overtake us for neglecting to "come up to the help of the Lord,-to the help of the Lord against the mighty."

2. Although there is good reason to hope that when the Accounts of the Society's Income for 1837 shall be finally made up, they will exhibit no signs of declension in the zeal or liberality of its friends, it is, however, unquestionable that its Expenditure has been very much increased, as was to be expected from the great extension of its operations during the few last years. There are therefore no means whatever at its disposal for the re-inforcement of the Fegee Mission, or for any new object whatsoever, without a still further augmentation of its resources by new or increased Contributions.

3. While the Committee earnestly solicit, and will most gratefully acknowledge, any Special and Occasional Donations, in aid of any particular Mission, (as, for instance, towards the Outfit and Passage of additional Missionaries to the Fegee Group,) they respectfully remind their friends that they have to look with anxiety to the augmentation of their regular and stated Income by Annual Subscriptions, as the only consideration which can warrant any material enlargement of their pecuniary responsibilities. Missionaries may, with comparative facility, be furnished with the means of proceeding to Heathen Lands; but, when arrived at their destinations, and engaged in their pious toils, they and their families have a further and continued claim on those who send them for their permanent support. The example, above. mentioned, of the family who resolved forthwith to double their Annual Subscriptions, is therefore eminently worthy of imitation, And those persons who cannot themselves give twice their former Subscriptions, may yet, in many cases, practically double their own contributions, by using their time and influence in soliciting and collecting new Annual Subscriptions from their friends, and from the benevolent Public. He "twice gives" to this cause, who not merely gives himself, but is at the pains, for Christ's sake, to collect for the Society.

The Committee have fully participated in the general feeling which has been produced in favour of the Fegees. And, at a special Meeting, held on the 14th of February, they unanimously resolved, That the number of Missionaries among that people shall be immediately increased to six. Mr. Cross and Mr. Cargill will, if mercifully spared in bealth and life, remain ;-Two other Brethren, now in Polynesia, are directed to join them forthwith;-Mr. Jaggar, with a Printing-Press, &c., is expected to sail for the same station in a few weeks;-And with him the Committee have now resolved to send a Sixth Missionary, Mr. Hunt, a Student from the Wesleyan Theological Institution, who is judged to be well qualified for the work. We bespeak for them all the fervent prayers of the Christian Public.-Messrs. Cross and Cargill ask for Ten more fellow-labourers. The Committee have ventured to meet their wishes, and the demands of the case, in part. Further re-inforcements must depend on the promptitude and extent of the pecuniary efforts which may be made by the Auxiliary and Branch Societies to augment the General Funds of the Society.

The Collectors are respectfully informed, that the QUARTERLY PAPER for March, 1838, will not be ready for circulation till April, in consequence of unavoidable delay.

LONDON :-Printed by James Nichols, 46, Hoxton-Square.

Subscriptions and Donations in aid of this Society will be thankfully received at the Baptist Mission House, No. 6, Fen Court, Fenchurch Street, London; or by any of the Ministers or Friends whose names are inserted in the Cover of the Annual Report.

ANNIVERSARY OF THE BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

The Committee have sincere pleasure in announcing to their Friends, and the Christian public at large, that on

LORD'S DAY, APRIL 29,

Sermons on behalf of the Society, will be preached generally in the Baptist Chapels in London and its vicinity.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 2,

The Rev. JOHN BIRT, of Manchester, will preach the General Sermon for the Society, at Surrey Chapel, Blackfriars' Road. Service to begin at half-past Six.

THURSDAY, MAY 3.

The Annual Meeting of the Society will be held at EXETER HALL, CHARLES LUSHINGTON, ESQ., M.P., in the Chair. To commence at Eleven.

FRIDAY, MAY 4,

The Committee of the Society will meet at the Mission House, Fen Court, when the company of all Ministers of the denomination, who may be in town, is requested.

CALCUTTA.

TRANSLATION OF THE SCRIPTURES.

In our number for January we merely noticed the translations of the Scriptures executing by our brethren in Bengal, and promised to give more full details regarding them in a subsequent paper. We now proceed to redeem our pledge.

The first translation we have to notice, is the BENGALI. This language is estimated to be spoken by about twenty-five millions, far exceeding the whole population of England. No exertions, therefore, can be considered too great to secure in it a faithful, and at the same time an idiomatic and acceptable, version of the Word of God. In the preparation and improvement of such a version of the New Testament, Mr. Yates,

assisted by Mr. W. H. Pearce, had been long engaged, and in January, 1837, when the latter left Bengal for England, the second edition was nearly through the press. It consisted of 500 copies of the New Testament, intended for the use of native Christians, the elder classes in schools, &c., with 1500 additional copies of each of the gospel, and 1000 of the Acts for general distribution.* The printing it appears was

* Of the same edition, an impression equal to five thousand of the whole Testament was printed off, at the request of the Committee of the Calcutta Bible Society, with the original word for instead of being translated as in those printed for baptism, &c., transferred as in the English version the missionary brethren themselves. By printing both editions at the same time, the necessity of setting up the types a second time was avoided, and thus the funds of both the Bible and Missionary Society were economized.

BRITISH ENCOURAGEMENT TO INDIAN

IDOLATRY.

On this painful subject the following Memorial has lately been forwarded to the Honourable Court of Directors of the East India Company. Copies were also sent to Lord Viscount Melbourne, as head of Her Majesty's Government, and to the Right Honourable Sir John Cam Hobhouse, Bart., President of the Board of Control.

To the Honourable the Court of Directors of the East India Company.

That it is therefore with much disappointment and deep regret your Memorialists have learned that with the exception of releasing the peasantry from coercion in drawing the idol cars at certain heathen festhorities in India to carry into execution tivals, no steps have been taken by the authe orders of your Honourable Court.

question on the allegiance due to the SuThat, considering the bearing of this preme Ruler of the Universe,—on the moral condition of so many millions of immortal beings, whose prejudices are strengthened by the open sanction now given to their idolatrous superstitions, and on the con

The Memorial of the Committee of the scientious feelings of our own countrymen Baptist Missionary Society.

Humbly Showeth,

That your Memorialists represent a Society, formed in the year 1792, for "the propagation of the Gospel among the Heathen," and that this object has been pursued by its missionaries in Bengal, and other parts of British India, from that time to the present.

That this Society acknowledges, with gratitude to Divine Providence, that many misconceptions respecting the nature of their undertaking, and the proceedings of their missionaries, which formerly prevailed, have been removed; and that great facilities have been secured for the prosecution of those labours in which the ministers and teachers of the Christian Religion have been engaged.

That while your Memorialists rejoice that the exertions of their missionaries have been successful, to a considerable extent, not only in the direct and principal object they have had in view, but also in promoting the interests of literature, civilization, and humanity, among the population of that great empire, they deeply lament the continuance and encouragement which are afforded by the present regulations of the Government of the Honourable East India Company, to the cruel, licentious, and degrading idola- | tries of India; whereby the prejudices of the natives against Christianity are materially strengthened, and its progress greatly obstructed.

in the East, many of whom recently transmitted through the late venerable Bishop of Madras, a forcible representation on the subject to the Governor of that Presidency, your Memorialists do earnestly, but respectfully implore your Honourable Court to take prompt and effectual measures to secure the execution of your former orders, viz.,

"That the interference of British functionaries in the interior management of native temples, in the customs, habits, and religious proceedings of their priests and attendants, in the arrangements of their ceremonies, rites, and festivals, and generally in the conduct of their interior economy, shall cease.

That the pilgrim-tax shall everywhere be abolished.

"That in all matters relating to their temples, their worship, their festivals, their religious practices, their ceremonial observances, our native subjects be left entirely to themselves."

And your Memorialists will ever pray, &c.

From the Government departments we have received mere official acknowledgments of the receipt of the above Memorial. The reply from the East India House stated that, "this subject has for a long time engaged, and still continues to engage, the attentive consideration of the Court of Directors."

66

We trust that this lengthened conThat, as several years have elapsed since sideration" will, ere long, issue in some the subject was brought under the notice of effective proceedings; and we are in your Honourable Court, and more especi- some measure encouraged by observing ally as a despatch in which it was fully and what has lately taken place in reference very ably reviewed in all its bearings, was to the temple of Deogur, or Bydenath, forwarded by your Honourable Court to the Governor-General in February, 1833, of the most renowned in Bengal. Though situate to the south of Calcutta, and one wherein your decision was explicitly made known, that the evils complained of should this is not one of these places of idolbe brought to a termination, your Memo-atrous resort from which the Indian Gorialists were induced to hope that our holy religion would no longer be dishonoured in the eyes of pagan idolators, and the whole Christian world.

vernment derives a revenue, yet the appointment of the High-Priest, which. is a very lucrative office, has always been made by the British authorities. Surba

cund, the individual who filled that st, to a larger congregation than I ever saw died a few months since, but the Go-before at this place at an evening service. vernment, although strongly urged to exercise their prerogative as formerly, firmly declined taking any steps in the matter, leaving the natives to settle the matter for themselves. Thus British superintendance and connexion with this unhallowed shrine has ceased for ever, and we trust this may be regarded as an earnest of still better things to come.

JAMAICA.

I hold a prayer-meeting here every Monday. Mrs. O. has a female class, containing about seventy persons, on Tuesday evening, and I hold a similar one on Wednesday evening for males, and preach on Thursday. Friday evening I preach at some of the out-stations, principal object at these class-meetings is to Fletcher's Grove or Gurney's Mount. My ascertain the extent of their scriptural knowledge, remove any erroneous impressions which they may have formed, and furnish such information as they appear most to need. It is indeed a most interest

From Mrs. Phillippo, Spanish Town, ing sight to see perhaps a dozen poor ne28th Jan., 1838.

Mrs. Phillippo begs to say, that as frequent inquiries are made of her by kind friends in different parts of England (who are anxious to show their good will to the schools in Jamaica, by donations of useful and fancy articles) as to what are really useful and saleable there, and on the contrary; she would be much obliged by the insertion of the following list in the Herald, as the most effectual mode of making known the information required. Saleable and useful articles ::-Dresses made of print, gingham, or muslin; girls' frocks, white or of a light color (neat patterns), suitable for children from three years old and upwards, made with long sleeves and high necks; baby's short frocks; caps and shoes, such as are worn in England in the summer; girls' and babies' under garments, made with round bosoms, drawn with a string, as two articles only are usually worn. Little boys' dresses, ladies' collars, shirts, capes, and aprons, day and night caps, &c. &c. Gentlemen's collars, stocks, watchguards, purses, &c. Dressed dolls, bags of all descriptions, pen wipers, tea-pot and urn rugs; toilet, emery, and other pincushions; fans, and any articles of haberdashery or millinery, suited for summer wear. Articles of cutlery would be very acceptable, and books, bound or in boards. Any articles stuffed with bran, as well as fine screens and chimney ornaments are unsale

able and useless articles in Jamaica.

LUCEA.

From Mr. Oughton, Dec. 12, 1837 :— I am happy to say that my prospects at all my stations are of the most pleasing description. At this place and Green Island the congregations increase rapidly. I preached at the latter place last Lord's-day morning, for the third time, and administered the ordinance of the Lord's supper; after which I (as usual) returned to Lucea (12 miles), where I preached in the evening

groes sitting round a table, with their Tesanswering the questions proposed, or asking taments open before them, and hear them such as occur to their minds; while upwards of forty others, who cannot read, form an outer circle, watching with intense interest the proceedings, and striving to

catch a word or two of instruction from the

passages which are read, or the answers given. I have great hope from this method, and trust that, under the divine blessing, it will have a very beneficial influence on the people.

crown; the people there appear to be truly Gurney's Mount is still my joy and walking in the fear of the Lord and the comforts of the Holy Ghost. I am on every visit delighted with their zeal and affection, and nothing distresses me so much as the idea of parting with them. They, nually asking me whether some arrangement too, appear to feel it deeply, and are contiThey have said that they should be perfectly cannot be made, to prevent our separation. satisfied, if I would spend one week in three with them; and on other Lord's days they would come to Lucea, which is only about thirteen miles by the mountain footroad.

On the 22nd of October I baptized 80 tion reports. I had been several months persons, making 139 since our last associaexamining them previously, and also appointed messengers to inquire into their moral character; so that every precaution was used to prevent the reception of improper persons. I have reason to hope that they are sincere followers of the Lamb.

The day of baptism was a deeply interesting one to me. At six o'clock, A.M., an immense congregation was assembled, containing a larger number of overseers and white persons than I had ever observed before. The ceremony was conducted with the greatest propriety; indeed, from the deportment of the spectators, I should think that curiosity was least influencing principle. At 10 o'clock the chapel was crowded to excess, when I

the