peculiarly religious kind, were comparatively small. I was then the only Missionary at the Station; and the former part of the time, being but imperfectly acquainted with the language, my instructions could be expected to make but a slight impression on the minds of my hearers. I had no fellowlabourer-no pious Native Assistantno Native Church Members to reflect, by a holy and consistent life, the reality of the doctrines inculcated: but now, these privileges, with many others, are constantly enjoyed; the powerful influence of which, operating directly in a less or greater degree, on the Youths of the Free Schools, as well as on all others connected with us, and indirectly on all around us, must, it is hoped, have an increasingly beneficial tendency, which may more fully appear on some future day.

Press.

Since my return from the Annual Meeting, one of our Printing Presses has been in constant employ, chiefly on

account of the Jaffna Tract Society. As appears from the Report of that Socięty, the number of Tracts printed since last June, including two now in the press, is 55,600. Six hundred additional copies of one of the Tracts were printed for our own use.

Beneficial Effects of Publications. It is the decided opinion of our Missionary Brethren, which they have frequently expressed, that the Nellore Press is exerting a powerful influence on the population of this District, by means of the Tracts printed for the Tract Society. To the correctness of this opinion, I can safely add my testimony. Knowledge of the truths of Christianity is thus communicated to great numbers who would otherwise remain in ignorance; while, by means of our Free Schools, and those of other Missions, a numerous reading population is coming

forward, in some degree, favourably disposed, we hope, to receive the truths thus brought before them. Instances of good impressions from the reading and hearing of Tracts are not wanting the attention of the careless and the indifferent is often thus engaged, and they are constrained to yield at least a momentary assent to the power of Divine Truth; and we cannot but hope that some impressions thus made may, by the power of the Holy Ghost, prove more lasting. One instance, at least, may be adduced of a young man who has joined the Church in connection with our American Brethren, and walks consistently with his profession. We trust this will not prove a solitary case: a spirit of inquiry is excited in the minds of many, which we hope may issue in their relinquishing their Idols, and giving themselves to their Saviour.

HOME PROCEEDINGS.

Departure of Missionaries. THE REV. Timothy Sandys, proceeding to join the North-India Mission, embarked, with Mrs. Sandys, on board 'the " Cæsar," Captain Watt, on the 1st of January, at Portsmouth, and proceeded on his voyage the same day. Mr. Sandys was to have been stationed at Burdwan; but it has been suggested to the Calcutta Committee, whether it may not be advisable that he should supply the vacancy occasioned at Chunar by the unexpected death of Mr. Friend.

Mr. Thomas Chapman and Mrs. Chapman having been recommended to the Committee as suitable Individuals for the New-Zealand Mission,

embarked at Gravesend, January11th, on board the " Arab," Captain Ferriers; and passed through the Downs, on their way to New South Wales, on the 18th.

The Rev. Charles Blackman, with Mrs. Blackman, appointed to assist Mr. Morewood in conducting the proposed Establishment on the Nilgherry Hills, for the education of the children of Missionaries in India and Ceylon, took leave of the Committee on the 19th of January. They embarked at Gravesend on the 20th, on board the "Duke of Roxburgh," Capt. Brown, and sailed for Madras the following day.

RECENT INTELLIGENCE.

Mediterranean-The Rev. F. Hildner writes, under date of Dec. 14th, that he was about to embark for Syra, in order to take a share in Dr. Korck's labours there.

Western India-The Rev. C. Pinhorn Farrar and Mrs. Farrar, and the Rev. John Dixon, arrived at Bombay, on July 17th; and have since joined the Rev. W. Mitchell at Bandora. They were all well on the 8th August, though Mr. Mitchell had suffered from a complaint in his eyes; and Mr. Dixon had experienced much indisposition on the voyage.

West Indies-By Letters received from Demerara of Oct. 27th and Nov. 9th, it appears that the Society's Catechists in that quarter, Mr. John Armstrong and Mr. Charles Carter, were in good health, and in the steady prosecution of their labours.

Mr. W. Manning, of Papine, Jamaica, states, in a Letter dated Nov. 7th last, that Mr. Ebenezer Collins, of Salt Savannah, was then very unwell, and had been staying with him for change of air.

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THE Committee of the Church Missionary Society thankfully acknowledge the receipt of a Box, containing Fancy Articles, from Miss Rippin, Commercial Road; also a Parcel from Miss Louther.

ALLEPIE SCHOOL FUND.

Rivington, Miss Jane........

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