claiming the truths of the glorious gospel in || the course of two hours every tract disposevery part of the assembly, we returned. ed of. The books might have been distriThe country is in many places pleasant, buted in less time, and probably double the number would have found the same recepand the ground more elevated than at Batavia. In the afternoon dined, and spent a tion. The seed is thus scattered, and though few hours in the company of the Resident others may enter into the labors of those of Pontiana. He thinks the island of Bor- now engaged, yet we believe that they neo eligible as a station for Christian mis- that sow, and they that reap, shall rejoice sions. His assistant at Sambas, who has together. had much opportunity of judging of the Among the objects of Chinese idolatry, dispositions of the Diaks, was so strongly was a strange figure, which we saw nopersuaded of their readiness to be relieved where but in the schools. It was said to from the yoke of their Mohammedan rulers, represent an astonishing genius, who apthat, being a Catholic, he wrote to the Pro-peared in China, and by the might of his paganda at Rome, in 1824, on the subject. Nothing has been attempted, at least no missionaries have been sent. The number of Diaks is probably 200,000; and 300,000 Chinamen inhabit the same section of country, besides a considerable population of Mohammedans. The most authentic account of the Diaks, I have had extracted from the journal of a recent traveller, and I believe the only one who has lived to give an account of this strange people.

21. In our round to-day we met a Chinaman from the province of Teochu, who related some of the cruelties practised upon the female infants of the common people in his native place. The custom of infanticide, he assured us, was almost universal among this class of the community. If the father supposes that the marriage portion which he is likely to receive for his female child will exceed the necessary expense of her subsistence, she is allowed to live; but if he apprehends straitened circumstances in the interval, or a failure at the time, there is no salvation. The disproportion of the sexes is so great, that, in a village of 3,000 men, not more than 300 or 400 can procure wives. If you remonstrate with them on the barbarity of the custom, they reply with the most unnatural apathy, that rice is dear, and no benefit will accrue to them from raising their children. As soon as they are married, they become the property of another, and as they are not allowed to marry relatives, or even those of the same family name, they join another clan, and support them in their rivalry. Surely the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

22. Arose early and rode about eighteen or twenty miles to a village called Tanggrang, inhabited principally by natives and Chinamen. The Amboynese convert, to whom reference has been made, started yesterday afternoon with 200 Malay tracts, and as many Chinese. On our arrival we found him surrounded by natives, and engaged in his master's work. The scene was one of lively interest. The concourse was large, and nothing prevented the teacher from the utmost liberty of action. Wherever he took his station, crowds resorted and listened with attention. That the truth might be more widely proclaimed, every part of the bazar was visited, and in

intellect, soon obtained the highest literary honor in the empire. Such a mark of respect they imagine will secure a corresponding favor in return, and result in the mental illumination of the scholars. There was much of that melancholy interest on the road, which is felt, when passing through the deserted ruin of a once populous city. Extensive avenues of trees, courts overgrown with shrubbery, and gate posts still standing, mark the situations, where, in days of eastern prosperity, large mansions appeared. Scarcely a house of any magnificence is left.

25. Spent an hour this morning in conversation with a number of Cochin Chinese, engaged on a trading expedition to Java. It was conducted partly in French, a smattering of which they had acquired from the Catholic priests, partly in Malay, probably picked up at this island, and partly by means of the Chinese written characters. They professed the Catholic religion, and betrayed a degree of bigotry and caution, which had no doubt been inspired by their calculating leaders. To employ their own expression, there were thousands upon thousands of Catholics in the country, and priests from France, Portugal, Bengal, and America. They also referred to converts belonging to different orders of monks. It was very evident from their questions and remarks that they had been apprized of the missionary exertions of Protestants, and prepared for a probable encounter. A tract was adduced, containing nothing obnoxious to papists, or rather nothing intentionally so; but their imagination soon furnished it with the most pernicious doctrines. Not a page was read before they were acquainted with its contents. Their principal objections to the religion of the Dutch and English were, the want of celibacy in the priests, and auricular confession in the people. They spoke of the instructions they had derived from catechisms, such as the frequent worship of "la tres Sainte vierge;" but when asked if they had ever read the Bible, they replied in Chinese, "It is forbidden," in French "contraband." One of them inquired of Mr. Medhurst, how many disciples he had. The indirect reply was, that he deemed something beyond the mere profession to be indispensable to true religion, and consequently never included

in such an estimate, those who were not sincere. "Ah!" said the shrewd inquirer, "the fault is in your doctrines. If they were true, there would be no want of genuine disciples." He was asked what he considered truth. "Oh," said he ironically, "Your books are full of it." But, we replied, you know nothing of our books, and how are you qualified to condemn them. "I have no time," said he, "to prattle any longer with you;" and only remained to hear that the truth was sufficiently important to demand his time, and that a good man would make it a matter of most diligent inquiry.

This then is the effect of Romanism, falsely called Christianity; this the barrier it erects against the pure doctrines of the cross. If the word of these men can be relied on, how widely prevalent must be its errors, and how anti-christian its influences in Cochin-China.*

moon.

29. Having made arrangements to take a tour of sixteen or eighteen miles in the country, we arose this morning and commenced our journey by the light of the On account of the frequent rains and the bad state of those roads which are not repaired at the expense of the government, we were obliged to exchange our mode of conveyance, after the first four miles, and proceed the rest of the way on horseback. Such was the depth and tenacity of the mud in many places, that our ponies were almost fixed; and the bridges, covered with a wicker-work of bamboo, were so smooth and wet, that once my horse slipped, and was down in an instant. By the kind interposition of the Lord, I

stood at his side, before he touched the ground, and thus escaped having my limbs crushed by the fall.

There was nothing remarkable in the face of the country. The land was generally level, the smaller elevations being selected as the site of their villages, and the low ground covered with rice. We passed near the residence of one of the former rajahs of the island. The only insignia of royalty are three or four beautiful trees always planted before the houses of native princes, A young man of the family, attended with one servant, came out as we were opposite the establishment, and rode some distance in company with us. His principal garment was of colored calico, and though he rode on a saddle, he filled the stirrups with his bare feet. He conversed sensibly, on the subject of religion, and though a professed Mohammedan, did not attempt to reconcile the absurdities of some of the prophet's no tions. He received a Christian publication without hesitancy.

About nine o'clock we reached a small settlement of Portuguese, whose ancestors by the might and power of the sword.

*Since writing the above, ten Catholic missionaries, including four natives and six Europeans, have arrived at Batavia on their way to CochinChina, according to their statement.

were obliged to renounce the Catholic faith, and embrace Protestantism. Having left word that we would return in time for Mr. Medhurst to preach, we continued our journey about three miles farther, to the market place. This part of the country was adorned with the most extensive groves of cocoanut trees I ever beheld. The oil of this nut is in great demand among the natives both for cooking and anointing their bodies.

By the time we reached our destination, the sun was very oppressive. The sheds under which the natives were assembled afforded some relief to its withering rays, and enabled the laborers to pursue their work. Mr. M. and the Amboynese, spent two or three hours in conversing, and distributing tracts. The crowd was not as great as in other places we had visited, and the scene not as lively. All the books, however, were distributed with but little difficulty. Among the crowd we observed two young men, in dress and appearance above the ordinary class, whose conduct betrayed an opposition to our object. Having watched their suspicious movements, and found they were not satisfied with the tract they had procured, but were impudent in helping themselves to others, Mr. M. took from them what they had, and refused them a single one. This determined measure had the effect, for they soon disappeared.*

We returned to the Portuguese settlement about mid-day, and after refreshing ourselves with an hour's sleep and a frugal repast, we were invited to the house of God by the familiar tones of the church going bell. Its sound echoed strangely amidst these wastes and wilds of heathenism. About thirty persons convened in an old building, erected in 1674, after the ancient

mission

style of Dutch architecture. Mr. Medhurst
addressed this small audience upon some of
those impressive truths of Christianity
which it was too evident the most of them
knew only in profession. To me the scene
and its associations were peculiarly solemn.
Before the door, lay the bones of
ary, whose labor had closed, and whose
spirit had passed into its eternal state.
Those who had been accustomed to wor-
shipping God in this place had gradually
dropped into the grave, until the seats were
almost vacant. It was strange to find a
church in such a sequestered and benighted
place, and much more strange that, for more
than a century and a half, its light should
have shined so dimly, and the darkness
around it remained so gross.

*We have since been warned against purchasing provisions from the natives, as has been our cus tom, should we repeat our visit; but we regard it as a vain threat. It is impossible for them to determine where we may prefer eating, and the expense of destroying the whole quantity of provisions in every part of the market place, beside the selfdenial required in those who depend upon these very tables for sustenance, renders it utterly impracticable.

I was grieved to learn that the missionary || site of buildings and graves. When the considered himself as under no obligation dead are displeased with the situation of to preach to the natives, and that their feet their sepulchres, it is supposed that some were not allowed to tread the threshold temporal calamity, generally a defeat in of this sacred place. No wonder its own money projects, is the certain evidence, and children had dwindled to a handful, and the punishment. A small temple is erected on candlestick been well nigh removed out of the ground, most frequently dedicated to its place. He that watereth shall himself "the god of happiness," and believed to conbe watered. ciliate the spirit of the place.

In one of the idol temples belonging to the Budh sect was a number of old stone images, representing Budh, Vishnu, Scheva, Ganesa, Doorga, and other figures of Hindoo origin. These had been thrown aside upon the introduction of Mohammedanism, and afterwards procured by the Chinese. Before the temple were stages erected, and children acting in the most unmeaning style for the amusement of the populace. Mr. Medhurst was interrupted in pub

a deranged Chinamen, who has either conceived a strange disposition to imitate the missionary, or been incited by wicked men or devils to oppose him. He appeared with a book in his hand, and after the manner of Mr. M. pretended to quote a text and explain it to the people. He generally conceives a most absurd sentiment, which he gravely repeats in the reading dialect, as though borrowed from some sacred book, and then descants on its meaning in the colloquial dialect. His conversation to-day was so obscene that we thought it prudent to leave him. Many sentiments were ut

April 5. To-day is the commencement of the tsing-ming season with the Chinese, when they repair to the graves of their deceased relatives and sacrifice to their manes. Desiring to improve the opportunity of usefulness, we visited the largest cemetery in the neighborhood of Batavia, and spent part of the morning in conversation and distributing tracts. Many thousands were present and the whole scene presented a confused mass of heterogeneous characters and things. None of that solemnity or sad-lishing "the glad tidings of great joy" by ness of association, which are generally connected with the place of the dead, and which might be thought to result from communion with invisible spirits, could be discovered. The graves were, with perhaps a few exceptions, adorned with colored papers. One of the tombs containing the dust of a mortal of earthly distinction, was covered with mats, and converted into a scene of pompous ceremony, and shameful carousal. This tomb was more magnificent than any thing of the kind I saw in China. It occupied enough ground to bury a hundred men in ordinary graves, was composed of a high and spacious mound with a plat-tered and books distributed before we reform of cement in front, surrounded with a wall, and decorated with pilasters of the same material. Two hideous stone figures, more like lions than any other creature of earthly shape, were seated on pedestals to guard the entrance. On the platform, covering an area of probably fifty feet by twenty, was spread a table with a great variety of viands, fruits, preserves, &c. denominated sacrifice to the dead, but designed to gorge the living. Before the table two men were kneeling, one with his head in contact with the ground, the other holding a small tablet in his hand, from which he read for the information of the departed spirit the devotion of the relatives and their desire to be reciprocally honored. The tablet was repeated in a corruption of the Mandarin dialect, which is generally considered the most dignified expression of the Chinese character. When this was performed the men arose; the assembly began to talk and laugh; the music struck up; and the dead appeared to be forgotten. We did not remain to witness the revel which ensues, and which adds so much zest to the observance of this ceremony. The tombs of the wealthy generally face a pond of water, and extend to its edge.

The Chinese have a strange superstition about what they term Fung-shuy, an expression meaning "wind and water,” and applied to the science of determining the

turned. The Lord in mercy shed down his enlightening Spirit, that the living may be instructed to pay due regard to themselves, and not waste their time on those who heed not their folly.

[To be continued.]

Sandwich Islands.

EXTRACTS FROM A GENERAL LETTER OF

THE MISSIONARIES, DATED JUNE 28TH, 1831.

By the arrival at New Bedford of the ship Columbus, Capt. Osborn, letters have been receiv

ed from the missionaries at the Sandwich Islands of as late a date as September 14th, bringing down the history of the mission more than eleven months later than the last published

accounts.

It is also learned by this arrival, that the Rev. Messrs. Baldwin, Tinker, and Dibble, and Mr. Johnstone, with their wives, who embarked at New Bedford, on the 28th of December, 1830, in the ship New England, Capt. Parker, reached the Islands on the 7th of June following, after a very comfortable passage of 161 days; during which they experienced kind treatment from Capt. Parker and the officers of the ship.

At the general meeting of the missionaries which occurred soon after the arrival of the New

Preaching and Admissions to the Churches.

England, the location of the several members of || couch, and walk about, and spend an hour the reinforcement was agreed upon. Mr. John- or two each day in the office. stone is to reside at Honolulu to aid in the secular labors of that station. Mr. Baldwin is to reside at Waimea, the new station for invalids, on the island of Hawaii, with reference to the medical wants of that station. Mr. Dibble is to reside at Hilo, to which station Mr. Green is also to remove, while Mr. Goodrich is to take charge of the press at Honolulu, during the ill health of Mr. Shepard. Mr. Tinker is to remain for the present at Honolulu, with reference to his proceeding to the Washington Islands, should Providence open the way for the establishment of a mission there.

You will rejoice that at all the permanent stations preaching has been maintained, and listened to as usual, and that for a considerable part of the year 1830, it was maintained at Wailuku on Maui, and at Waimea on Hawaii, where there appears the same encouragement to preach the word, to be instant in season and out of season, as in every other place where the doctrines of the cross have been faithfully exhibited in the isles of the Pacific. While your missionaries have been holding forth the words of truth, we trust the Spirit of God has in

not a few cases made it the means of sanc

All the churches have received considerable additions during the period in question, amounting to 236. Good attention has been given by the people to inquiry and prayer meetings and other means of improvement.

The general state of the mission, as well as its progress in the several departments of preach-tifying the sinner and edifying his people. ing, education, printing, and the preparation of books, will be exhibited in the extracts which are subjoined. The general letter from which they are taken was written immediately after the annual meeting of the missionaries for consultation and the transaction of business; which was held at Honolulu, beginning on the 15th and ending on the 28th of June.

Health of the Mission Families.

Having been brought by a merciful hand to another general annual meeting of our mission, we are in a special manner called upon to unite our thanksgivings to the great Lord of the plenteous harvest for the gracious smiles and undeserved favors he has been pleased to bestow upon us since our last general letter, of January 1830, was addressed to you.

Admitted since last

Total Candi-
dates. Suspended.

Churches. yearly meeting. ad.
Tauai,
Honolulu,

24

39

70

136

26

Lahaina,

1

The attention to schools at all the stations has been sustained; at Oahu and Tauai it has increased, and the progress in many of them has been desirable, though for the want of competent teachers, by no means so great as might otherwise be expected.

Tauai,
Honolulu,
Lahaina,

Kailua,

Schools. Learners. Able to read. 9,000

200

3,500

It is with gratitude we desire to say, that you may join your thank-offering with ours, that, though every department of labor in our mission has been prosecuted with as much vigor as at any former period, yet the general health of the missionaries has been, with one or two exceptions, wonderfully sustained. The strength of some has been increased, and the constitution of Lut one appears to have been materially impaired. For a little season the mind of Mrs. Goodrich was slightly affected by disease, but by a visit from her station to Lahaina she derived much benefit, and is now mercifully restored. Mr. Shepard has, with little interruption, continued his labors through the year, and though we hope he is not laid aside from usefulness, yet his health has so far declined, as to have induced his brethren to release him entirely from the responsibil-ifications of teachers and for introducing a more ity of taking charge of the printing-office, extended system of study into the schools will be and to encourage him to seek rest and refreshment at some of the other stations. Yet his attachment to his work and the importance of his services seem to render it difficult for him entirely to remit attention Previous to our last general meeting our to it, until his place can be well supplied; printed works for the benefit of the schools at least so long as he is able to leave his land readers amounted to about 700 pages of

pected to increase much. More than one fourth of all the people are now enrolled in the schools. The measures contemplated for raising the qual

noticed hereafter.

Printing and Preparation of Books.

books of the Old Testament and the remainder of the Psalms are in the course of translation, and may be expected soon to be published. A large portion of these are already in extensive circulation among the people.

The following plan for translating and preparing books, during the current year, was adopted by the missionaries at the general meeting, and the various parts of it assigned to the several members of the mission to be executed.

matter and 10.000,000 pages of printing. I book of Joshua, with twenty-three Psalms, have Since that period we have added more than been translated and printed entire, or that copious 400 pages of matter, and printed 7,398,000 tracts have been composed from them, presenting pages; making an aggregate of 1,100 pages a full view of the history and the instructions of matter and 17,398,000 printed at the Islands. During the period under review, they contain; and that all the other historical the New Testament from 1 Corinthians to the end of Revelation has been translated, and the printing of it carried on in successive portions from Romans to 1 Thessalonians; and it is in progress still. The history of Joseph, or the last thirteen chapters of Genesis, have been re-translated and printed. The first eleven and last four chapters of Joshua have also been translated and printed. A tract from Numbers and Deuteronomy has been translated. Some advance has been made in a tract on arithmetic. A tract on geography has been written; a work on Scripture listory of 192 pages 18mo. has been finished and printed. For this we shall need an ample set of cuts for a second edition. The geography, arithmetic, and the remainder of the New Testament, and the whole book of Psalms we hope to see through the press during the present year. For the geography we hope you will send us cuts, also, as soon as they can be procured.

Adding to this 387,000 copies and 10,287,800 pages previously printed at the Islands, and the 3,345,000 of pages printed in this country, consisting of a large edition of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John, and two or three tracts; the whole number of pages printed for the people of the Sandwich Islands is raised to 21,031,380 pages. Reckoning all the works printed in a continuous series, the number of pages in the series would be about 1,280.

From the statements made here, viewed in connection with those made at p. 316 of vol. xxiv. and at p. 115 of the last volume, and with the arrangements for translation contained in the summary given below, it will be seen that nearly the whole New Testament has already been translated and printed in the Hawaiian language; that the five books of Moses, and the

VOL. XXVIII.

1. That the assignments of the last year, remaining unfinished, and now in the hands of the translators, be continued as before.

2. That Messrs. Richards and Andrews be requested to translate the books of Judges and Ruth, and the last 70 Psalms, beginning at the 81st.

3. That the book of 1 Samuel be assigned to Mr. Thurston for translation.

4. That the book of 2 Samuel be assigned to Mr. Bishop for translation.

5. That the Psalms from the 23d to the

81st, and the first book of Kings, be assigned to Messrs. Bingham and Clark for translation.

6. That Mr. Bingham be requested to prepare a grammar of the Hawaiian language.

7. That a committee of three be appointed to devise a plan for making a Hawaiian vocabulary, and assigning the different parts of its execution to different individuals, and then of revising the work for the press.

8. That Mr. Richards be requested to collect and prepare for the press a volume of practical and doctrinal sermons in the Hawaiian language.

9. That Messrs. Whitney and Gulick be requested to prepare a tract on civil history, and Mr. Green a tract on ecclesiastical history.

10. That the above works be revised in the same manner as were the translations of the last year.

11. A work on book-keeping to Mr. Chamberlain.

12. A Sunday school tract to Mr. Rug

gles.

13. A tract on marriage to Mr. Clark. 14. The committee would further recommend, that the four gospels already published be revised preparatory to the entire republication of the New Testament, in the following manner; viz. That the gospel of Matthew be assigned to Mr. Bishop; that the gospel of Mark be assigned to Mr. Richards; that the gospel of Luke be assigned to Mr. Bingham, and the gospel of John be assigned to Mr. Thurs

10