The Prayer-meetings in the houses of several of our friends, which were first noticed in my letter of last April, are continued and well attended, and are much calculated to increase and extend the work of God among us. We have lately formed another Class at the Mission-house, consisting of females only; at present the number is only four, but we expect an increase: it is under the care of a zealous and excellent Leader, Mr. Mooyaart. We have also got a new juvenile Class formed at the New Bazar School, which consists of twenty-four promising boys, and is met by Mr. Chinner, the English Master of the School. The religious state of Colombo, altogether, is very encouraging at present; the union that exists between Christians of all denominations is most remarkable: we often meet together at each other's houses for the express purpose of holding religious intercourse, and on these occasions all distinctions are lost in the firm conviction, that we are all the lovers and followers of the same Master, and that the object of our ambition is to see who will be most like him in humility, deadness to the world, resignation to the divine will, and extensive usefulness. Indeed it may be said with truth of the little flock of Christ in this place, that great grace rests upon them all. O that Extract of a Letter from Mr. Hume, OUR recent letters have put you in possession of the plans of labour we have adopted, and of the hopes we entertained of very great success attending our efforts; our hopes are now in a very pleasing manner being realized. We seem to have not only gained the confidence of the people, but to have in a very considerable degree excited a lively interest about the things of religion: this is principally to be attributed to the extensive introduction of Prayer-meetings among the natives. Many who never would have come to us or to the house of God, are thus reached by the Gospel, and though, as yet, they are not capable of appreciating Christianity, the beauty of its precepts never fails to recommend it to the good-will of the little companies who attend our meetings. Their nods of assent, their fixed attention, and the frequent remarks they make on Scripture-subjects, prove to us not only that our words are understood, but that an interest is felt in the important truths advanced. the little leaven may continue its influence until the whole lump be leavened! At a late Meeting of the Bible Society, our active and excellent friend Mr. Mooyaart was chosen Secretary, an event which is to be regarded in a very important light in relation to the future success of this valuable institution. Several plans are already under consideration and arrangement in order to further its interests, and I doubt not but we shall soon be able to communicate some pleasing information on this subject. I have now to notice our late District Meeting, held in Colombo last month; this was a time of deep interest to us all, and I know not that I have ever witnessed greater faithfulness among Brethren. The ordination of our five Brethren, Sutherland, Gogerly, Lalman, Anthoniez, and Cornelius, excited an uncommon degree of interest. The several services were performed in English, Portuguese, and Singhalese; upon each occasion, our Chapel was well filled: a great solemnity pervaded the assembly; and much impression was excited by the relation of the conversion and experience of the Brethren who were set apart for the work of God. May the effect produced by these services long remain, and the fruit be found after many days! dated Caltura, December 30th, 1826. In a few instances I have, of late, heard the voice of prayer ascending from native huts as the family within were sur rounding the family-altar; and in one case in particular, the service was conducted by a little boy. The becoming manner in which he was reading a chapter of the New Testament, with an audible voice, collected a number of the people round the door of the hut, who, as I was passing, were listening attentively to the little worshipper within: the circumstance seemed to surprise very much. I have several times, in walking out in the evening, heard the same boy singing his evening hymn. From the mouth of babes and sucklings God will perfect praise. Our Schools continue to prepare with a good degree of effect a generation that will praise the Lord. They are forming the character of the future race of Christians. They are infusing precepts of morality, and sowing seeds of truth, which, under the divine blessing, will shoot forth in the practice, and be matured into habits, in after life. Every one of our Schools is not only a nursery of moral but of religious principles. The children are taught not only the knowledge of letters but the knowledge of God, of his Son Jesus Christ, and of the way of salvation by him; and every School contains a few plants which we have every reason to hope will in time be trees of righteousness, the right hand planting of the Lord. We have particular expectations in_reference to the Schools in and about Pantura, and indeed to the work generally in that part. The Lord has evidently in a very uncommon degree given a hearing ear, and we hope he will not withhold the understanding heart from the population of that part of the Station. Our Class-meetings are still kept up, and are, in general, seasons of refreshing, at least to myself, and I hope to others also. Our Sacramental occasions have of late been particularly interesting: the presence of God has been with us in a very gracious manner, and we have rejoiced with glad hearts in the full confidence that we shall feast together in the kingdom of our God. Our congregations continue steady, and are, I hope, profiting by the numerous sermons which they hear in the different languages. Extract of a Letter from Mr. Stoup, dated Galle, Jan. 20th, 1826. THE tone of moral feeling has been greatly raised amongst the various classes of inhabitants in the island, both European and Native, since the residence of Christian Missionaries amongst them. This I have often heard remarked by persons long resident in the country, and well qualified, from their extensive acquaintance with its society, to make such an observation. The knowledge of Christian doctrine is gradually spreading amongst the Natives, and especially those of the higher classes; and though it may be said of many of them, that "they fear the Lord and serve their own gods;" yet we doubt not but this knowledge will eventually clear away the darkness of superstition and paganism from their minds, and "shine more and more unto the perfect day." The Sabbath is more reverenced than formerly, though there is still room to wish that it were more strictly observed; yet we are happy to see that in and near the towns where Europeans reside, there is generally a partial cessation of worldly business, and more of those who are nominally Christians attend some place of worship. I think it may be said with respect to Galle, that there is as little business going forward in it on a Sunday, as in the generality of country-towns in England. On the second inst. I had all the children of the neighbouring schools assembled in the Galle chapel, when I preached to them from John iii. 16, God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." It was a most interesting occasion; the children were all remarkably neat and clean, and behaved very orderly; the chapel was quite filled, and they read the responses of the Liturgy aloud and very distinctly. How delightful to hear from the lips of heathen children, "We praise thee, O God, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord :" "All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting." Surely amongst this assembly one might contemplate the members of a future church, who "shall stand as pillars in the temple of our God, to go no more out." THE following extract of a letter from Mr. Sutherland, dated Matura, April 15th, 1825, has been mislaid, but we think it too interesting to be entirely omitted; more especially as, in connexion with the next, it shows the progress of the work of God, on one of our most important and promising Heathen Stations. THE encouraging prospects of usefulness on this part of the Circuit, during the past quarter, call for our sincere gratitude to God. Our Schools, with one or two exceptions, give us as much satisfaction as, on the whole, can be reasonably expected, and we have been happy to perceive, that by the public reading of the Scriptures, several have been seriously impressed with the importance of divine things. Such have always been taken notice of, and added to the number of those who receive private and more particular instruction. In this way about thirteen have been admitted since the beginning of the year. Our congregations continue undi minished both at the Schools and at the Mission-House, and an English service has been regularly held since my arrival, with the view of impressing the inhabitants with a proper sense of the obligation of the Sabbath. At Kaddawidda we have an interesting congregation every Lord's Day; a very respectable family with a few of their neighbours are always found waiting to hear the word of God at the appointed hour; eight adults have, at this place, after the usual term of trial, received tickets of admission into Society. Lately the establishment of Prayermeetings in the town has been attempted with great hopes and some success; in fourteen houses of the Dutch inhabitants, they have been received with much thankfulness and even joy on concluding them I have from some received notes expressive of the interest they take in them, and their anxiety that they should be continued. They are always well attended. At Wirigam, Prayer-meetings of the same nature among the Singhalese have been commenced, and from the encouraging appearances at the beginning, I have every hope that they will be generally received by the people. During the last three months, Brother Lalman at Belligam has had to pass through many severe afflictions; the intervals, however, in which himself or his family have enjoyed good health, he has carefully employed for the improvement of the part of the Circuit where he resides. A Portuguese congregation, and several Prayer-meetings in Singhalese, have been established; and the regular attendance of as many as can be looked for at the place, fully justifies their continuance. We have in view various plans, which, with the blessing of God, appear calculated to promote the prosperity of the Work; but until they assume some degree of maturity, we decline mentioning them, lest our expectation might be disappointed. For what has been already done, to God be all the praise. Extract of a Letter from Mr. Sutherland, dated Matura, January 10th, 1826. As I have resided chiefly at Galle during the last quarter, my labours at Matura have been necessarily limited to monthly visits. I am happy, however, to be able to state, that the affairs of the Circuit have been successfully carried on by Brother Lalman, who has unremittingly continued his labours, in preaching to crowds assembled in the highways and public markets. He has expressed himself highly gratified by the marked attention manifested on such occasions, as well as by inquiries on the part of some, strongly indicating that his statements of religious truth had not been heard by them altogether in vain. A recent visit to Matura afforded me the gratification of finding all the Schools in a very prosperous state, in consequence, I am happy to say, of greater attention on the part of the schoolmasters, and the increased assiduity of the school-visitors in the discharge of their duty. On the 5th instant, the Christmas vacation having expired, public teaching was resumed in all the Schools in the Circuit. A visitor was appointed to attend at each place for the purpose of ascertaining the numbers of children who had returned to their instruction. From the Reports which have been transmitted to me, I am most happy to learn, that, in addition to a much larger attendance than was expected, twenty-nine boys and three girls were on that occasion admitted in the several Schools. The business of the day was opened with singing and prayer, and reading a portion of Scripture, followed by a suitable address to the children. Those whom we consider members of our Society continue to walk worthy of their profession. Of three Classes, containing twenty-nine adult members, eighteen are Communicants, who I have every reason to think, to the extent of their ability and information, perform the duties, respect the institutions, and value the privileges of Christianity. Our congregations have in no instance decreased since our last communication; those assembling at our Schools in the country, although not large, continue to animate us in our Missionary excursions and we have the satisfaction of adding, that at Belligam particularly, an increase has lately been observed in the attendance of Singhalese females at our places of worship. The attendance at our Portuguese service on Sunday evening is, however, liable to considerable fluctustion, in consequence of the occasional removal and return of the individuals connected with the Cutcherry of the district. who are not affected by such changes, In the families of those, however, the Prayer-meetings have been regularly and uniformly held. We soon expect to increase their number among the Singhalese, as well as Dutch inhabitants, but forbear expressing any confident anticipations of success. Those already established have, we trust, been the means of impressing the most valuable truths on the minds of many, who otherwise must have continued destitute of every means of religious instruction; and in the hope that those Extract of a Letter from Mr. Gogerly, A REVIEW of the circumstances of this Station during the past year, affords many reasons for gratitude to the great Head of the Church, mingled with others for humility and increasing diligence. The congregations in every place, excepting the town of Negombo, have been considerably increased. Into three villages the preaching of the Gospel has been introduced; and the word of God has been received with attention and apparent profit. Twentytwo adults have been admitted on trial, and give evidence of their desire to flee from the wrath to come, by forsaking all outward sin, and by a careful and devout attendance upon the means of grace. Even since the commencement of this year, nine additional members have been admitted on trial in two of the villages where preaching has been recently established. It must not, how ever, be disguised, that the work is but in its infancy; and that these young converts need constantly to be watched over with the most tender solicitude, and fed with the milk of the Word. The work of grace appears to be deepening in some of those who have been longer members of Society, and they bave all continued, so far as we have had opportunities of observing them, to walk worthy of their high calling. we intend to establish, will be similarly useful, we find our encouragement to persevere. On the whole, in reviewing the history of the Circuit for the past quarter, while we retain a feeling conviction of our own deficiencies and imperfections, we see every reason to thank God and take courage, forasmuch as we know that our labour is not in vain in the Lord. dated Negombo, January 23d, 1826. It is with peculiar pleasure that I observe the females beginning to occupy their proper place, and to become among the foremost to dedicate themselves to the service of God. They generally form the larger part of our congregations; in many instances accompanied by their husbands and children. I feel much pleasure in holding forth the word of life in these villages, among a simple people, removed in a great measure from foreign influence, and scarcely ever visited by a white man except the Missionary. Brother Cornelius Wijesingha labours among them with zeal, prudence, and suc cess. Our small number in the town of Negombo has been reduced by death. One of the first of those who attended the preaching of Brother Newstead, has been removed to the Church triumphant. She died a few days after I left Negombo to attend the District Meeting, with a sure trust and confidence in the mercy of God, through Christ, and was conveyed to her grave chiefly by the young men who met in the same Class with her. Our assistant Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Lutersz, read the funeral-service over her remains. MISSIONS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA. CAFFRARIA-Extracts from Mr. Kay's Journal, continued from p. 638. THIS being one of the customs of their forefathers, from time immemorial, they regard it as a matter of the first importance. A brief description of it may, perhaps, not be altogether uninteresting: The whole company is ranged in the form of a crescent, with their faces towards the cattle-folds. The women clap their hands, and sing with all their might while the men beat their spears, stamp with their feet, and occasionally join in the song of the females. A kind of sorcerer (answering, in a great measure, in point of character, to the Pawaws of the American Indians, and the Angekoks of the Greenlanders) sits in a hut at a short distance, in company with eight or ten natives, who seem to constitute his council. When I arrived, he was momentarily expected to make his ap pearance, in order publicly to declare, by whose evil influence the warrior in question was afflicted. Nevertheless, upwards of three hours elapsed before their expectations were realized. At length, however, it was announced that he was coming, when every man and woman, except those that were designed to form his train, instantly flew to the dancing-party, and renewed their strange and laborious manœuvres with redoubled vigour, making the surrounding glens echo with their doleful sound; insomuch that it might be heard at the distance of some miles. I felt deeply impressed with the idea that infernal spirits thronged the air and hovered over us. The harbingers of the Sorcerer consisted of six or eight women, one of whom first made a tour round with the branch of a tree in her hand. When she retired, the others followed in the same manner. This done, a more formidable procession began to approach; but with more regularity than I had been led to expect. The wizard was encircled by a numerous guard, so as to be entirely concealed from view. Having proceeded until they had arrived in front of the assembly, leaving a space of about thirty yards, his train took its stand, and the song became general. In the course of a few minutes, a most frightful figure came forth, painted in different parts of his body with red ochre. One side of his face was red, and the other jet black. He had the skin of some wild animal fastened round him, in the form of a petticoat, and a piece of a jackall's tail fixed on his forehead. Upon coming to about the centre of the circle, he occasionally writhed as if in agony; and at other times threw himself into the most violent attitudes. Having again retired to the centre of his guard, he required that the oxen, which they were about to present him for his services, should be brought before him, together with a certain bead, to be taken off the dress of each individual in the opposite party. These were immediately brought, and the latter article laid at his feet with the utmost reverence, by the persons who presented them, and who passed before him in regular rotation for that purpose. The impression on the minds of the natives is, that he discovers the witch by scent. Hence he pretends to smell those body-beads to aid his determination of the matter. His requisitions being complied with, they again proceeded with their clamorous song, but continued only for a few minutes: when, silence being commanded, he commenced his harangue, to which all listened as though he had been au oracle and excepting the occasional expressions of applause, which sometimes proceeded from all parts of the circle, the utmost stillness prevailed, and the attention of every individual seemed to be as steadily fixed, as if life or death were to be the result of his decision. He at length declared, that the warrior had been brought to the gates of death,-partly by the evil influence of a woman, who is supposed to have bewitched her husband (because he died!) some time ago, partly by the daughter of a neighbouring Captain, in having unlawfully detained a small leathern bag belonging to the sick person,-and partly by the Captain (brother of the afflicted) of the kraal in which they were then assembled. Here the Captain stood up, and demanded the reasons for his thus charg ing him at the same time requir ing that he should prove his asser tions; exclaiming with a loud voice, : "Is not the man my brother? what inducement could I have to injure my brother? How did I take that which you lay to my charge? And supposing it to be true, in what way could that injure my brother?" The fellow, unable to answer these, and several other questions of a similar nature, slunk away in confusion, and under evident apprehension of personal dan ger, as the whole assembly seemed now to be divided into two parties; and the one which supported him was by far the smallest. It was well for himself, that he had postponed his appearance until the shades of evening furnished him with a curtain, and facilitated his escape; and it required but a few words on my part, to show that such men are actuated by the "father of lies." I returned home with mingled feelings of disgust and pity, and more than ever convinced, that our lot is cast amongst a people who "sit in darkness, and in the region and shadow of death." During the deliberations of this emissary of Satan, every one stands in jeopardy; fearing lest the cogitations of his heart should be against them: as the person upon whom his accusation falls, is generally ar rested on the spot, and deprived of all his assagais, the whole of his cattle are confiscated, and he is sometimes tormented by the application of heated stones to different parts of his body. Sunday, 20th. My congregations |