WESTERN INDIA.-SURAT MISSION.

SURAT is a large and populous city in the province of Gujerat, inhabited chiefly by Mohammedans, Parsees, and Hindoos. When first visited by Christian Missionaries, its vast population was found buried in spiritual death, and entirely ignorant of the way of salvation. The operations of the Society were commenced there in 1815, and, through the blessing of the Most High, have been steadily continued to the present time. The Rev. Alexander Fyvie, who died on the 10th of June, 1840, laboured for more than 22 years in this part of India with vigour, fidelity, and zeal. His brother, the Rev. W. Fyvie, was his fellowlabourer during that period, and still continues his devoted efforts. By the accession of Messrs. Clarkson and Flower, in December, 1839, the number of labourers at the present time is three.

Through the instrumentality of this Mission much actual good, and more still of a preparatory kind, has been accomplished, amid many obstacles and discouragements. The entire Scriptures, with various religious books and tracts, have been translated into Goojurattee, printed at the Mission-press, and circulated through the province. The preaching of the Gospel has received a measure of the Divine blessing; a native church has been formed; and the religious instruction of the young has been carried on with efficiency and success. In conducting the schools, many interesting opportunities have been afforded to the brethren of communicating the Gospel to all classes. The schools are five in number, and there are 526 children under instruction.

The Surat English Institution, commenced in February, 1840, constitutes a promising feature in this Mission. The object contemplated by this establishment is the mental and moral education of the youth of Surat, through the medium of the English language. Among the students an earnest spirit of inquiry has been awakened. They have commenced a candid and searching examination of the various false systems of philosophy and religion by which the people of India are deluded and destroyed; while the beauty and importance of the religion of Jesus is beginning to engage their attention, and to win their attachment. Should this Institution answer the purpose for which it is intended, and of this there is no reason to doubt, it will be a source of incalculable advantage in relation to the furtherance of the cause of Christ in India.

The neat and commodious chapel, of which a representation is given on the preceding page, was opened for Divine worship on the first Sabbath in the month of April, 1840. "Since its opening," says Mr. W. Fyvie, "considering the opposition of both Hindoos and Parsees to Christian instruction, we have reason to be thankful for the numbers who have attended." This building was erected partly by aid from the Society, and partly through means of local contributions. It will be the prayer of all who are desirous for the universal diffusion of the Gospel, that, within the walls of this edifice, the grace of God may be manifested, and his name glorified, in the salvation of multitudes of the benighted and idolatrous millions of India.

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

To the Treasurers and Secretaries of Auxiliary Societies.

DEAR FRIENDS, The Directors of the London Missionary Society are so fully persuaded of the deep interest which you cherish in its welfare, that they cannot hesitate to solicit your best attention to the important subjects which they are anxious to lay before you in their present communication.

Among various measures which have occurred to the Directors, as likely to aid the financial resources of the Society, they have been desirous of selecting

those, which, while creating the least additional burden to their friends, might most effectually augment the interest felt in reference to the great object itself. Guided by this principle, they have resolved on recommending "to every congregational association, and others connected with the Society, to hold quarterly meetings for the payment and receipt of subscriptions ;" and not to risk their becoming merely pecuniary in their character, the Directors will regularly supply them with extracts from unpublished Missionary intelligence.

In harmony with the views just expressed, the Directors earnestly recommend that every Auxiliary Society, and every Congregational Association should make its payments to the Parent Society half-yearly.

The Directors feel that it is due to their constituents to explain the reasons of such recommendations; and they are assured, that these will so approve themselves to your minds, as to ensure your cordial concurrence. The average monthly outlay of the Society is about 7,0007., while its average monthly receipts from the various auxiliaries during the first nine months of the financial year does not exceed 4,000l. Hence arises a deficiency within that period, of little less than 30,0007.; and to meet this the Directors will not only be under the necessity during the present year, of selling out the whole of the Society's funded property, but of providing from 8,000l. to 10,000l. additional, unless the early remittances from the auxiliaries, in the manner now proposed, avert that evil. Further, the Directors, deeply anxious to maintain at the least, the various Missions already in operation, but for which the present funds are inadequate, cannot but renew their solemn but affectionate appeal to their friends at large on behalf of an augmented scale of contributions, and which, if made in the proportion of one-sixth only, would relieve the Society of its present painful embarrassment. If friends, contributing one penny per week, would, every sixth week, pay one additional penny; if those contributing one shilling per quarter, would make it one shilling and twopence,-those contributing ten shillings per annum would make the amount twelve shillings,-if those giving 17. 1s. would pay 17. 58., those giving 27. 2s. would pay, say 27. 10s., and so upward in the same easy proportion, none would be oppressed, and yet the aggregate of increase to the Society would be little short of 10,000l. per annum.

Aware of the encouraging influence which frequently arises out of the liberal and stated contributions of the supporters of the Missionary cause, as a means of awakening the attention, and stimulating the efforts of others, the Directors cannot refrain from expressing their earnest hope, that friends who are in the habit of making annual donations, often of large sums, to the Society, would constitute such donations, or such portion of them as they may deem proper, regular subscriptions, and allow them to appear as such on the local and annual reports of the Society.

Strongly deprecating the abandonment of any of their Missions, or the recall of any of their dear brethren from the fields already in occupation, the Directors urge attention to these recommendations, with the view of merely sustaining the labourers who have been sent forth, being fully confident that although they cannot at present extend Missionary operations in compliance with the most urgent calls, their numerous friends will sympathise with them, and respond to the appeal for such efforts as will enable them to continue the present scale of operation, and to justify them in cherishing the expectation that ere long it may be their happiness to send forth more labourers, and enlarge the scale of their operations. We are dear Friends, yours very respectfully,

Blomfield-street,
August, 1840.

ARTHUR TIDMAN,

JOS. JNO. FREEMAN,

JOHN ARUNDEL,

Secretaries.

IDOLATROUS FESTIVAL AT SINGAPORE.

(Extracts from a Journal of the Rev. John Stronach.)

APRIL 19.-Visited several shops in my own neighbourhoood. In one of these I was told of a signal proof of the power of Chinese idols. To-day there had been no rain in the town of Singapore, where there was a grand procession in honour of the sailors' goddess; while in this neighbourhood rain fell; and my teacher tells me it is currently stated among his countrymen, that it was just on account of this procession the rain did not dare to approach the town. Thus is the providence of the Supreme perverted to bear witness to idolatry. I then went into town, and found three of the principal treets overhung with cloth, and lighted up with lamps, presenting a variegated and striking scene; while music parties were sitting in various parts, delighting the ears of the crowds who were standing and walking around. The splendid ornaments carried in procession were arranged at the side of the street, and the Chinamen, dressed in gala dresses, were all in their glory. In another part plays were performed, to the intense delight of immense crowds, but which consisted only of a great many clumsy evolutions intended for fighting, with scarcely any dialogue. There was so much noise, clanging of cymbals and gongs, and other unharmonious instruments, and the minds of all were so intent on amusement, that it was vain to think of speaking at length to any

one.

April 20. This day the Chinese procession in honour of the goddess paraded the streets. It was about one-third of a mile in length, and consisted of musicians and flag-bearers, in gala dresses, and of beautifully ornamented cars, many of them mounting Chinese girls, of from five to eight years of age, the prettiest that could be found, who were dressed up in silks of the richest kind and most picturesque colours. The image of the goddess resembled a man much more than a woman, and it would require a good deal more devotional feeling than the Chinese possess, to excite in them veneration of the goddess, while looking at so unbecoming a representation of her. In the evening I went into town and visited the shop, (hired for the purpose,) where this image and many others are deposited till the new temple is finished. I spoke to those who kept the place of the absurdity of having so many divinities, who were, after all, so utterly helpless and weak that a little child could insult them with impunity, and contrasted this weakness with the power of Christ. I then went into various

other places, where the cars carried in procession were exposed to view, and addressed similar remarks to the multitudes who were present, distributing at the same time copies of Mr. Medhurst's tract in regard to this female deity. My remarks were received generally without bitterness; but I thought I could perceive on the faces of some, to whom I spoke of the folly of thus squandering their money, (the procession costs in all about 6000 dollars,) a conflict of feeling between indignation at hearing their favourite goddess spoken lightly of, and sorrow that they had so foolishly wasted their earnings. The same brilliant display of canopies and lights was visible tonight as last night.

April 28.-After preaching from Luke xv., first part, and distributing tracts in a number of Teo Chew shops, I visited four Hokkeen shops, three of them belonging to large merchants, by the river side. The testimony concerning Christ was received with sneers and ridicule by the rich occupants. Many were present in each shop, but they evidently felt it impossible to oppose my demonstration of the absurdity of their practices and of their prejudices. One of the merchants, (the richest Chinaman but one in Singapore, and the head man in getting up the late procession and erecting the temple to the goddess,) received me with as much coldness and incivility as he could manifest. I spoke of the wickedness of squandering money on idol processions and temples; it was his own, he said, he could do what he liked with it; and when this was denied, and his responsibility to its Giver for its proper employment enforced on him, the case of English sailors was brought forward-he was surely, he said, doing better than these Christians, who spent their money on grog-shops or something worse. No denial on my part of the Christianity of these men could change his determination to take excuse from their wickedness, and with a similar object, he triumphantly referred to British guilt as to the opium question. Bitter, just in proportion to their unreasonableness, were the expressions these men employed, and not a trace of better feeling was visible after all my warnings and exhortations. Were it not that human persuasion is the appointed instrument, it would seem useless to employ it in cases like these; but the command to do this is followed by the promise that the word of God shall not return unto him void, but shall accomplish that which he pleases.

NATIVE FEMALE EDUCATION IN INDIA.

MADRAS.

(Extract of a letter from Mrs. Turnbull, April 15, 1841.)

I am happy to be able to give you some encouraging account of my labours here in the promotion of female education, through the liberality of Dr. Raffles's church. I have been enabled to increase the boardingschool to the number of thirty-three girls, from five to thirteen years of age, the majority of whom are orphans. Many of them bear the mark of idolatry on their foreheads; (which was branded with a hot iron at a tender age;) the others are the children of Christian natives, who live at too great a distance to send them to the day-school. They have made considerable progress in Scriptural knowledge. About eighteen girls can now repeat many chapters from the New Testament, both in Tamil and English, and readily answer any simple questions proposed from the Sacred Volume, in which they are daily becoming more interested. Their increased respect and reverence for the Sabbath is very striking and peculiarly encouraging. When a new child is admitted, the elder ones will take special care that she does not profane it; if she run about the Compound, as is usual on other mornings before breakfast, they will go up to her affectionately and say, "Come with us, and we will tell you a pretty story out of God's Book, for this is his day;" and dividing the school into four parts, an elder girl will take one each, and interest the little ones till the hour of family worship, by recounting some Scriptural history, or teaching them the catechism; and thus will they be occupied during the intervals of service. I have a Sabbath-school of an afternoon, and in the evening the children again attend the house of God.

Day after day is the precious seed of Divine truth sown in the minds of these little immortals; and will it be sown in vain? Oh, no, for our Heavenly Father hath said that his word shall not return unto him void. May it be watered by his Holy Spirit, and soon bring forth fruit, in some thirty, in some sixty, and in some an hundred-fold, to the praise and glory of his name. During the past year, three of the scholars were married to native Christians, and are going on steadily and correctly; they are very young in years, and although they have given no decided evidence of a change of heart, they are promising characters.

A strong prejudice still exists against female education, particularly among caste people. In the hope of obtaining a few of these, Mrs. Porter and I are about to commence a day-school for native girls in the populous town of Pursewaukum. We have just obtained a nice room for this purpose, for which we are to pay twelve shillings per mensem, in a street, one side of which is occupied by caste people. We have secured the services of a respectable native Christian as master, and hope to commence next week. May the Lord graciously prosper this feeble effort for the spread of his Gospel, which cannot extensively prosper until the poor debased women of India are in some measure raised by education from the degraded position they now occupy. Too long has this important subject been neglected, both at home and here, by Christians, to the great discouragement of the Missionary's labours.

About a month since I received a large supply of lessons, reading-books, and catechisms from England; it was truly acceptable, and I feel very grateful to the kind donor. The hymn-books were delightedly received by the children, who now sing very nicely. I have lately taught them some English hymns and tunes, which they readily acquire; the majority of them have pleasing voices, and I am sure it would make your heart thrill with holy joy could you hear these young creatures, who a few months ago were living in all the abominations of heathenism, now sweetly singing the praises of the living God. Would that hundreds and thousands were under Christian training instead of tens. Were this but the case, how different would native character soon become. Mothers would bring up their little ones better, and there would quickly rise up a new class of beings to encourage the Missionary's labours, and to reward his hopes.

About eighteen girls, on an average, attend the day-school, which is also kept in my house; their attendance has been much more punctual lately, and consequently their improvement more marked. May the Lord sanctify unto them all the instructions they receive, give unto them the blessings of his salvation, and make them great benefactors to their benighted countrywomen. BANGALORE.

(Extract of a letter from Mrs. Sewell, March 17, 1841.)

The formation of female schools among the Canarese people, and in the very heart of the Pettah, has produced much excite

ment, and though many of the natives are much opposed to them, as contrary to all the prescribed rules of custom and caste,