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The press sent to this mission more than a year since has not been put into operation owing to a deficiency in respect to the type, and the want of a competent printer. The deficiency will speedily be supplied, and it is hoped that a suitable person may be found to proceed to that station as a printer within a few months.

sons, no matter whether they be soldiers or priests, the privilege of going to reside in the "provincial city." A missionary if he goes under such circumstances, is recognized probably, only as a merchant, or a merchant's clerk. And such, I believe, was the case with the officers of the Vincennes, two years ago. One may not altogether like this; but there is no help for it, only by smuggling, or by leaving the country. 26. One day and two nights brought us safely to Canton early on Thursday morn-quaintance of several English gentlemen of ing the 22d, just in time to escape one of the severest storms, with which the coast of China is visited.

Canton and Wampoa are so far from the open sea, that they are quite secure in such seasons, and at neither place was any very considerable damage sustained. But at and off Macao it was most emphatically a "ta fung," a great wind. The greatest force of the wind was at the highest point of one of the highest tides. Such a scene of desolation has not been presented by any gale that has occurred the last twenty years. Houses were unroofed, walls were thrown down, crops of rice were swept away, and great numbers of fishing and passage boats were overwhelmed in the waves and dashed on the shore. An official document from Macao states that 4,005 dead bodies were picked up along the coast. Great injury has been sustained by the foreign shipping.

Oct. 24. Last evening Aking, my former teacher, came and brought with him Ajoo to read the Scriptures. It was the first time the latter had ever read the word of God. I gave him a New Testament. Oh Lord sanctify him through thy truth; thy word is truth.

Nov. 26. During the present season have had the pleasure of making the ac

very decided Christian character. Some of them have been for a long time residents in India, and gave most pleasing intelligence, not only in regard to the labors, but also of the success of the missionaries. They stated what they had seen with their own eyes. Others of the gentlemen were masters of ships, and one of them was truly a burning and shining light. He took from our little depository forty copies of the holy scriptures, in the English, Dutch, Spanish, and Chinese languages; all of which he distributed: and besides these, he also took and distributed several thousand pages of tracts in English and Chinese. Similar efforts have been made by an American gentleman in the same capacity.

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April 7, 1831. Attended a meeting of the committee of the Bible Society in Jaffnapatam. The third volume of the Old Testament in Tamul has lately been receivNov. 5. Procured a thousand copies of ed from Madras. This society receives Milner's tract on gambling, it contains thir- 1,000 copies of this edition. Five hundred teen leaves; and cost, including the blocks, copies were distributed to-day, 200 of which paper, printing, and all $25. The Chinese come to this station, principally to the Tado not count the pages, but the leaves of mul association at this place, which contheir books. We have then 26,000 pages tributed during the past year one hundred of tracts for $25, or better than 10 pages for and fifty rix dollars to the funds of the soone cent. Besides, the blocks are pre-ciety. We have abundant reason to rejoice served and subsequent editions will come cheaper.

Christians, and to all who are desirous of reading the scriptures. The society have an edition in progress with a very small type, in which the whole Old Testament is to be comprised in one octavo volume.

in so large a supply of the Tamul scriptures. The Old Testament is printed in four 11. In the afternoon conversed with octavo volumes, with beautiful type and Afa. He had not finished the autobiogra- paper, and put up in strong binding. The phy, which sometime before I had request-edition is very acceptable to the native ed; said he had much work to do; wished to prepare and publish many books; and to plant the good seed, so that if he should die it might live after him. He made many other such like remarks, showing, and it is pleasing to see, how much his heart is fixed 20. Held a meeting this afternoon at the on propagating the gospel of God "in every house of Gabriel Tissera for all the families direction." He has now on hand, written by of native Christians connected with this himself, and unpublished, nine tracts, some station, of which there are four living of them containing thirty leaves and up- within a few rods of each other. The wards; and none, I believe, less than ten meeting on the premises for members of the leaves. Dr. M. stated, also, in his letter, church, except on Sabbath noon, being that he now has lying in manuscript (Chi-principally confined to members of the nese) Notes on the epistles of Peter," because he has no means to print them.

seminary, the female members are unwilling to attend. We therefore appointed

this meeting among themselves as families. Mr. Poor and myself explained to them briefly their duties to each other, to the church, and to the heathen around them.

25. Yesterday spent the Sabbath at the island of Caradive. The children belonging to three schools assembled at our Bungalow, to the number of 117. Eighteen other people were present to witness the examination of the boys in their Christian lessons, and to hear the sermons. The children recited their catechisms and scripture lessons remarkably well, and gave me much pleasure by their good appearance. Alexander Lovell attends them every Sabbath as a catechist, and has a fine field of labor. 28. The quarterly meeting of our schoolmasters was at Batticotta to-day. About 200 persons were present in the chamber of Ottley Hall. The subject chosen for the occasion was the value of the soul. After the general meeting we separated them into three companies. 1. The members of the church, who held a prayer-meeting for a blessing upon the word. 2. A meeting of those who express a desire to unite with the church at the expiration of three months. 3. All the remainder met in another room and received instruction and exhortations suited to their circumstances. Very salutary impressions appear to have been made upon the minds of many present. These meetings have been greatly blessed to our schoolmasters.

May 10. My school and schoolmasters were present here at their weekly meeting. It is indeed delightful to witness the advancement in Christian knowledge that is made by many of the larger children of both sexes. They appear to have very few prejudices against Christianity. Several of them read the scriptures and daily pray in secret; and many read the scriptures and tracts to their parents.

11. For some weeks past we have had an evening meeting in Moolai. Many people attended and heard the gospel with much attention. This evening we commenced in Potter's Village near Changany. The children from two large schools and many of the neighboring men and a few women were present. 12.

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conduct towards him, and in her feelings upon this subject. She promises to accompany him to church the next Sabbath. He said, with much feeling, "This change has not been effected by what I have done. It is all the doings of my son, who reads the scriptures and tracts every evening to his mother, and then kneels down and prays." Thus we see how children by receiving good impressions in the schools, may become blessings to their parents and neighbors.

15. Azel Backus was the first boy taken into our charity school at Batticotta. It may be recollected by his supporters in America that many years ago he was turned out of the school and punished by the magistrate for stealing and other bad conduct. He is now living in the family of J. N. Mooyart, Esq. in the south part of the island, conducts himself remarkably well, and gives very satisfactory evidence of piety. He lately gave fifteen shillings out of his wages towards repairing the loss by fire at Manepy.

ment.

"Though seed lie buried long in dust,
It sha'nt deceive their hope."

His case strikingly illustrates this sentiFor many years he was one of the most profligate youths we ever had in the school. But now how changed by divine grace!

There is another pious youth in our mission named Azel Backus, who is a helper at Tillipally.

22. The wife of the Moolai schoolmaster attended church on the Sabbath. She is a woman of decent appearance, of good caste, and well behaved. May this prove an example to stimulate the other schoolmasters to bring their wives to church also. This is an object that we have much at heart. Our friends at home can hardly conceive how strong the prejudices of this people are against females attending church. This, however, as well as many other prejudices, will melt away and disappear before the cheering influence of the rays of gospel light.

29. Our audience has become so large that we have not room to accommodate it The Moolai schoolmaster has long in the seminary chapel. We have, theremanifested a more than usual attention to fore, enlarged it by removing the moveable the concerns of his soul, has been in the pulpit and clearing the room north of the habit of praying in his school and of teach-chapel, for our families and the native ing his children to pray. He informs me that while he was praying in his school to-day two drunken men of low caste, instigated by some of his relations, came in while he was on his knees, pulled him over backwards, and insulted him with very abusive language. He bore it all very patiently, and manifested much of the spirit of a Christian.

14. The Moolai schoolmaster informs me that his wife, who for a long time has been very much opposed to his becoming a Christian, is now greatly altered in her

females who attend. The preacher, by standing in the door-way, is easily heard by all. 1 preached here to-day to about five hundred persons.

30. By letters which have been lately received from different parts of India, it appears that our friends are exerting themselves much on our account, that the severe losses at Manepy may be made good to Mr. Woodward and the mission. The Lord Bishop of Calcutta is exerting himself much in our favor both at Madras and Bombay.

When the people see that we are in earnest in our addresses to them, their ears are opened to hear. Truth coming warm from the heart can scarcely fail to make an impression.

30. At our weekly prayer-meeting read the following passage from Foster: "The individual who should solemnly resolve to try the best and last possible efficacy of prayer, and unalterably determine that heaven should not withhold a single influence which the utmost effort of perse

June 5. Sabbath. To-day in addition to the Moolai schoolmaster's wife, the Changany schoolmaster brought his wife and sister and seven other females with them to church. We had twenty females of good caste, and eighty girls from the schools. The audience consisted of at least five hundred persons. If we can succeed in so far breaking down the prejudices of this people as to induce many females to attend church, it will be indeed a great conquest over heathenism. 6. The monthly missionary prayer-meet-vering prayer could bring down, would ing was at Batticotta to-day. The meeting was highly interesting and profitable. We agreed to observe next Friday morning as a season of special prayer for the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit upon this people. After this we propose to go in turn two and two to all our stations, also to Jaffna, Nellore, and Print Pedro. May the Lord prepare our hearts for this labor, and speedily revive his work.

EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF DOCT.
SCUDDER, AT PANDITERIPO.

April 10, 1831. To-day I gave the Gayutree, (a verse of the vedoo which is consider

ed very sacred, and is known only by

priests and brahmins,) together with some of the muntrums or prayers which are communicated privately by them to particular classes of people, to a number of the readers in my native free schools to commit to memory. Though in the Tamul character, they are in the Sanscrit language. Those who recite them correctly are to receive a small reward. It is considered the height of impiety to repeat them aloud The mouths of those who do so, it is said, will become worm-eaten. The little boys and girls, however, are so totally regardless of what is said, that they have no hesitation in doing it. The brahmins have been thrown into great consternation by our printing them, and threaten to execute vengeance upon those who gave them to us, if discovered. By our circulating them a great blow has been given to heathenism. 17. Mr. Spaulding came here and labored with a select class of children from my native free schools and schoolmasters. Twenty-four of the children declare that they observe the Sabbath. In the evening Mr. Poor came and united with Mr. Spaulding in holding a meeting in a neighboring Catholic village.

20. Spent the day at Tillipally with Mr. Winslow in laboring with the children from the native free schools with schoolmasters and women and with the children belonging to the boarding school. Mrs. Spaulding has a very interesting meeting for females on Friday afternoon, which we attended.

21. Held our weekly conference at this place as usual this evening. A remark made by one of my native members is big with importance. The substance of it was,

probably feel himself becoming a much more successful agent in his little sphere." This is not only probable but certain. "Prayer ardent opens heaven," and the great reason why there is so little success among us is, that we pray so little for it.

June 12. Administered the Lord's supper at this place. In a meeting which I hold every Sabbath with a select class of boys and girls from my native free schools, I asked how many of them were willing, if permitted, to receive the Lord's supper. About twenty expressed their willingness. May the great Head of the Church take them up in his arms and bless them.

This people have a scape-goat. Somethey get well, they will send away one of times when they are sick they vow that if their goats. They tie a string (generally yellow) around its neck, or cut out a piece of its ear, and dismiss it. All who see it know it is sacred and will not molest it.

If a man has committed a great crime, he dismisses a goat in order that his sin may be taken away. Before this is done it is sprinkled with water and the individual puts his hands on its head and prays to his god for forgiveness.

16. Went to Jaffna to assist in laboring with Mr. Poor, among Mr. Roberts' people. In the afternoon visited the Roman Catholic priest at that place. This is the first Catholic priest to whom I have had access

since the commencement of 1829. Had a long conversation with him. As I wished to talk with him as much as possible on experimental religion, I requested to see him alone. I dwelt much upon the great doctrine of justification by the blood of Christ alone. In this, of course, he did not agree with me. He was much disposed to dispute on points foreign to this great subject, and I as much to contend with him on this point only.

19. To-day I endeavored to get at the feelings of the boys and girls in my native free schools in regard to making offerings to idols. As I have the images of several of their gods, and as a feast of Pulliar has just been commenced at a temple near me, I presented his image before them, and asked who had a mind to make an offering to him, of the fruit they had just received from me. Of about 200 who were present a dozen only could be found who were willing to make such an offering. I then took

the opportunity to show the vanity of giving their property to Pulliar, and eventually to the brahmins. Truth has made such an impression upon the minds of most of the children, that when they grow up the brahmins will have a poor dependence, if they look to them for support.

23. Attended the meeting of the Bible and tract societies at Jaffna. It appears from the annual report of the latter that we have printed nearly 300,000 tracts during the last eight years. We are under very great obligations to the parent society in England for their constant supply of paper. It may well be asked, what could we have done without it. We also feel under great obligations to the American Tract Society for their continued liberality.

25. This morning the car of Pulliar was drawn at a temple near me. Went with several helpers to distribute tracts. The scene was beyond description heart-rending. Several small stones were thrown, and hooting and ridicule were heaped upon us without measure. A tract which had been torn up was thrown in pieces at my feet. People who have an idea that the heathen may be saved without the gospel should have been present. It appears to me that they would have returned, smiting on their breasts, saying the heathen are without God and without hope in the world.

The car was very beautiful. Several deluded human beings rolled after it. The feast of Pulliar lasts about ten days. Every night there are ceremonies. In general a number of people club together to bear the expenses. As I had understood an Odijar of one of the villages of Changany, at whose house I have held meetings, was the person who intended to bear the expense of the ceremonies on Wednesday night. I went to his house on the preceding Sabbath afternoon and had a long conversation with him. I pointed out to him fully the vanity of what he was about to do, and told him that he was preparing the way for the curses of God to fall upon him. The only reason he gave for engaging in such things was that his ancestors did so. My native helpers have repeatedly attended the ceremonies to make known Christ to the people.

who had confidence in the idol expressed his belief to the contrary. A day was appointed to make the trial. At the appointed time Virava descended from his place of abode, entered into one of his votaries, and declared that what the young man had brought was a jewel. It appeared that he was mistaken. It proved to be a small green mango. As Virava did not exert his power on Saturday in saving the man's life, I hope it will have a tendency to open the eyes of the people still farther. One would suppose that the wife of the man had seen enough of the folly of making offerings at such temples. This is the third instance in which they have been tried in her family since I came here. Death followed in each

case.

As far as I can learn the image of Virava is not put in the temples in this island. An iron or silver trident is erected and worshipped in its stead. The people have a very great idea of the power of this imaginary being. If a person charged with any great crime will go to his temple and take an oath that he is innocent, the one who brings the accusation has nothing more to say. In a word, taking an oath in his temple puts an end to all disputes. Last week, as I was returning home from visiting a sick woman, I went into one of the temples and took the trident in my hand. I learn that it has excited much wonder that I was not destroyed. It was remarked by some one that Virava probably ran off in consequence of seeing my white jacket.

EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF MR.

WINSLOW.

THE first entry was made a few days after the burning of the mission premises at Manepy.

Superstition of the People.

April 3, 1831. I preached for Mr. Woodward at Manepy to-day, at a school bungalow near the church, in front of which a temporary shed had been erected for the accommodation of such as could not be seated in the bungalow. My text was, "Is there evil in the city and the Lord hath not done it." The subject appeared to be timely, as the general opinion among the heathen around is said to be, that Ganesa, whose temple (as has been often mentioned) is on the church lands at Manepy, sent fire from heaven to consume the premises occupied so much to his detriment. One man* affirms that he saw the fire fall from the

23. I understand that a cow and a silver trident were promised to Virava's temple, in case he would save the life of a man who died of the cholera on Saturday. Thus it appears that he clung to his idols, even to the last. This temple is in the same garden where he lived. Of late it has been deserted by several of the people in its vicinity.sky, that it was like lightning, and that It was brought into disrepute several years ago in consequence of Virava's inability to reveal a secret. The circumstances are as follows. A young man, who had heard much of Christianity and was speculatively convinced of its truth, expressed his belief that Virava could not tell what it was that he would hold concealed in his hand. One VOL. XXVIII.

there was one clap of thunder! If the more learned or sensible of the natives do not believe that the idol sent this judgment upon the missionary, yet they are willing to have others believe it, for the honor of

Since arrested for stealing at the time of the fire, and committed to prison.

27

their religion; and they therefore talk in the same way as the more ignorant; and a series of adverse events, which have occurred to Mr. Woodward since he gave some countenance to the pulling down and removing the temple of this idol, soon after he first went to Manepy, have afforded to those who wish to boast themselves in the god, some apparent reason for doing so. The ignorant heathen, whose religion consists principally in fear, look upon a god of so much power with awe, and cry out, "Great is Ganesa of the Hindoos." When we tell them you cannot, certainly, consider him to be a good god, if he destroys buildings erected for such charitable purposes as you acknowledge these to have been, or injures so good a man as Mr. Woodward, who not only instructs your children, but feeds the poor and gives medicine to the sick, they say, "No matter, he is a pelluttavan," [mighty one] "and therefore is to be worshipped." Even the members of the church are troubled with the boastings of the people, and find it difficult to bear them.

The congregation in the bungalow was nearly as large as it used to be in the church. Many seemed gratified with the view given of the universal providence of God, and some were surprised when it was intimated that we should again repair the church and other buildings which had been burned, which they thought would now certainly be deserted.

12. It being the annual procession of the idol mentioned above, on the principal car of the temple at Manepy, which closes the ceremonies of several preceding nights, and always takes place on the first day of the Tamul year, I went to distribute tracts to the people who were collected together. On my first appearance among them they seersed inclined to be riotous. Some of them

had been talking hard against the native assistants at the station, who were there distributing tracts to them, saying, "You need not come among us, our god has destroyed your church, and driven away your padre, so that he dare not come here, and why do you come?" When, however, they saw me, and learned that Mr. Woodward was not well, they became quiet, and received the tracts very cheerfully. Many said, it is very foolish to believe that our gods have become angry, and have burned the church.

Intercourse with Bishop Turner.

The visit of this prelate to the mission and his examination of the schools shortly before his death were noticed at p. 103. At that time the

missionaries had free intercourse with him respecting the method of conducting missions in India, and obtained a full expression of his views on many points of much importance. Mr. Winslow remarks

Bishop Turner has evidently the success of missions deeply at heart; and considering the short time he has been in India, his views of the venality and duplicity of the native character, of the danger of missionaries and others being imposed upon by the hypocrisy of false converts-of the comparatively little use of giving the natives mere worldly learning without Christian instruction-of the importance of having Christian teachers, if possible in all the native free schools-of the superior advantages of concentrated effort, on a small field, over desultory operations on a larger scale-and of the value of the English language, and the sciences, when taught in connection with Christianity, as a means of overturning the system of idolatry in these strong holds, seem remarkably clear and correct. On learning that, though many of our schools are still taught by heathen masters, for want of better to supply their places, they are required to leave off all heathenish ceremonies, to attend divine worship on the Sabbath, and to learn and recite stated scripture lessons weekly; and that they and the children are under constant Christian superintendence, he observed, that the system is very different from that pursued in most other places which he had visited, where the schools are taught by heathen masters; as, in general, he had found that they not only have no love for Christianity, but no knowledge of its truths. Such schools are ed with the subject, acknowledged to be indeed to all judicious Christians, acquaintlittle better than useless. "Men do not gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles;" and if the school system ever does much for India, it will be by means of Bible instructeachers. After all the talk there is about tion, and in the end mainly by Christian civilization paving the way for Christianity, it would be much more proper to reverse the order, and say that Christianity prepares the way for civilization. However many blessings civilization may bring of itself, and especially when connected with Christianity, it never makes men Christians, nor prepares them to worship acceptably the only true God. The civilized Hindoos are farther from the kingdom of heaven, than the untutored negroes of Afri

ca, the naked islanders of the South Seas, or the wandering savages of the western wilds of America. Of these, so degraded in the scale of civilization, hundreds and thousands have received the tidings of the gospel with great joy, but of those, hundreds, if not thousands, in a single city, after having been educated, to a considerable extent in the literature and science of the opposed to the gospel, and grovelling in all west, and risen high in civilization, are still the low idolatry of the east. The light of reason has dawned upon them, and they prefer it to the light of revelation; but it has not been clear enough for them to see that they ought not to worship the work of their own hands. And though some have cast

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