Journey from Shanghae to Nantsiang. At two o'clock in the morning, the Rev. Dr. Medhurst, Rev. Mr. Muirhead, and myself, started from the landing-place just above the Suchau Bridge, a mile above the foreign factories at Yangking Pang; and proceeded rapidly up the river, carried along by a strong tide, aided by two men working at the scull.

Our course was between west and northwest, till we reached a small town on the north bank of the river. This town is called Yeki-tun; and from thence leaving the river,

which is the direct route to Suchau-our course was almost due North.

Soon after sunrise, the white walls of the houses and temples of Nantsiang, seen at no great distance, clearly indicated the situation and extent of its southern boundary. Nantsiang, though not surrounded by a wall, is a place of considerable business, and may number eighty thousand inhabitants, or more. Our boat reached the city about seven o'clock. Dr. Medhurst immediately stepped on shore, and went to the temple of "Great Sacrifices," at the gateway of which he fixed up a notice, informing the people that he would preach there in the afternoon, and inviting their attendance. He then returned to the boat, and we proceeded through the city, hoping to reach Kiating at an early hour.

Rural Industry of the Chinese. Our short journey along the banks of the canal was exceedingly pleasant-the scenery all around delightful, and the weather charming. When we stepped from the boat, Nantsiang was just far enough off, on the South, to afford us a full view of its northern limits, such as we had, two hours before, enjoyed of its southern. In every other direction-east, west, and north-the plain extended as far as the eye could reach. The face of the earth-although robbed of its flowers by the

cold frosts of winter, and of its luxuriant crops of grain by the diligent hand of the husbandman-was by no means devoid of interest.

The whole plain is fertile, composed of a deep rich loamy soil, the same as it is around Shanghae. Most of it is arable; and in many places it had been recently turned up-in some fields by the hoe or mattock; in others by the plough, drawn by the ox or buffalo. In various directions men were busy gathering the cotton-stalks, and clearing or manuring the ground. Houses, farm-yards, and cemeteries, were to be seen here and there; also clumps of the bamboo, fir-trees, tallow-trees, the willow, the plum, the apple, and the peach. Some of the apple-trees had been grafted; the scion having been inserted a few inches above the roots, when the body of the sapling was only an inch or so in diameter.

Burial Places of the Chinese.

Naked coffins, and hillocks covering the remains of the dead, were much less numerous here than about Shanghae. Two of the latter, however, were remarkable, and of extraordinary size. They were called, by the Chinese whom we met by the way, Luh-li-tun, "The six-mile hillocks," being situated six li, or Chinese miles, distant from each other.

There are, it is said, seventy-two of these hillocks of ancient origin, having been erected fifteen or sixteen centuries ago. Of the two we saw, the first was close to Nantsiang, on the north; the second was six li, or about two English miles, further north; and both only a few rods distant from the canal. We ascended the northern one: it is, perhaps, thirty feet high, in the form of a pyramid, and apparently built solely of earth. It is square at the base, and covers perhaps onethird of an English acre of ground.

The people, of whom we inquired regard

ence was much larger, and composed of more respectable classes of people. The number of those who stood and listened to the discourse, from the beginning to the end, could not have been less than eight hundred. There must have been, part of the time, twice or thrice that number within the reach of the preacher's voice. During the whole time, perfect order and profound silence were maintained throughout the assembly. It was a pleasing sight to see such a large congrega. tion listening so long and so attentively-and many of them for the first time-to the preaching of the Gospel.

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From the temple, passing through the crowd, we walked to our boat, which had come down the canal, and was waiting for We left the city just before sunset, and, ere it was midnight, reached the Suchau Bridge-the place of our departure in the morning; having been absent from Shanghae less than twenty-four hours.

The city of Nantsiang is fifteen, and Kiating twenty-three miles, from Shanghae. Of their population I have no means of forming a correct estimate; but probably they may each contain one hundred thousand souls.

us,

In November, 1846, we for the first time pitched our tent at Devan, amongst the Kolis and Rajputs. These came willingly to hear but were soon offended at witnessing the baptism of a Dher of low caste. They became alarmed at the introduction of a religion which confounded their most valued distinctions.

"We would become believers, if you would not receive low castes," became then the vain excuse of many. The Thakor and the Dher were equally invited by Christianity, and an equal offer of acceptance was given. The shock to the feelings of the former was great, and the cry became general, "We would sooner die than become Christians."

But God is found of them that seek him not. An old man of much repute among the Dhers, a Bhugut, with necklaces and marks symbolic of his religion, came from his village a mile distant, and listened eagerly to the Gospel, which his son had previously professed. He was converted. After struggling some time between his convictions and his desire to retain his high position among his people, he surrendered to the Gospel. When the people asked, "How is it that you, our teacher, have discarded everything, and adopted this new religion, and become nothing?" his answer was "As long as I knew not otherwise, I taught you, and was your Bhugut, but

when a mightier than I-when Christ came, I surrendered my office and my position." The old man abandoned all heathenism, and brought his wife and family under instruction. The whole family was baptized, and two of the girls were entrusted to the Mission for education. He became an active reader, and boldly carried the Gospel among his people. Our hopes of the spread of the truth among them were greatly raised. A school for the children was conducted by him at his own place, Goravo; and another at Navali, where several families had come under instruction.

But our hopes as to his continued Christian services were not realised. The old man was attacked by asthmatic consumption, and died within a few months. His end was peace. In his severest illness he testified to young and old, that they should repent and turn to God. He told his family to trust in God, and not to lament for him. The old man died, being, as we have every reason to think, the first-fruits of those gathered to Christ from the Mahi Kantha, redeemed from the grossest darkness in the wildest parts of heathenism. The whole family have submitted to the counsels of the Missionary, and the children are under instruction.

Itinerary labours have been conducted in the several villages in various directions,

the native readers, whose perseverance and devotion have been highly commendable. One of them with much Christian courage performed a tour of one hundred miles on foot through the country of the Bhils*, among whom he met with a kind reception. In Navali, where there were some baptized persons of low caste, the high-caste teachers behaved with great decision and self-denial. Exposing themselves to gross insults from the people, who refused to touch them on account of their intercourse with the low castes, they went fearlessly into their dwellings to give Christian instruction. We cannot too highly appreciate the Christian love which thoroughly uprooted the spirit of caste with

in them.

In March, 1847, the Missionaries, finding that, notwithstanding all instruction, caste still retained a partial hold on the converts in their mutual conduct to each other in their respective villages, instituted the rule that the choteli, or tuft of hair on the head, should be cut off, as a sign of their renunciation of Caste and Hindooism. Several shrunk from this new ordeal, but all, who were considered by us as genuine Christians, have submitted. Yet, since this institute, and the absolute destruction of caste which it has been our vigorous endeavour to effect, no men of caste have joined us. Christianity is now understood by all to involve the loss of all things. The believers have themselves, since that period, grown much in grace, and love to one another. They have had, and still have, bitter trials. Trials severe in degree, but short in duration, are less trying than those of a less degree but longer duration. The former characterised the period of the establishment of Christianity. The present period is characterised by the latter. The Christians are reviled and cursed by kinsmen and acquaintances, nay, by all men nothing but the fear of the magistrate secures them from occasional violence. The position of a sincere Christian, amongst unbe. lievers in India, is one of the most trying which human nature is called to sustain. deed, none can sustain it unto the end, without the continued aid of the Spirit. The world is full of hatred, and yet can at times put off that hatred, and, in order to beguile the convert, assume the appearance of friendship and regard. Enemies to the Truth in every possible way harass and endeavour to distract them. They say, "You seek to overcome the world, but your efforts must be fruitless, for no one

In

yet has ever overcome the world." They are ignorant of the Scripture which saith, "This is the victory which overcometh the world, even our faith."

In the cases of five converts, their wives have refused to join them. There is no subordination in families. The child will rail against the parent, and the wife will shut the door against her husband. Everything, in their present social and domestic circumstances, is calculated to wear down the spirits of the converts, and drive them to despair. If God do not abide with them, they are "of all men most miserable." In one case, a convert had his two children taken from him by his own brother with a drawn sword. These were restored by the order of the Sirkar. In another case, an unbelieving son, in indignation against his believing father, swallowed opium to destroy himself, and was only saved by the father's giving him a violent emetic. In another case, an unbelieving mother and a believing son who is married, have by mutual consent built up a wall in their dwellings, to divide them, so as to bar access to one another's families. In another case, a very pious man was imprisoned by order of the Guicowar Authorities, owing to the petition of his own brother, who declared that he should lose caste were he to dwell near him. Truly are our Saviour's words fulfilled, "I am not come to send peace on the earth, but a sword." Verily, the consistent profession of Christianity among the heathen is something more than worldly men conceive of, who look upon it, in all cases, as something adopted for the furtherance of worldly ends. Nothing but the powers of the unseen world can make a man give up house and land, father and sister and brother, nay, his own wife and children. Let us rejoice that Christianity has, even among the Hindoos, the living witnesses of the Truth,

"He that forsakes not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple."

The Mission has recently been called to mourn the removal by death of Ramdas, one of its Native Teachers, and most consistent members. He was one of the six converts baptised in 1844. His itinerant labours in the rainy season of 1847 laid the foundation of pulmonary disease. This was highly aggravated by the neglect and heartless treatment he experienced at his own house. His wife and mother-in-law sought to distress him in every possible way, in the vain hope that their unkindness would ultimately prevail to separate him from the