of a thorough acquaintance, in the first place, with the native tongue. The Epidemic having scattered his Scholars and withheld his Interpreter from attending him, he applied himself wholly to the language, the want of which he could not but deeply deplore. His sentiments on this subject deserve the attention of all, Missionaries in entering on their Stations:

I was at first too eager to be doing something in my work; and was unwilling, till taught by necessity, to wait till I should acquire the language. I am now convinced, that the best manner in which the Missionary can employ his time for the first twelve or eighteen months, is to devote it altogether to this object. I would earnestly recommend that this be strongly urged on every Missionary, who may in future go forth from the Society.

After meeting his Brethren, in the early part of last year, at Colombo, he returned home about the middle of April. The Epidemic had greatly abated; and he re-opened his School with success, but delayed entering on other employ till he should have mastered the language.

Of the state of the Mission in September last, Mr. Knight writes to Mr. Thompson at Madras

I find my Station well situated for establishing Schools. I have, as yet, only two; but I hope I shall be able to establish six or eight to good advantage, within the distance of two miles from my house. This I am now thinking of, and propose to visit them regularly, and speak to the Children, and as many the Parents or Neighbours as I can get to attend, on the concerns of their Souls.

of

I am acquainted with the National System; but have not been able, as yet, to adopt it. I find that it requires so much time to organize Malabar Schools on this System, and so much attention to keep the Teachers (whose habits render them unfit for so active an employ) at all alive to their duty, that I have been quite discouraged. As I have no active Catechist or Visitor, to whom I could entrust such a work, the superintendence of all the Schools which I establish must devolve wholly on myself; and this must necessarily require the time, which should be devoted to works of still greater importance.

Some Tamul Common-Prayer Books had been sent

to Mr. Knight by the Madras Corresponding Committee; and he was expecting some Tamul School Books from that quarter. There is a considerable difference, however, between the Tamul of the Coast and that of the Island.

Missionaries of other Societies are labouring in the District of Jaffna. With them Mr. Knight lives on terms of sincere friendship.

The American Missionaries in the neighbourhood have adopted the plan, acted on formerly by the Society in its Susoo and Bullom Missions, of both educating and maintaining Native Children. On this subject Mr. Knight writes

Children are taken altogether from their Parents, and trained up in the principles of Christianity. Engagements are regularly entered into with the Parents, for an unlimited time, to keep them and employ them in Schools, &c.; or in case of bad conduct, they may be discharged at pleasure. While Boys are with their Parents, though they come to our Schools, they are frequently near half their time absent attending their Temples and Ceremonies. What effect, then, can our instructions have on their minds? But if they are given up to the Missionary, the Parents have no more clain on them. The numerous evils attending the prejudice of Caste and the practice of Idolatry, which can scarcely be conceived by any one who has not witnessed them, are by this means broken through.

Subsistence is here very cheap: less than twelve Spanish Dollars will support a Child very well, I am told, for a year. I hope, therefore, that I may be allowed to receive, if only a very limited number, since the means are easy and the advantages

abundant.

In the Susoo and Bullom Missions, the maintenance of Children was not only very expensive, but was attended with great inconvenience in occupying the time of the Missionary in secular concerns, and exposing him to bickerings and ill-will in his constant barterings with the Natives. But as the state of things in the East is wholly different, the Committee have authorised Mr. Knight to make the trial with a limited number of Children, which may be enlarged if that shall be found expedient.

Of Mr. Ward's removal to Jaffna the Committee have already spoken. On surveying the state of the people, he writes, in a truly Christian Spirit

The population of Nellore is, I believe, 5000 or €000 souls. These people need all our strength and labour. They want line upon line, and precept upon precept. They require almost every term which you employ, to be explained and opened to them, before they can understand it. I expect to spend my life, in speaking and preaching to one, two, five, or ten, when and wherever I can meet them; so difficult is it to assemble them in any considerable numbers. And, after all, if, by the Divine blessing, I should succeed in one or two real and lasting conversions, I shall lay myself down in peace: I shall never regret, and I never have regretted, leaving my country, to preach the Gospel among the Heathen.

AUSTRALASIA MISSION.

From Ceylon the Committee will pass to the second Insular Mission of the Society, that in New Zealand.

In reference to this Mission the Committee are happy to remark, that the representations which they receive from the Settlers, and from the Rev. Samuel Marsden, the unwearied and undaunted friend of Missions in the South Seas-all tend to encourage the Society in its efforts to bring the noble race of New Zealanders to the enjoyment of social happiness and of the knowledge of the True God. The character of the New Zealanders who have resided in this country, for a season, under the Society's care, entirely confirms these views. Mowhee, now at rest in heaven, Tooi and Teeterree, who have returned to their country, and the docile and affectionate Mayree who last left us-all give most encouraging indications that, in God's gracious time, the same Divine influence which has brought whole Islands in those Seas to acknowledge the empire of our Lord, will bring the tens of thousands of New Zealand also under His benignant sway.

The arrival of the Rev. John Butler and his associates at Port Jackson has been before stated. They were all cordially welcomed by Mr. Marsden; who was about to sail with them, at the date of the last advices, to their destination in New Zealand.

Mr. Marsden and his companions would be received with joy by the Settlers at Ranghee-Hoo. He has continually kept his eye on its improvement, and that of the Natives.

The Committee feel under renewed obligation to Mr. Marsden, for accompanying Mr. Butler and his associates to New Zealand, in order to make such arrangements on the spot as might be found most conducive to the success of the Mission.

Seminary, at Parramatta, for New Zealanders.

The plans for the instruction of New Zealanders, under the direction of Mr. Marsden, have been enlarged. Mr. Marsden writes, in the early part of last year

After having Natives living with me for more than four years, I cannot entertain a doubt of the success that will attend the establishment of a Seminary here for them. I am now erecting a commodious building, on an estate which I purchased on the banks of the river, opposite to the town of Parramatta. The situation is very pleasant, and convenient in every respect. The estate contains upward of 100 acres of land; and every operation of Agriculture, Gardening, Nursery, &c. may be carried on, together with the exercise of the simple Arts.

When the buildings are completed, there will be accommodation for any Missionary who may visit Port Jackson, while he remains in the Colony.

Here the Natives can be taught, and constantly employed. The produce of their labour will contribute something toward their support. They shall learn to plough, and sow, and reap, with the management of horses and cattle, and whatever else may be deemed advantageous to them. It will be my object, when a Chief's Son has learned to plough, and has become acquainted with a team of bullocks, to let him take them home with him.

Twenty-four Young New-Zealanders have been under Mr. Marsden's care, for different periods of time, from August 1817 to March 1819. He bears the following honourable testimony to them:

They have all conducted themselves with the greatest propriety. There is not an individual in the Colony, who can make, with justice, the smallest complaint against them. Some of them made considerable progress in English, and improved themselves greatly in the knowledge of Agriculture, of which they are very fond. These men will be ready, in their own country, to forward the views of the Society, in promoting its eivilization.

They visit our Orchards and Vineyards, and aré much astonished to see the fruits, and anxious to promote the cultivation of them in their own country.

Various things here, which they had never before seen, furnish us with much conversation about the Maker of all. They see such a difference between our civilized and their savage state, that they cannot be persuaded that the same God made both them and us. When I tell them that there is but one God, they advance many arguments to prove my assertion incredible*.

The Committee and the Society's friends have not been inattentive to the Natives of New South Wales: but very sufficient reasons render it inexpedient, for the present, to receive any of them into the Seminary with the New Zealanders.

The two Young New Zealand Chiefs, mentioned in the last Report as having sailed for this country on board the Claudine, died on the passage. It was first reported that their death was from Fever, caught while the ship lay at Batavia; but Captain Welsh, on his arrival, stated that one of them had died of the SmallPox. Towrow, the elder, was taken ill, at Samarang, of the Batavia Fever, in October; from which attack, however, he seemed in a good degree recovered, though it left him in great weakness: he landed at the Cape, and was for six or eight days in the Hospital, and was thought to be doing well: he wished to return on

Some further particulars respecting the Seminary and the Young Men have been printed, since the Anniversary, in the Missionary Register for July, pp. 304 & 305