Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Asiatic Entelligence.

SERAMPORE. Death of a Native Christian.-On December 8th, Jumoona, the wife of our brother Gorachund, was carried off by the fatal cholera. She was young, but a christian who adorned the gospel of God her Saviour, and her loss is felt exceedingly in the pious little circle in which she moved. Those who were well acquainted with her, whether Heathens or Christians, say that she possessed a most amiable disposition, and was seldom or never heard to use a harsh or unkind expression. She had commenced reading several months, and of late had made considerable progress. Being naturally shy, it was difficult to get her to converse on religious subjects; and this, her natural disposition, with her extreme weakness, prevented our obtaining more information respecting her religious feelings when laid on the bed of death; but the little we were able to gather from her, was such as denoted inward peace, and assured us that she died in the faith of Christ. The evening she was taken ill, her friends brought her youngest child to her; on which she request. ed them to take it away, saying, the child was no longer hers. "No," said she, "'tis no longer mine. Why do you wish to engage my affections with earthly things? I am going to my heavenly Father, to my home, to the mansion which he has prepared for me." The following morning when a friend called to see her, the first word she said was, " pray for me, I am a great sinner, and am now justly suffering the desert of my sins." Her friend said, 66 we are all sinners; but Christ died for us, and will not forsake us." "Yes," she answered, "He is all my hope-I cleave to him at this trying hour, and would not be without him for worlds." Sometime after this, she was asked, in what state she felt her mind. "Quite comfortable," was her reply. "Jesus is precious, very precious to my soul." A little boy, her eldest brother's son, (whom she had reared and been a mother to after its own had died) stood at the head of her bed erging. On hearing him she called him to her, and being too weak to sit up, she threw her arms round his neck, and addressing him by the most endearing names, begged him not to weep, assuring him that God would take care of him. The scene was so affecting as, to melt all near her into tears, which when she perceived, she said, "why do you shed tears over me-there are no tears in my eyes; see how dry they are; for what cause have I for sorrow? am

I not going to glory-to heaven ?" Shortly after this a christian neighbour came in to see her, and, finding her so ill, burst into tears. But the dying woman addressed her in the most affectionate manner. "Oh my friend," she said, "we have walked hand in hand many years, we have gore to the house of God together, but my walking with you again on earth is at an end; I am going to a world of bliss, there to walk in the presence of my heavenly Father." Then turning to her Christian friends who were present, she said, " pray for me; for the salvation of my soul and the pardon of my sins. God grant that I may not be deceiving myself. I feel most for my children: when my mother died she left her family to the care of Mr. Ward, but now I am going, I have not him to recommend them to, for he is gone before me." It was observed that God would take care of them. "Yes," she answered," He will, I do wrong therefore to distrust him.” She was now exhausted, and said little after this; and at one o'clock breathed her soul into the hands of her adored and faithful Redeemer. She was a

bout twenty years of age, and had been a member of the Church nearly three years.

CALCUTTA, Sixth Report of the Calcutta Committee of the Church Missionary Society.-We could with much pleasure transcribe a Iarge portion of this Report: but we must satisfy ourselves with a few brief notices of its principal topics. During the past year the number of Missionaries has been increased by the arrival of the Rev. Messrs. Maisch, Reichardt, and Wilson. Messrs. Reichardt and Wilson have remained to strengthen the Mission in Calcutta, and Mr. Maisch has proceeded to the assistance of Mr. Deerr at Burdwan. In Female Education the exertions of the Committee have been crowned with cheering success. In the former Report the number of schools was stated to be eight; there are now more than twenty. The number of scholars last year was 217; they have now increased to 500. The Marchioness of Hastings not only patronized the schools, but personally visited a number of them a few days before her departure from India, and in the most engaging manner examined the classes, and rewarded those scholars who had made the greatest proficiency. Since her Ladyship's visit, several gratifying instances of the spread of Female Education amongst the Natives themselves have occurred. A widowed Brahminee applied for instruction, and having made some progress in

66

66

learning, now attends daily at the house of a Brahman to instruct his two daughters. Who does not hail such an event," adds the Report, as a hopeful indication of improvements, which, by opening to widows a means of respectable provision, shall assist to quench the flames of the suicidical Suttee?" The Boys' schools at Calcutta and Kidderpore are now eight in number, and contain 840 scholars, with an average attendance of 777. Beside these, a school is established on the Society's premises at Mirzapore, in which about 40 boys receive daily instruction in English and Bengalee. During the past year, the New Testament has been introduced into all the Bengalee schools, and much religious instruction is imparted. Religious service is conducted by Mr. Jetter, in Bengalee, at several places and though he has met with discouragements and disappointment in those who appeared as enquirers, yet one young man, a brahmun, it is hoped has been truly converted to God, and has been received into the Church of Christ.

:

At Burdwan two more youths have been added to the Church during the past year. In addition to the 14 schools under the care of Mr. Deerr, formerly established; two more have been formed by Mr. Perowne, near to the Mission premises. In these schools the Sacred Scriptures are read as school books, and what is read, commented upon and explained-The English school contains 55 boys, whose progress is very satisfactory. Through the divine blessing upon the patient labour of Mrs. Perowne, five schools for female children have been recently established at this station, containing upwards of one hundred girls.

At Benares, the number of boys in the school founded by the late Joynarain Ghossaul and endowed by his son Kalee-Shunker Ghossaul, is reported to be 141. The New Testament is a favourite book with the scholars. A Chapel has been erected at Secrole for the use of the Native Christians who attend worship in Hindoost'hanee. Two were added to their number in May last.

At Chunar two adults, converts from Hindooism, have been added to the church. A number of heathens attend on the Hindoost'hanee worship on Sabbath afternoon, together with the Native Christians.

The last account received from Agra stated the addition of seven men and three women to the church. It is understood that the health of Abdool Musseeh is so infirm as to oblige him greatly to circumscribe his labours.

At Meerut, the Rev. Mr. Fisher continues to co-operate with the Committee. He has received several native converts during the past year, and is surrounded by an interesting company of pious soldiers.

The school at Lucknow no longer exists, as it has pleased God to remove Mr. Hare, its superintendent, by death.

During the past year 17,150 Tracts and School books have issued from the Committee's press for the use of schools, and for distribution by the Missionaries. The Report concludes with a notice of the formation of the Church Missionary Association, which we mentioned in our last number.

Since the date of the above Report, (it reaches to the end of August, 1823), the Corresponding Committee has been changed into "The Calcutta Auxiliary Church Missionary Society." This change was effected at a meeting held, in the Old Church Room, on Monday, the 1st of December, 1823; when the Lord Bishop of Calcutta took the chair, and was elected President of the Society.

MYMUNSING. Our friend Mr. Reily has experienced a severe loss in the death of his wife, which occurred on Christmas-day. He is left with six interesting children. It has given us much pleasure to know, from several sources, that Mrs. Reily was fully prepared to meet her end. For some time previous to her confinement (sixteen days after which she expired) her mind had been deeply affected by a sense of her sinfulness. But she was graciously enabled to commit herself to the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, and to depart in the joyful hope of a glorious resurrection.

Our friends at Mymunsing continue their exertions to spread abroad the knowledge of the gospel around them, for which they have many favourable opportunities. Many resort to them for religious tracts, and for conversation, and they are pleased thus to sow the seed, the fruit of which they hope will be reaped at a future time. Some of those with whom they associate at the station, afford pleasing evidence of a divine change in their souls. who were accustomed to do evil, have learned to do well.

[ocr errors]

Those

CUTTACK. We have lately received several letters from our friends at this station. Mr. and Mrs. Lacey arrived there on the 18th Dec. after rather an unpleasant passage from Calcutta. Mr. Peggs met them at Patamoonday, and the remainder of their passage was a sort of missionary excursion up the river to Cuttack. They met

and tracts.

prosperous.

with great attention from the Natives, and distributed many gospels The schools under the care of our friends are highly "You would have been pleased," says Mrs. Peggs, "to have seen sixty girls at our last examination:" and the boys' schools also succeed exceedingly well. The school books of Bengal are in course of translation for their use, by our friends.

ALLAHABAD.—Mr. Mackintosh writes, Dec. 31st, 1823:—“I am sorry that I have no increase by baptisms, although many still attend the preaching of the Word of Life, at my house, from my Hindoo neighbours. There are three of us of the family who are members, and three of the brethren in the fort-where I have aşsisted in carrying on the means of grace for some months past, twice in the week: I have also dispensed the word of God at the Serjeant Major's in the two sepoy lines, once in the week, amongst a few who have attended the meetings. At these stated places I have been greatly and kindly assisted by my friend, Mr. T. C.who is so good as to take me in his buggy to them, and bears an active part in conducting worship alternately with me. My regular course round the neighbourhood is commonly in the mornings and evenings, endeavouring to excite concern in the minds of my fellow mortals for the salvation of their souls, and pointing out the absurdity of idol worship, by visiting the ghauts, temples, bazars, the chouk, and at times near the Collector's court, or at the sepoy guard. At evening prayers I have the pleasure of three of my Christian neighbours joining me regularly. Since my last to you, a few natives have called for conversation and books. I have had as many as twelve little girls learning the alphabet; but only ten regularly attend at present for a few hours at my house. They are taught by me and Mrs. M. and, being poor people's children, they are greatly stimulated by a few pice we give them at times. At present there is plenty of employment for the boys and girls of the poor classes, on the new embankment of the Jumna, opposite or near to where I reside. The four Hindoo boys are getting on well in reading the New Testament in Hindee. I am sorry to say that the parents of the Mahommedan children learning Persian, have taken alarm by the introduction of the New Testament among them, not willing that the children should read it. Our meeting in the fort will be thin now, as the company is just going to march to Benares for the practice. I am in expectation of brother Smith from

« AnteriorContinuar »