me, and they seemed surprised to hear a white man speak their language, and much more surprised at what they heard.

CHINSURAH.

Letter from Rev. George Mundy,
April 5, 1822.

Four native schools, embracing 200 children,

had lately been taken under the care of the Missionaries at this station, in which the Scriptures and Christian Catechisms were daily taught. Of the change in the feelings of the natives in relation

to christian instruction, which had taken place

within a few years, Mr. Mundy remarks:

On Sabbath morning the children are all assembled in our large Bengalee chapel, (where we every evening exhibit a crucified Saviour to the people,) when we catechise and expound to them. This commenced about ten weeks ago, and has hitherto gone on with great success; we are, indeed, constrained to say, "what hath God wrought!" Five years ago, the name of Christ scarcely dared to be mentioned to a boy, or a printed book put into his hand, though its contents were nothing but a few fables, so great were their prejudices; but now what a door is opening for the communication of that knowledge which shall cause them utterly to forsake the dumb idols of their forefathers.

One evening lately, Mr. Townley took a Catechism with him into the street, to read aloud, in order to draw a congregation for preaching; he had no sooner read the first question, "Who created you?" than a little boy among the people, immediately, of his own accord, gave the

answer,

"God created me." Mr. T. went on with the questions, and the child with the answers, throughout the book, to the great astonishment of the people.

Preaching excursions.

We are still endeavouring, as far as our feeble strength will possibly allow, to fulfil our Saviour's injunction, "Preach the gospel to every creature." During the late cold season, we have preached a great deal in the open air. Mr. Townley, in company with Mr. Harle, spent a month in preaching and distributing tracts at all

the towns and villages up the river, to the distance of 200 miles. Since their return, Mr. T. and I have generally been companions in labour, visiting, while the cold continued, all the villages for many miles around us, and preaching, frequently, the greater part of the day.

A native convert.

In one of these excursions, we were

accompanied by a native convert from Calcutta. Br. T. and I having preached at two different villages, on our arrival at the third, our native brother ascended the steps of a heathen temple, and addressed a large congregation of his countrymen on the love of Christ, till the tears streamed from his eyes. It was a most affecting and delightful sight! The people stood in amazement, wondering at the strange and surprising change which must have taken place, to cause a once hardened Hindoo to weep. This same native's preaching has been lately blessed to a young man 22 years of age, formerly a Brahmin and Goroo, (a religious teacher,) his disciples (of whom he had many) all forsook him on his becoming a disciple of Christ. He is at present with us, and we have every reason to be much pleased with him; his piety appears real, and his talents, particularly as a preacher, above the ordinary kind. He is going through a regular course of instruction under Mr. Townley, that he may be better qualified for the important work.

A Suttee described.

The horrid practice of burning widows is still carried on without any abatement in those places under our government.

The Dutch will not allow it in their districts. During the last year, in the small district of Hoogly alone, 195 poor unhappy females have been sacrificed!!! A few days ago, hearing of one about to take place, and our brethren Trawin and Bankhead being with us, we all resolved to go, that we might, if possible, be able, by argument, to prevent it. On arriving at the place, we found the woman sitting by the body of the deceased; we did all we could to endeavour to persuade her not to burn; but all we could get from her were entreaties to leave her; we then

appealed to the feelings of her daughter, whose office it was to set fire to the pile, but could make no impression on her; after which, the multitude, and particularly the Brahmins, were addressed respecting the injustice, cruelty, and sin, of such an act but finding all fruitless, silence being obtained, Mr. Townley, in the presence of the people, offered up a fervent prayer, that God would graciously show mercy, and soften their hard hearts. All, however, failed of the desired effect, and we were obliged to be silent spectators of the awful scene. The poor creature, after being bathed in the Ganges, was carried, almost senseless with intoxicating drugs, to the pile, tied to the dead body, large pieces of wood laid on her, and the whole bound down, that she might not possibly escape. The pile was then set on fire, amidst the shouts and

yells of the people. To us, indeed, it appeared hell in miniature. Our feelings were deeply impressed, and, I trust, we were constrained to cry with more fervent spirit, "have respect unto the covenant, O God, for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty."

HUMPEE.

Heathen Festival.

In a letter of the 8th of April, 1822, the Rev. W. Reeve writes as follows:

I feel pain mingled with pleasure, in addressing you once more from this thronged festival—with pain, to see multitudes so numerous gathered from all parts of the contiguous towns and villages to give that worship to graven images which is due alone to the true God, who is jealous of his own glory, and will not give it to another yet-with pleasure, because, "unto me, who am the least of all saints," this grace is given, that I should preach among these poor pagan Gentiles, "the unsearchable riches of Christ."

When shall the arch-fiend of darkness, the prince of the power of the air, the god of this world, be dethroned, and driven from his usurped dominions? When shall the infernal spell, by which the myriads of Hindoos have been enslaved and held in bondage for ages immemorial, be brok

en for ever? When shall the name of Jesus be precious among pagans-his love shed abroad in their hearts, and his gospel exemplified in their tempers and lives? "O that the salvation of God were come out of Zion--when the Lord bringeth back the captivity of his people, Israel shall rejoice, and Jacob shall be glad."

In calculating the public revenue that has been formed during this heathen festival, the estimate falls little short of one million of immortal souls present at the feast; a fine field, you will say, for missionary exertions! Shall we declare it to be already white unto the harvest, or shall we say it is still sterile and barren, and requires the labour, culture, and tillage of ages? Perhaps it will be wiser to say neither, but wait the great Teacher's time to solve the difficulty.

When we contemplate the irrevokable engagements of the covenant of grace, and behold the mighty conquests which the gospel has already achieved in the world, all our difficulties vanish; blushing unbelief retires with shame and confusion, and

a host of facilities and auxiliaries appear on either hand, to animate our faith, to cheer our hopes, and to stimulate us to abound yet more and more in the great work of evangelizing an apostate and guilty world.

Encouraging circumstances.

On this topic Mr. Reeve thus remarks:

If a willingness to hear the faithful preaching of the gospel, and a readiness to receive the Scriptures and religious tracts, are to be considered as encouraging and favourable signs, then, certainly, these have presented themselves in a manner the most marked throughout the whole of our attendance at this heathen feast.

Our lodging place has been repeatedly filled, and a large crowd standing about the doors, while Anundarayer and myself have endeavoured to explain to them the truths of the gospel, and after giving us a patient hearing, sometimes for near an hour, I have seen them frequently, and see them even now, while writing this sheet, sitting in their tents, reading the precious contents of our hallowed

Effects of Missionary labours.

On the good effects produced by the labours of the Missionaries, and especially by the distribution of the Scriptures, and of tracts, Mr. Reeve says:

I was told, that in a large town, at a considerable distance, there were several respectable merchants, who, every morning after washing themselves, are in the habit of reading our Holy Scriptures and religious tracts before they eat any food; that they seemed deeply interested in the great truths thus brought to their knowledge, and that they were daily studying them with seriousness and attention. We know who has said "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." For hundreds of miles in every direction, the starving souls of the heathen have now this immortal food placed before them, and if, by the influence of Divine Grace, it is made palatable to their appetites, and they hunger after it with longing desire, then with importunity and fervour will they cry, "Lord, evermore give us this bread."

MADRAS.

The Rev. Messrs. Collie and Crisp, who, with their wives, left England, for Madras, in November 1821, arrived at their destined port on the

26th of the succeeding March, and were cordially welcomed by their Missionary brethren. On their passage they touched at Columbo, in the Island of Ceylon, where they remained three days, and were kindly entertained by the Wesleyan and Baptist Missionaries.

Mrs. Collie died on the 24th of May, after an illness of fourteen days.

In a letter of the 3d of April last, Mr. Crisp

says:-

"I have commenced the study of the Tamul, under a Moonshee, and already find the little which had been acquired during the voyage, very useful. Before

PENANG.

Stupidity of Idolaters.

Mr. Medhurst, a Missionary who resided some time in Penang, gives the following facts in his Journal for January 1821:

Walking out, I called at the house of a man, who was engraving an idol; and, on looking round, I perceived his house to be full of the works of his own hands. I could not help feeling a holy indignation at such affronts on the Divine Majesty, to suppose him to be like unto wood and stone, graven by art and man's device. I spoke to him on the folly of trusting to the works of his own hands, but I found him to be nearly as ignorant as the idols he was making. "They that make them are like unto them." He was unable to give any consistent excuse for his folly, acknowledged that he was a mere imitator of others, and was making the idols for his own gain.

On my return, I visited a temple in ruins -the altar neglected, and the god removed. I longed for the time when the shrines of idolatry shall all meet a similar fate. When I inquired why the temple was deserted, I was told very eagerly, that the god had selected another spot for his residence in preference to this. I asked how it was possible for a log of wood to be capable of choice, or to express its desire to others; they said there was no difficulty in either; for when they were carrying the god round the village, in his chair of state, (borne generally by four men only,) on its arrival at the particular spot which the god preferred, the chair suddenly became heavy, and twenty men could not move it thence.

Murder of female infants in China.

In the same Journal. Mr. Medhurst records a conversation he had held with a native of China, as follows:

A man came for medicine to-day, with whom I conversed awhile privately. I asked him how long he had left China, and whether he ever thought upon his family there. He said he frequently thought on them, and intended next year to return and visit them, for he had three sons, and one daughter who was married. "I had another daughter," he added, "but I did not bring her up.' ." "Not bring her up, (said I,) what did you then do with her?" "I smothered her: (said he :) this year also I heard by letter that another daughter was born; I sent word to have that smothered also, but the mother has preserved it alive." I was shocked at this speech, and still more at the horrid

indifference with which he uttered it. "What, (said I,) murder your own children? Do you not shudder at such an act ?"" Oh! no, (said he ;) it is a very common thing in China; we put the female children out of the way, to save the trouble of bringing them up; some people have smothered five or six daughters." My horror was increased by his continued indifference, and the lightness with which such crimes are perpetrated in China with impunity. I felt I had a murderer by my side, who must, without repentance, inevitably perish. I told him plainly that he had committed a most dreadful sin, and that he was in danger of eternal wrath. He at first only laughed, but afterwards seemed to feel a little concerned, and I hope affected. What an awful view does this present of the "Celestial empire," loaded with crime, deluged with blood, and ripe for destruction!

AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY.

We were prevented, by want of room in our last, from presenting an account of the building lately erected for the operations of this Society, and of the very excellent Address, delivered by the Rev. Dr. MILNOR at the opening of the Directors' Room. Our present limits, we regret, will not permit us to give the abstract of the address we had intended.

Account of the New Building.

The Building is situated in Nassau-street, between Ann and Beekman streets. It was commenced in May last, and completed in December. The following statement of the expense, dimensions, and uses of the building, is taken from a Note in the Monthly Extracts for January :

The house and ground have cost upwards of twenty thousand dollars, no part of which is to be taken from the ordinary funds of the Society. A considerable portion of this sum has been raised by subscription, principally among the friends of the Society in the city of NewYork. The residue of the monies necessary for liquidating the claims against the building, is to be raised by such further contributions as may hereafter be made, and by a loan, to repay which, a sinking fund is established on

such principles as will secure the gradual extinguishment of the whole debt.

The American Bible Society's house embraces fifty feet in front upon Nassau-street, and extends back thirty feet, when it is contracted to the breadth of thirty feet, and runs about seventy feet, with that width, to Theatre Alley making the whole depth of the building a little more than 100 feet. The basement story contains apartments for the accommodation of the keeper and his family, two large rooms for storing printing paper and other property of the Society, and the requisite cellars for fuel.

The first floor of the front building com. prises a large room for the Agent's Office and Biblical Library, and two smaller ones for the accommodation of the Secretaries, Treasurer, and Committees. The rest of this story, besides the space occupied by staircases, being a room of about sixty-two feet by twenty-eight, is devoted to the purpose of a depository of Bibles and Testaments, and is capable of containing about 100,000 Bibles, bound, and conveniently arranged on suitable shelves.

On the second story, in front, is the Manager's room, which is 48 feet long by 28 wide, and 16 in height, and plainly but neatly furnished. The second and third stories of the

rear building are occupied by the binder, and as a depository of printed sheets. The third story of the front building, with the fourth of the rear, which together form one room, are occupied by the printer to the Society:

ORDINATIONS.

On Wednesday, the 15th of January, the Rev. RICHARD VARICK DEY was ordained to the pastoral charge of the Congregational Society in Greenfield, Connecticut. The Introductory Prayer, by the Rev. Mr. Burton, of Ridgebury; Sermon, by the Rev. Dr. Rowan, of New-York; Consecrating Prayer, by the Rev. Mr. Noyes, of Weston; Charge to the Pastor, by the Rev. Mr. Freeman, of North Fairfield; Right Hand of Fellowship, by the Rev. Mr. Hooker, of Greensfarms; Charge to the People, by the Rev. Mr. Smith, of Stamford; Concluding Prayer, by the Rev. Mr. Fuller, of North Stamford.

cepted, and we most earnestly hope that our anticipation of a revival of pure and undefiled religion among them, may very soon be realiz ed, and that the perfect harmony which at present exists between Pastor and People, may long continue under the blessing of God, for their mutual edification and support.

On the 12th of December the Rev. CHester CHAPIN-Pastor of the East Church in Gran

by, Connecticut. Sermon by the Rev. Nathan Perkins, Jun.

On the 25th of December, the Rev. ARCHIBald Burgess-Pastor of the Church in Han

cock, N. H. Sermon by the Rev. Mr. Barstow.

On the 1st of January, the Rev. ERASTUS CLAPP-Colleague Pastor of the Church in Burlington, Connecticut.

On the 1st of January, the Rev. AMOS PETTENGILL-Pastor of the Church in Waterbury, Connecticut. Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Beecher, of Litchfield.

On the 1st of January, the Rev. THOMAS WILLIAMS-Pastor of the Church in Foxcroft,

Maine.

On the 2d of January, the Rev. WILLIAM NESBIT, and the Rev. HENRY S. WILKINS, the former to be Installed Pastor of the Church in Seneca, Ontario County, and the latter Pastor of the Church in York, Livingston County, New-York. Sermon by the Rev. Professor Proudfit, of Union College.

10 37

30 00

From Young Men's Aux. Society, of Danbury, Conn. by T. T. Whittlesey, Esq. Tr. Donation from a lady in Reading, Con. by do. From the Aux. Society of Greenbush, Rockland county, N. Y. by Jno. A. Blauvelt, From Rev. T. S. Wickes, to constitute himself a member for life,

D. C.

14.00 50

Collected in the monthly concert of prayer, in the Rev. Dr. Romeyn's Church, in Cedar-st. N. Y. 7 08 Collected in the united congregations of Greenbush and Taghanach, Rockland county, N. Y. by Rev. H. Vedder,

985

From Alexander C Jackson, to constitute himself a member for life,

30 00

From Mr. Stephen Read, to constitute himself a life member,

From Mr. Abm. Van Nest, to constitute himself

30 00

a member for life,

30 00

From Mr. Arthur Tappan, to constitute himself a

From Wm. S. Heyer, an. sub.

3 00

life member,

80 00

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8. 00

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From Leonard W. Kipp, Esq. an. sub.

3 00

30 00

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S 00

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From D. A. Cushman, donation,

1.00

Esq.

29 75

Donation of cash,

5 00

Collected in the Mission Ch. in Banker-st. by Daniel Turnier,

do.

do.

8 50

3 00

Donation by Mrs. Daniel Austin,

5 00

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3 00

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3 00

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3 00

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40 00

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1.00

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3 00

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3 00

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8 00

From S. Downer, Jr. donation, From R. V. Beekman, donation, From Francis Saltus, donation,

5.00

2.00

500