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Essays, towards a translation, should be made by various persons, as, by a future comparison of their labours, a more perfect result may be ex pected than from the utmost endeavours of any individual, however well acquainted with the language.

MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

EAST INDIES.

The following Account of the Conversion of a Bramin, communicated by Messrs. Cran and Desgranges, is very pleasing

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A MAHRATEAN, or Bandida Bramin, about 30 years of age, was an accountant in a regiment of Tippoo's troops; and, after his death, in a similar employment under an English officer. Having an earnest desire to obtain eternal happiness, he was advised by an elder bramin to repeat a certain prayer four hundred thousand times! This severe lask he undertook, and performed it in a pagoda, together with many fatiguing ceremopies, taking care to exceed the number prescribed. After six months, deriving no comfort at all from these laborious exercises, he resolved to return to his family at Nosom, and live as before. On his way home, he met with a Roman Catholic Christian, who conversed with him on religious subjects; and gave him two books on the Christian religion, in the Telinga language, to read. These he perused with much attention, admired their contents, and resolved to make further enquiries into the religion of Christ; and, if satisfied, to accept of it. He was then recommended to a Roman priest, who, not choosing to trust him too much, required him to go home to his relations, and to return again with his wife. He obeyed this direction; but found all his friends exceedingly surprized and alarmed by his intention of becoming a Christian, and thus bringing reproach upon his caste. To prevent this, they offered him a large sum of money, and the sole management of the family estate. These temptations, however, made no impression on bim. He declared that he preferred the salvation of his soul to all worldly considerations; and even left his wife behind him, who was neither inclined nor permitted to accompany him. He returned to the priest, who still hesitating to receive him as a convert, he offered to deliver up his bramin thread, and to cut off his hair,- after which, no bramin can return to his caste. The priest perceiving his constancy, and satisfied with his sincerity, instructed, and afterwards baptized him: upon which, his Heathen name, Subbarayer, was changed to his present Christian name, Anandarayer.

A few months after this, the priest was called away to Goa; and hav ing just received a letter from a Padree, at Pondicherry, to send him a Telinga bramin, he advised Anandarayer to go thither; informing him, that there he would find a larger congregation, and more learned padrees; by whom he would be further instructed, and his thirst for knowledge be much gratified. When he arrived at Pondicherry he felt disappointed, in many respects; yet there he had the pleasure of meeting his wife, who had suffered much among her relations; and at last formed the resolution of joining him. He then proceeded to Tranquebar; having heard that there was another large Christian congregation, ministers, schools, the Bible translated, with many other books, and no images in their churches, which he always much disliked, and had even disputed with the Roman priests on their impropriety. The worthy ministers at Tranquebar were at first suspicions of him; but, by repeated conversations with him, during several months that he resided among them, they were well satisfied with him, and admitted him to the Lord's Table. He was diligent in attending their religious exercises, and particularly in the study of the Bible, which he had never seen before. He began to make translations from the Tamul into the Telinga language; which he writes elegantly, as well as the Mah.

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ratta. His friends would readily have recommended him to some secular employment at Madras or Tanjore; but he declined their offers, being earnestly desirous of employment only in the service of the church.

Having heard of the Missionaries at Vizigapatam, he expressed a strong desire to visit them, hoping that he might be useful among the Telinga nation, either in church or school. This, his desire, is likely to be gratified, the Missionaries having every reason to be satisfied with his character; and, upon their representation, the Directors of the Missionary Society have authorized them to employ him, and to allow him a competent salary.

A gentleman, who knew him well, says, 'Whatever our Lord Jesus requires of his followers, he has really performed. He has left wife, mother, brother, sister, his estate, and other advantages which were offered to him, and has taken upon himself all the reproaches of the bramin caste: and has been beaten by some of the Heathen, to whom he spake on Christianity; and still bears the marks of their violence on his forehead. He declined complaining of it, and bore it patiently.'

We trust that this man will prove a valuable acquisition, and afford important assistance to the brethren Cran and Desgranges, in their trauslation of the New Testament into the Telinga language, in which they are employed.

SOUTH AFRICA.

A LETTER has been received from Dr. Vanderkemp; from which it appears, that the Missionary Settlement at Bethelsdorp is in a prosperous state, including 6 or 700 inhabitants; and that the work of God was going on among them. The Doctor is desirous of more help, that he may be enabled to attempt some new Mission in the interior of the country, or in the island of Madagascar. Two Missionaries are to be sent shortly.

DEMARARA.

A CHAPEL, for the use of the poor negroes, was opened at Le Resouvenir, about the beginning of September last. It will contain about 600 hearers. On the day it was opened there were about 700 present, and many standing out of doors. From 300 to 500 usually attend, and some come from a distance of 9 or 10 miles. The prejudices of many persons against the instruction of the slaves are removed, or much abated several of the negroes appear to be acquiring considerable knowledge of the gospel, and to feel its power on their hearts.

SPAIN.

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Ir is worthy of remark, that when the Spaniards took up arms in defence of their country, they avowed, in the strongest terms, their zealous attachment to Popery; and even passed a decree for recalling the Jesuits :a society justly held in such detestation as to have been banished from most of the courts of Europe; and whose suppression was thought necessary even by Pope Ganganelli himself.

It also deserves notice, That the French have publicly declared, in one of their Bulletins, that The reign of the Inquisition is at an end! Its revolutionary tribunals will no longer torment any country in Europe. In Spain, as well as at Rome, the Inquisition shall be abolished, and the horrid spectacle of Auto da Fes shall be repeated no more.' - The Emperor, in his Speech to the Magistrates of Madrid, says, 'I have preserved the Spiritual Orders, but with a limitation of the number of Monks. is not a single intelligent person who is not of opinion that they were too numerous. Those of them who are influenced by a divine call, shall re

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main in their cloisters. With regard to those whose call was doubtful, or influenced by temporal considerations, I have fixed their condition in the order of secular priests. Out of the surplus of monastic property, I have provided for the maintenance of the pastors, that important and useful class of the clergy. I have abolished that court (the Inquisition) which was a subject of complaint to Europe and the present age. Priests may guide the minds of men, but must exercise no temporal nor corporal jurisdiction over the citizens.'-The First Article of the Capitulation at Madrid is very peculiar ::- The preservation of the Catholic, Apostolic, and Ro. man Religion, without any other being legally tolerated." Granted.

Instruction of Negroes

LONDON.

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in the West India Islands. Our readers will recollect a Review, which appeared in our last volume, of a Letter published by the Bishop of London on this important subject; and which received our warmest approbation. We are now glad to find that his Lordship is actively engaged in promoting the good work of instructing the Slaves in the West Indies. The following is the substance of a Circular Letter from the Bishop to the Clergy and Proprietors of Plantations in the islands; which includes his Answers to Objections which had reached him, and the information which he had received from numerous communications with intelligent men :

To the Clergy and Proprietors of Plantations in the British West

India Islands.

As the great and pious work of instructing the negro children in the first rudiments of the Christian Religion is now actually begun in those islands, I beg leave to recommend to your serious attention the following considerations, which have occurred to me on this most interesting and important subject:

'In the first place, I think it necessary to inform you, That whenever any proprietor of a plantation wishes to have a teacher sent to him to instruct the negro children on his own estate, or two or three neighbouring estates conjointly, if he will write to me, and specify the salary he is disposed to allow the teacher,

besides maintenance, a proper person, instructed by Dr. Bell, shall be sent over to him; and the expence of his passage will be paid by The Negro Society here, of which I am the President. 2dly, You will please to observe, That the schools meant to be established in the islands are only Sunday Schools. On the other days of the week, the teacher may be employed in the service of the plantation, in the capacity of a storehousekeeper, book-keeper, clerk, &c. which will amply repay the planter for his maintenance; and the Sunday School will absolutely cost him nothing. 3dly; As some objections have been made to the introduction of my Plan into the islands, I shall here briefly state those objections, and my answers to them.

have come to my knowledge are, 1, The principal objections which That the parishes are too extensive to admit of Parochial Schools: 2, That the instruction of the negro children will interfere with the work allotted to them, and consequently lessen the profits of the planter: 3, That the Plan cannot be carried Into execution without a teacher sent from England, properly instructed by Dr. Bell; which, together with their maintenance, will be a great expence to the planter; and, in their present distressed state, a burden too heavy for them to bear : -4, That the instruction of the negro children will render them proud and insolent, disobedient to their masters, and indisposed to labour.

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My answer to these objections is as follows:-1, l'allow that the rishes in the West India Islands are too extensive to admit of Parochial Schools; and, therefore, they are not the sort of schools I wish to recommend; but schools appropriated to each separate plantation, or two or three neighbouring plantations uniting for that purpose. A school of this nature has already been establ shed in Barbadoes, by Dr. Holder, for the instruction of the negro children on his own estate; for which purpose I have sent him over a teacher, a very excellent young man, who has been well instructed n Dr. B.'s method of teaching; and 1 hope it will not be long before The Negro Society will be able to send one, properly instructed, to any planter who is willing to found a school on this Plan. 2. The instruction of the negro children will not at all interfere with their work on the weck-days; because the schools proposed are only SundaySchools. The children are to be taught on Sundays only, ---- the rest of the week they work as usual on the plantations. 3, The mainte nance of a Sunday School will be no expence whatever to the planter; because the teacher may be made a clerk, book-keeper, or any other kind of useful agent on the estate; by which means he will pay his master for his maintenance, and at the same time teach the children on Sundays. 4, The instruction of the negro children in the Christian Religion, and in reading, cannot poss: bly make them proud, insolent, disobedieat to their taste.s, and indisposed to labour, but quite the contrary; for in the Scriptures (which they will be taught to read and to understand) God himself expressly commands them to be obedient and submissive to their mas

ters.'

[Several appropriate Scriptures are here cited: Eph. vi. 5-8. Col. iii. 23. Titus ii. 9, 10. A Pél. ii. 18.]

Such are the commands given slaves in the Sacred Writings; and, I beg to know whether, if the planters themselves had endeavour ed to impress upon the slaves a

deep sense of their duty, and of the obligations they were under to obey: the masters, they could possibly. bave found out more forcible language than this for that purpose ? I beg to know also, whether the. negro children, who are brought up. in the habit of reading their Bible, and hearing it read in church (which. are the two great objects of a Sune. day-school); who are taught to consider it as what it really is, the Word of God himself, and that they are bound to obey its precepts un 'er pain of God's displeasure, and of the severest punishment in another world, are not more likely, and have stronger inducements to be meek, humble, faithful, and submissive to their masters, than those who know nothing of all these things, and have never received any religious instruction ? It is impossible for any unprejudiced man to hesitate one moment in confessing, fairly and honestly, what answer ought to be given to these questions.

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Hibernian Society.

SINCE our last acknowledgement of Bibles received for Ireland, we have to report the following: From Congregations, by the Rev. Messrs. Dunn, 27 B. 4 T.; Boden, 55 B. 22 T.; Mather, 15 B. 25 T.; Tozer, 24 B. 88 T.; Weaver, 40 B. 118 T.; Priestley, 81 B. 131 T.; Upton and Gill, 138 B. 165 T.; Newman, 3 B. 250 T.; Jay, 22 3. 9 T.; Sutcliff, 37 B. 20 T.; Hillyard, 24 B. 15 T.; Campbell, 290 T.; Barker, 42 B. 1 T.; Keely, 44 B. 79 T.; W. Bull, by Dr. Smith, ; from Reading, 10 B. 10. T.; from Swallow-Street School, 30 B. From the following individuais: J. G. Jun. 12 B.; W. W. 1 B.; R. Gray, 10 B.; Hughes, 20 T.; Mr. Brownlow, 24 T.; T. Stiff, 6 B. 5 T.; J. Thornton, 24 B. 46 T.; Mrs. Wilson, 5 B. 12 T.; Anonymous, at Basingbourne, 15 B. 40 T.; D. M. J. B. E. M. M. M.-D. M. and J. M. 1 B. 21 T. Also the following sums for the purchase of Bibles and Testaments from congregations, by the Rev. Messrs. Chapman, 347.; Higgs, 87. 11s. 6d. ; Barker, 67. 6s.; Sutcliff, 27. 10s. ;. Dunn, 137. 15s. 6d.; Smith, 4. 48. Those from individuals will appear in the printed Report.

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The Burials exceeding the Christenings 48; but, if the number of Dissenting children, not baptized at church, or not baptized at all, be taken into the account, the number

of children born, probably, exceeded the number buried, by many hundreds. The burials, however, at Dissenting grounds, are not, we believe, included in the general Bill.

Many unfortunate women having applied for admission into the Lon don Female Penitentiary, who could not be admitted for want of room, the women in the house have formed a small Benevolent Society among themselves, for the relief of such persons, to be disposed of under the

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direction of the Matron, in pecuniary donations, or Religious Tracts This little fund is raised by a volunTM tary deprivation of some of their own comforts, and by a small weekly subscription out of their earnings by labour in the house.

The lecture which, for some time, has been carried on at Crown Court on the Wednesday morning, has been changed to Tuesday evening. Service to begin at half past Six o'clock. A List of the Ministers and Subjects for the year has been published.

On Sunday evening, Dec. 11, at the house of a lady in Charlotte Street, there was a party of about 12 persons, spending the evening; and, after the supper-cloth had been drawn, one of the gentlemen (Mr. C.) fell down and expired whilst taking a glass of wine. The deceased was in the 24th year of his age, of independent fortune, and suitor to a young lady who was present at the awful visitation.

The extreme cold, which has pre-. vailed for some time past, especially in the night of Dec. 17, has proved fatal to many persons. Among others, a poor blind man, in London, missing his way from Gray's Inn Lane to his abode near Bagnigge-Wells, was found frozen to, death, Also, a man, apparently from the country, was found dead near the park wall. One Yeates, a beggar, was also found dead in Oxford Street. Who can stand before his cold? Ps. cxlvii. 17.

On Sunday morning (Christmas day) towards the close of the sermon, at the chapel in Long Acre,. one of the congregation fell sudThe minister denly from her seat.

very properly paused while she was carried into the vestry, and Dr. Atkinson, who was present, attended; but found her beyond the reach of medical aid. A paper was then handed to the Rev. Mr. King, in the pulpit; who, after concluding his sermon, announced the awful event, and added a solemn and im'pressive address, suited to such a melancholy occasion. The deceased was, upon inquiry, found to be a Mrs. Baldie.

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