W. Cook, Esq. W. Flanders, Esq. 20 0 0 50 0 0 ....100 0 0 Of Miss E. Morland, late 10 0 0 of Clapton......... ....100 0 0 Bedford For Hillyard's School, Howard Chapel contri- Less exps. 41. 2s. 4d. 34 13 0 30 18 6 Liverpool, Crescent Chapel Juvenile Association... 40 0 0 10 0 401. 18s. 6d. 10 10 0 Luton Union Chapel, a Mrs. H. Layland.......................... 10 10 0 Son...... W. Reid, Esq. ............... 10 10 10 10 Messrs. Ward and Trego 10 10 John Procter, Esq.......... 10 J. Burrup, Esq. T. B. Oldfield, Esq. T. Wilson, Esq. ... ......... Aux. Soc. per T. Nunneley, Esq. 200 1 12 0 ...... 0 0 Newbury, A Friend 0 Castle Donington 20 0 0 0 0 Eardley Hinckley 3 16 9 15 3 0 0 Per Miss Cook............ 6 11 1 Loughborough, including 15s. 6d. for Wid. and Lutterworth, including 101. for Nat. Tea. J. 28 0 2 Wickliffe .................. 42 0 0 0 Melton Mowbray, includ 0 Aux. Soc. on account ... 107 13 6 0 Derby, collected at Pub. ing 10. 11s. 8d. for Schools at Kat River... 30 1 0 Narborough Break. for Chinese Ship108 7 0 Newton Burgoland......... 3 0 0 Devonshire. Exmouth, Miss Warren, for South Sea Ship Chudleigh, Rev. J. Davi Shilton Less exps. 187. 19s. 8d. 391 4 10 7 12 6 5 10 0 1 ...... 0 0 Ullesthorpe .................. 8 15 2 10 0 Whetstone 0 Wigstone 3 0 3 600 10 0 o Totness..... 20 Rev. T. Lewis............... T. M. Coombs, Esq. W. Curling, Esq. T.Jacombe, Esq.Sidmouth 25 0 A Yorkshireman............ 30 0 A Friend, by the Trea surer Rev. R. Hogg, Kimbolton 50 8 4 10 0 181. 4s. Essex. 0 Dunmow, Legacy of late 0 0 Mrs. Edwards, less duty 90 0 0 Edmonton and Totten ham, on account......... 40 0 0 Norfolk. 0 Yarmouth, for Nat. Tea. 0 J. Palmer. East Dereham, for Eliza Crisp, and Susannah 0 0 13 6 6 0 0 Aux. Soc. on account...... 40 0 10 10 Gloucestershire. 50 0 Eben. Smith, Esq. 6 0 Alton D. Allan, Esq 1 5 0 0 Andover, for Nat. Tea. 50 0 J. Dixon, Esq..... John Smith, Esq. Grosvenor-square William Kay, Esq. Liverpool Miss Sabine Rev. T. Williams CCXXXVII. SEPTEMBER, 1838. 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. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. MONGHYR. Our last communication from this station bears date 19th December, 1837. Mr. Leslie, at that time, continued to suffer under considerable indisposition, although not such as to prevent his engaging in Missionary duties. Mr. Moore had removed from Monghyr, with his large family, to Simka, a distance of one thousand miles; which renders it additionally desirable that help should be sent to Mr. Leslie without delay. Mr. George Parsons has been accepted with this view, and will embark, it is expected, for Calcutta, early in the present month. In the letter we have mentioned Mr. Leslie states: I am thankful that I have had nothing more than occasional interruptions in my regular duties since the commencement of last year. Our Hindustan worship with the native Christians and others every morning, our services in the chapel on Sunday mornings, and prayer-meetings on Thursday We have had, during the last three evenings, as well as our regular English months, a very interesting case, in an old services, have been constantly kept up. native woman, who, after having applied Also there has been preaching and distrifor baptism, and been mentioned to the buting tracts, more or less, almost every church as a candidate, was suddenly taken day, in the streets and lanes of the neighfrom the midst of us by cholera. She had bourhood. With regard to the success been attending, for two or three years, the which has attended these efforts, painful as native chapel; but was, I can hardly tell it is, I must still write in the language of how, entirely unnoticed by, and unknown complaint. I have been sometimes led to to me. The Lord, however, had been no- hope that good impressions have been proticing her; and had, I have every reason to duced, and I have felt encouraged for a believe, made her a subject of his convert- time; but, like an untimely blossom, these ing grace. When she came to me, I was impressions have soon withered away, and surprised, both at the depth of her experi- I have still to mourn that there is no fruit ence and her knowledge; and, on making to be gathered in. But, while I grieve over inquiries as to her character, I found that the want of converts from my own neigh she was one who exhibited no small degree bood, I trust I can rejoice over one gathered of the spirit and conduct of a real Christian. in from a distant part of the wilderness, who I readily, therefore, proposed her to the is as a first fruit of my labours. On the 1st church; but, before the time of her proba-instant, I had the pleasure of baptizing the tion had expired, God took her unto the native respecting whom I have mentioned church above. She was quite sensible dur- something in my former letters. His name ing the attack, and died trusting, nay re-is Baldéo; a native of Farakábád, and of joicing in Christ. the Rajput caste. He is a man of not much intelligence, but, I believe, thoroughly sin I have also established during the last cere. He has been with me about two years and a half, during which time his moral character, so far as I can ascertain, has been irreproachable. And, for the last twelve months, I have had reason to hope that he has experienced the power of true religion. He threw up his caste after he had been with us a few months, and desired baptism; but then I was not satisfied that he acted from right motives. He has since been urgently entreated by some of his friends and relatives to return to them, with the prospect of being better off in worldly things than if he continued with me, and has experienced a great deal of ridicule and abuse from the people of this neighbourhood who know him; yet he has remained with us, unflinchingly avowing his determination to be a Christian. I have delayed his baptism, principally, because I wished to be well satisfied first of his sincerity, and partly on account of the severe affliction which he experienced previous to his coming among us. His affliction was occasioned as follows. He had been sent on board a boat by one of the Insurance Companies in Calcutta, in charge of insured goods despatched to the Western Provinces; and, having observed some fraudulent proceedings of the boat people, he remonstrated with them, and threatened to report their conduct if they persisted. They at first endeavoured to persuade him to become a party with them, but, not succeeding, they became embittered against him, and formed a plot to murder and throw him overboard, and report to his employers that he had been taken ill and died on the way. The fear occasioned by the discovery of their murderous intentions, combined with a general derangement of health, and the distress of mind he laboured under at that time, produced by his having failed to observe all the superstitious ceremonies enjoined by the sacred book he had adopted as his guide, drove the poor fellow raving mad. In this state he was sent to the Native Hospital at Patna, where he remained seven months. On his recovery and dismissal from this place, he came to Digha Farm, in the hope of finding some employ; and, shortly after, he met with Hurridas reading the Scriptures by the road-side. His curiosity was in the first place awakened to know what the Scriptures contain; and, as he afterwards continued to read and examine them with me almost daily, his judgment became convinced; and, eventually, I think I can say with confidence, his heart became converted to the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom he has now publicly professed his faith and confidence. Oh! that "he may hold fast the beginning of his confidence steadfast unto the end." Since the commencement of November, I have visited the annual Mélór at Hadjipore, and many of the neighbouring towns and villages. Some of these places I have regularly visited for the last four years during these seasons; and many of the natives who have taken books, and with whom I have previously conversed, recognized and visited me for religious conversation. With some of these persons I have been occasionally much interested; but, alas! it is very painful to observe, even in the most pleasing cases, a perfect insensibility to the evil of sin, and the necessity of the atonement of the Son of God. Their confessions of sin are uttered with such manifest apathy as leaves no ground to suppose that they ever make the evil of sin a subject of deep serious concern. At Arrah, two Mussulmans came to me, and stated that they had read the Gospel, and were convinced that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God and the Saviour of men, and they were determined to become Christians. Can you," said they, give us some advice? You must be aware that, in taking this step, we shall be persecuted, and cast off by our relatives and friends, but if you can assure us that, when cast off, we shall be protected and provided for, we will hesitate no longer." I pointed them to the case of the first Christians, and exhorted them to imitate their example as far as they could, and they would assuredly find that Jesus Christ was faithful to his word (Luke xviii. 29, 30). They appeared serious; but there was something vague and indefinite in many of their replies to my questions, and an appearance of a calculating spirit, so that I have little confidence in their sincerity. What was their real motive I know not, as they appeared men in respectable circumstances. When I left Arrah, they said, I should soon see them at Digha; but I have yet seen nothing of them, though more than a month has elapsed. 64 Three weeks ago, I set out on a journey to Gyah, but my buggy broke down on the road, and I was obliged to return. I have had it repaired, and next week (D. v.) I purpose to start again. May I find in that high place of idolatry some who are willing to receive the knowledge of the "true and living God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent, whom to know is life eternal!" I am happy to say, that my charge at Dinapore continues to afford me much pleasure. I do not remember that we have had any additions to the church since I last wrote you; but I trust the members contiuue to grow in the spirit of genuine piety, and enjoy much of the presence and blessing of God. JAMAICA. While the friends of justice and humanity throughout the empire are rejoicing at the triumphant issue of their efforts to achieve the complete liberation of our long-oppressed fellow-subjects in the West, it must be remembered that this event greatly increases the necessity of enlarged provision for their spiritual necessities. We have just received a forcible representation on this subject from our zealous brethren on the north side of Jamaica, which we lay at once before our readers. It will be remembered that, in this district, our mission is better supplied with labourers than in any other on the island; so that, if six be needed there, it is even painful to calculate the whole number wanted for this island alone. Truly, the harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few! Falmouth, June 7, 1838. REV. AND DEAR SIR:Your Missionaries residing in the northwest section of the Island of Jamaica take the liberty of addressing the Committee upon a subject which, though it appears to them of the utmost importance, will very probably be to you a matter of surprise. It is no less a request than that you will send to this part of the island six additional missionaries. Your surprise will, however, be considerably diminished, if you remember that we have often stated quite as fully the necessity of the districts in which we individually reside, and that the present application is, therefore, no more than a reiteration of our individual appeals. That we are not extravagant in making this request will appear from the following statement. The last population returns made in August, 1834, give the number of the apprentices and their children in this district thus: members and inquirers with fifteen churches, which number is now increased to eighteen by the subdivision of our larger churches, These, with thirteen other preaching stations (to say nothing of estate and other schools, which have to be superintended, and at which services are frequently held), have at present to be supplied by nine missionaries. You will allow that their labours ber that the anticipated change in the circumstances of our people on the first of August next, will give us far greater facilities for the instruction of our people than we ever before undisputedly enjoyed; and though we must confess that we often feel ready to sink under our labours, we expect, that as these advantages dawn upon us, those labours will of necessity be increased. even now must be arduous, but will remem To give you a more comprehensive view of our stations as now occupied, we subjoin the following list. JOHN HUTCHINS; Savanna la mar (church), Fuller's Field (church), Mountain Side. Negril, a promising station, was obliged to be abandoned, the strength of the missionary not allowing him to supply it. SAMUEL OUGHTON; Lucea (church), Green Island (church), Gurney's Mount (church), and Fletcher's Grove. Fletcher's Grove can now enjoy but few WALTER DENDY; Salter's Hill (church), Retirement is about twenty-five miles from Salters' Hill, and the road is at certain times almost impassable, and nothing but its paramount importance compels the missionary to supply it, it being the only Baptist station in the parish. WILLIAM KNIBB; Falmouth (church), Refuge (church), Waldensia (church), and Camberwell. T. F. ABBOTT; St. Ann's Bay (church), Ocho Rios (church), Coultart's Grove (church), and Cascade. B. B. DEXTER; Rio Rueno (church), Stewart Town (church). Maho Hill, though a promising station, was given up through ill health. The mis sionary intends, however, immediately to attempt to resume it. JOHN CLARK; Brown's Town (church), The missionary recently visited the moun. tain district of the parish of Clarendon, where the inhabitants are living in an awful state of ignorance and neglect of religion. |