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to hell. I left them a few papers, and went to Bhutouli, and spoke to a number.

17th. By the river side, addressed crowds of people; at Virnuvusee, I found near a temple many brahmuns, who informed me that fifty animals had been slain that day and offered to the goddess. I reminded them that rivers of a himal blood could not take away sin; that their sinful inclinations were not gone. I recommended to them the gospel, and was much pleased by their attention. I then wandered about the fields, and spoke to numbers. In the evening, the brahmuns consulted and sent for me. They treated roe very kindly, and I had much conversation with them. When it was becoming quite dark, I concluded with prayer, and the brahmuns accompanied me to the boat. I gave them a few tracts, and they returned rejoicing..

18th. This morning one of the above bra'bmuns followed my boat six miles, and told me the words that were spoken last night had affected him much. I spoke to him for a while, and gave him a tract, which he accepted thankfully, and returned rejoicing

19th. (Lord's day.) Preached at Digah to a large body of Hindoos.

20th. Conversed with a few people at Sheersah. In the evening, sitting by the river side, I collected a number of people, and read and expounded a portion of Matthew's Gospel,

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22d. In the afternoon arrived at Allahabad. As soon as I left the

boat, the cloth merchants brought me the melancholy news of the death of my wife, which struck me to the heart, but blessed be the Lord Jeho · vah, who supported me, and enabled me to converse with these men respecting death, at which they seemed amazed, and paid great attention. I left them a tract and went forward.

ORISSA MISSION. Extracts from brother Peter's Journal for January, 1814.

Jan. 6th. Spoke with a Telinga phukeer who heard with astonishment: he ate with us regardless of cast. 7th. Went on horse-back to three villages, and on my way spoke with four brah

muns. At Kalee-dasha-poora I found about forty buts. In the centre of the village I asked an Ooriya viragree, who came to beg rice, how he could be saved. He said, "I do not know," and remained silent. I opened an Orissa tract, and commenced reading, when a crowd of fifty men, women and little ones, came out from various huts and sat down upon the ground around me, listening with attention. I finished the whole tract, and discoursed with them upon its contents. One woman in a weeping tone, began to bless God: another old man said, "We cannot approach to that God: we are sinners; our heart is corrupt; we do not understand. We never can do this: it is a bard thing to leave the world, our cast, houses, families and relations: we never can do it." I exhorted her to apply to Jesus Christ, the Almighty Redeemer, for a new heart. paid attention for three hours, and I concluded with prayer.

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The next

village, Phiringee-Patna, contains about twenty huts: here I entered the house of a barber, and asked him to let me sit for shade in his veranda. I spoke, to nine persons. In Jari-sura spoke to a few at the temple of Shiva. At Ranee's garden. which is full of Mango trees, (an offering devoted to Jugunnatha's pilgrims), I found ten Mussulman's of Midna-poora, who had come to buy cows, and spoke to them of the Messiah. After some time, they all at once, with joined hands, cried out, "Christ is all: he is holy, just, and true," and bowed their heads. I exhorted them to offer their prayers unto God through Jesus Christ. In the way home, I found ten viragrees going from Jugunnatha's temple to their country, and asked them what good they had obtained from the temple. They answered, "We have seen the idol; after death we shall go to the heaven of Vishnoo." sure of this? I asked. They added, "We have heard so, and the world acts as we do." 8th. Went to Mutigunj, and spoke to twenty men: oue was a serious enquirer, and another took a tract. Returned home, and found three men who heard of Christ with a sound mind. Afterwards

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rode to the chonki-bazar, and had a Congregation at the collector's office door. An old Mussulman said, "Mahomet is the Saviour of Jesus and of all men. In the last day he will Come and Jesus will be his servant." Another Mussulman said, "Except you become a Mussulman, be circumcised, and repeat our prayers, you cannot be saved." - I made a reply at some length, and put to shame these wicked followers of Mahomet. The crowd heard with astonishment. From hence I came to a Telinga merchant's door, where near a hundred persons were collected. 10th. Rode three miles to Gubooa-ga, and conversed with the villagers, thirty of whom I found dividing the flesh of

a wild hog. An old man repeated the name of Jesus; acknowledged that he was a sinner, and declared he would pray to Jesus Christ. One young Ooriya, repeating the name of Jesus, went away, and promised that he would be his disciple. 12th. Went to the house of a blacksmith, where I found the women and children worshipping baskets of rice, gram, flowers, &c. being the first day of Magha. On going in they seemed all ashamed; the women ran away, but one old woman listened while I exhorted her to worship the true God. 13th. Went to Sahojee market. Some of my congregation said, "We have Radha-Krishna; we do not know Jesus Christ. We will mind the writing of Vyasa-deva, and believe nothing else. If we follow Christ, we must be united to the unclean, we will never do this." As many as five hundred men and women, brahmuns and shobdras, were sitting around

me.

Some poor people appeared to hear with a feeling heart. 14th. Had about fifty hearers at Bag-vrinda-vuna. I began my discourse with a brahmun who was repeating the guyatree, and counting his beads. 17th. Was present at a feast called Bhandara, at which crowds of viragrees, vishnu vas, &c. were assembled. Each one receives rice, &c. cooks it on the spot, and then eats it. When the crowd was ready to begin to eat, a headman arose, and repeated the names of the gods, by way of calling them to eat, the crowd repeating, Victory!

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Victory! As soon as they sat down, one began to cry out, "I have received no curds;" another, They have given me no split pease; a third, "This is an abominable dinner: the rice is full of worms." When dinner was over, each one silently retired. I preached to the crowd from "Labour not for the meat which perisheth." &c. 18th. Jugunnat'ha-Mookhoojya, an Oottururarhi brahmun, with whom I had conversation several times before, called on me, and declared his faith in Jesus. He rejected his cast, smoking with me in my hooka. At last, dinner being ready, I asked him if he would dine: he said, he had no objection, and came and ate with me before the servants. I asked, If any ask you, are you able to acknowledge this act in public? he said, "Not in the public roads or streets: but my whole wish and desire is to become disciple of Jesus." When I told him, that Jesus died for sinners, he felt much, and said, "I am a sinner, I will forsake the heathen way." I went out to-day, and had nearly two hundred brahmuns to hear me at the door of the cutwal. I also called at the place where the above-mention ed feast was given, and talked to the multitude tiil 7 or 8 o'clock in the evening: four viragrees followed mo to my house, and staid an hour talking of Jesus: they promised to come again. 19th. Talked at home with Shree-mutijumedar, and Jugun. nat'ha-Mookhooj-ya respecting the life, sufferings, and death of Jesus 20th. Took Jugunnat'ha-Mookhoojys, our new brother, and went to Basku gunj and Belliah; preached in bot h villages, and distributed a number of Orissa tracts.

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COLUMBO MISSION. Dec. 20, 18 13. Dear brother Ward,

I have a young man, a son of one of the late Dutch ministers, y vho has assisted me a little in my school, by ruling the copy books, &c. who, in return for his services, is instru cted in English, &c. He is a pleasing, amiable young man. He is one of my most constant hearers, has a great desire to be of the same professi on as his father. I pay particular attention

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to him, and will hope and pray that the God of providence and grace may so overrule his wishes, that he may be come an instrument of doing much good in the best of causes.

I sometimes feel much cast down that the gospel is attended with no better effects in this populous town. At other times, a lively hope animates my heart. I recollect how long you had to labour and wait in Bengal before much fruit appeared to attend your labours, and what has now ensued, and it affords me encouragement. I recollect that our God is all gracious, omnipotent, and infinitely wise. He therefore knows the best time to work; and when that comes, every thing must give way; his goodness also, when the set time is come, will suffer no delay. O that it may be near, even at the doors.

JAVA MISSION. To the Brethren at Serampore. Molenuliet, Nov. 1, 1813.

My dear Brethren,

I still continue to preach among the soldiers without the least interruption: some of the officers have said they would come to our meeting, but they have not yet favoured us with their company. Last sabbath morning, I baptized one person; he seems to be a very pious man, and gives us much pleasure. In the evening, we buried one of our friends, who would have been baptized the month before, had he not been prevented by sickness. His end was such as to give us great hopes that he is now in glory. We have had occasion to exclude two members from our communion for evil conduct; one of them had deserted. The unchristian-like conduct of these men has been very injurious to our enquirers.

My school is on the increase, and I heartily wish it may increase more, as it will furnish me with great means of usefulness.

Ihave engaged a Javanese teacher, who writes both the Javanese and Malay, so that I have now two moonshecs at 20 rupees a month each. Had not my school promised fair, I should not as yet have ventured on this expense. You must not think that I am at present about to study closely the Javanese language; my object in retaining a Javanese moon

shee was to prepare the way for my learning that language, and according ly 1 employ him in translating my collection of Malay words into Javanese, and this he does without any trouble to me, as he knows both languages.By this means I shall be furnished with a rough vocabulary of the Javanese as soon as I begin to learn it, and the same man may also copy Javanese books for me to read. I hope I shall soon be able to send you a copy of the Javanese characters. I could send a copy now, but I cannot rely either on its being correct or complete.

I have given away a few copies of the gospel of Mark, in the Chinese. I think you should send me some more of them as soon as possible.

Should my school continue in its present state, I hope that I shall need no farther support from you, after the end of the present year. The Dutch are desirous that I should keep a boarding school: in that case a larger house will be necessary, and perhaps that might occasion me to draw on you a little longer; but above all, more help will be necessary, both in the school and in the mission, therefore pray send brother Reilly as soon as possible.

Send plenty of hymn books, both Watts's and Rippon's, and also a few other religious books, such as are cheap and easy to read. In short, use the most vigorous exertions to carry on the work of God in this place, and I think you will never have to lament our labour lost.

Remember me to all our brethren and sisters in Christ. I remain, &c.

W. ROBINSON.

BAHAMA ISLANDS.

By letters and a messenger from the Baptist Church at New Providence, to Dr. Rippon, we are informed of an eminently gracious revival of religion, among the people of colour, in that Society. In consequence of the divine influence unusually enjoyed amongst them, it was necessary to employ all the time which could possibly be spared, through nine or ten weeks, to examine the candidates for baptism, and to receive testimonials of the characters of such of them who were slaves and had obtained permission from their respective own

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ers to profess religion. Towards the close of the past year, 280 persons, having satisfactorily related their experiences to the church, on the 25th of December, were baptized. The holy ordinance was administered by one person, their aged pastor, of their own colour, who entered on this pleasing service, at eight o'clock in the morning, and finished at two--remaining in the water all that time, never having employed six hours of his life, in a more delightful manner. The females were conducted down into the water, to the administration, and also out of it, by their female friends, and the men, by the brethren and other well-wishers to their felicity. The Governor of the Island, peculiarly condescending and kind to them, in their humble situation, appointed a guard of Soldiers to attend them from their place of worship to the water and in their returning, that they might have no interruption. It was an high day, it is said, and ever to be remembered. But aş all the serious persons who were disposed to obey the command, and to imitate the example of Christ, in this ordinance, had not yet found time to relate what they trust the Lord had done for their souls, following days were employed in hearing their experiences, and 50 more were baptized by the same persons on New-Yearsday. They consider this close of the year 1814 and the begining of the year 1815 as forming a remarkable period in their history, which calls for gratitude and joy; and they send their Messenger to Englaud, that the brethren in this Country may rejoice with them, and assist them, in their pleasing circumstances, with Bibles, Testaments, and Religious Tracts, and also further the several important objects they contemplate-The particulars of which, we expect, will soon be laid before the Religious public, and if not before, at the yearly meeting of the Baptist Union, in London.

RUSSIA.

Extract of a letter from Mr. Paterson to J. A. H. Esq. Edinburgh.

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Petersburgh Dec. 27. 1814, O. S. Here I shall give you some account of our last meeting of Committee on the 2nd. inst. Besides our worVOL. VII.

thy President, Prince Gallatin, were
present two Russian Bishops, two
Archimandrites, (i. e. Chiefs of Monas
tries.) the Archbishop of Georgia, the
Roman Catholic Metropolitan, several
of the Ministers of State and Senators,
besides others of the first rank. A
more delightful and edifying Meeting
I never attended. All distinctions of
rank were forgotton; and what is still
more, all difference of religion was
swallowed up in the grand cause for
which we were assembled. Two ex-
cellent letters from the Secretaries of
the British and Foreign Bible Society
were first read, giving an account of
the progress of the Bible cause in every
part of the world; then followed ex-
tracts of letters from the Missionaries
at Karass, and also extracts of letters
received from the London Missionary
Society, giving some account of the
progress of the gospel in the South
Sea Islands, and in South Africa.
You can scarcely form an idea of the
effect produced by these letters. Joy
beamed on every countenance. All
seemed to say it is good to be here;
and some from the fulness of their
hearts exclaimed, "This is the most
delightful Meeting ever I was present
at; it is indeed a feast of fat things."
And they immediately resolved to
send a portion to those who were ab-
sent, by ordering that all these letters
and extracts should be immediately
published in a State Paper, that so
the joyful tidings might be proclaimed
in the remotest corners of Russia, and
the hearts of thousands should be
gladdened, as theirs had been. The
extract of a letter from Dr. Carey af-
forded peculiar pleasure. If you for
a moment consider those things in
their proper light, in connection with
the persons present, and in connection
with Russia, you will immediately
pereieve their importance, and what
is likely by the blessing of God to be
the consequence. I have watched
with pleasure the progress of my
friends here in regard to the interest
they take in the cause of religion :
but at the last meeting I witnessed an
expression of feeling, which I little
expected, sanguine as my expectations
generally are.

Nor was our domestic information less important, I, as usual, gave an 2 F

account of the progress of the different editions (of the Scriptures) since our last meeting; and presented to the Committee the first and second sheet of the Armenian Bible, and the first sheet of the Persian Testament, with which they were much pleased. We also received the pleasing information that three new Bible Societies were formed in Russia. The demand for Bibles is daily increasing, but we cannot at present procure a single copy of the Sclavonian Bible. One Bishop in the interior of Russia, writes us that he was in need of two thousand Bibles, for his own Clergy!! How many then must he have needed for his flock, when his under shepherds needed so many! Mr. Mitchell informed us, when at Oxenburg in Siberia, he conversed with many of the Bucharians, who speak the Tartar language, but he uniformly found that they read the Persian. This opens a wide field for Persian Edition when ready. They will carry it to the very centre of Great Tartary.

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He mentions also a very pleasing instance of the desire the brave Cossacks manifest fo hear the word of God. Four of them stationed at Karass, wished to get a Bible, which they knew was a good book, though they had never seen it. They came and borrowed the New Testament from him, to see what it contained, before they bought the whole Bible. They kept it some days, during which time they read in it almost night and day. Being told they must return it, as it was the fourth volume of the Bible, which would cost seven roubles; the poor Cossack who received this information wept; as he feared it was about to be sold to another. He went to his three comrades, when they agreed to buy it amongst them, but all they could muster was six roubles. Being determined, however, to have the Bible, they borrowed the seventh, and paid for it. They were so overjoyed, in having obtained it, that one of them wrote a letter of thanks to our Society, which was also read at last meeting. Mr. Mitchell adds, surely there is not a person of property in Russia, who would not bestow their bounty, in furnishing this brave race of men, with this treasure of great price, and I may add surely there is not an individual in my native

country, who has a penny to spare who will not give it for this purpose."

N. B. We understand there is a prospect of a Cossack Bible Society being speedily formed.

THE SWEEDISH SAILOR BOY.

At a late meeting of the Aberdeen Auxiliary Bible Society, the following pleasing Anecdote was related by the Rev. Mr. Grant of Orkney, who was an eye-witness of the scene.

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"Last year," said he, a vessel from Stockholm, in Sweden, was driven upon our coast in a tremendous gale, and became a total wreck ; situated so that no human aid could possibly be administered for the preservation of the crew. In a short time after the vessel struck, she went to pieces. The spectators on shore beheld with pungent grief the awful situation of those on board; but those on shore could render no assistance. All on board perished except one man, and he, driven by the merciless waves upon a piece of the wreck, entwined among the ropes attached to the mast, Half naked and half drowned he reached the shore, and was disengaged by those on shore from his heart-rending situation. As soon as they rescued him, astonishment filled their minds by observing a small parcel, tied firmly round his waist with a handkerchief. Some concluded it was his money; others it was the ship's papers; and others said it was his watch. The handkerchief was unloosed, aud to their surprize and astonishment it was his Bible; a Bible given to the lad's father from the British and Foreign Bible Society. Upon the blank leaf was a prayer written, that the Lord make the present gift the means of saving his son's soul. Upon the other blank leaf was. an account how the Bible came into the old man's hands; and that gratitude to the British and Foreign Bible Society, which inspires the heart of every Christian, was undisguisedly written by the old man. The request was, that the son should make it the man of his counsel, and that he could not allow his son to depart from home without giving him the best pledge of his love, a Bible, although that gift deprived the other parts of the family. The bible bore evident marks of being often read with tears."

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