children. Grammar, four in Scripture-reading, three|| hammedans;-making together, 144 in Arithmetic, two in Writing, four in Geography, four in Drawing, three in Singing, two in the elements of Universal History, and two hours are employed in Composition. In the English, six hours are spent in reading in the Biblical Class-Book, and other works, which are explained and translated into Arabic; and four hours in English writing. Their daily devotions are conducted by Mr. Kruse, in the general form of Family worship: in which is read, in the morn ing, a chapter of the Old Testament; and in the evening, one of the New Testament; when explanations and exhortations are given. Mrs. Kruse's importance in such an establishment is obviously great; and the maternal care with which it has been conducted, renders her assistance a powerful help to Mr. Kruse, in advancing the religious, moral, and social progress of the boys; in superintending their domestic economy, and general comfort; in guarding them against evil, and correcting their dispositions; teaching them, with all affection and simplicity, to do to others as they would be done unto; and in strengthening in them those habits of cleanliness and brotherly kindness which are so ornamental to the Christian character. Day Schools for Boys and Girls. The present number of pupils is ninetysix; of which, seventy-five are of the Coptic, four of the Armenian, three of the Greek, and two of the Roman-Catholic Church; while twelve are Mohammedans. It The girls' day school has only existed since the close of the year 1835. soon became important, beyond expectation; its pupils steadily increasing every year. At the end of 1836 it numbered 85; in 1837 this number increased to 92; and at the close of 1838 it contained not fewer than 144. Of these girls, 98 belong to the Coptic, 29 to the Greek-Catholic, 4 to the Greek, 2 to the Maronite, 1 to the Roman Catholic, and 1 to the Protestant Church; besides which, there are 9 Mo The average attendance is sixty-five. The causes of so many being daily absent, are, the customs of the East; such as, the frequent use of the baths, to which their mothers generally take them; the long visits which they make and receive; the frequenting of gardens, for the sake of airing or pleasure. On all these occasions an Eastern mother would not feel herself happy if her children were not with her. These ancient habits can only be gradually removed or corrected, and must in the mean time be borne with patience. The great disadvantage in this school is, that the girls, according to Eastern usage, early enter into the marriage state, or are betrothed; both which events generally occur in the interval between their ninth and eleventh year; and as soon as a girl is thus engaged, she is strictly forbidden any longer to appear in public, and therefore not at the school, or, in short, in any society, except in that of her nearest relations. The most customary time, among the Oriental Christians, for matrimony, is, from the commencement of the new year to the beginning of Lent. In consequence of this custom, we lost, last January, no fewer than eleven of our most hopeful pupils ; who, we thank God, had made considerable progress in the reading of the New Testament. Probable advantages from the present state of Egypt. Egypt, ever since its present ruler, Mahomed Ali, took the reins of power, and especially during the last eighteen years, has year after year become more and more important, both in its political situation, and in its relation to other countries. She has extended her boundaries in almost every direction; her length at present stretching from 11° to 37° N., comprehending not less than 260 of latitude, or 1560 geographical miles; and her breadth, though it is comparatively inferior, being from the Oases of the Lybian Desert to the western bank of the Euphrates. Her sway commands the whole of Syria, from Adana to Eastern Cilicia, even to the very foot of Mount Taurus. The beautiful and fertile Island of Candia; the Hedjaz, with Medina and Mecca in Arabia; the Oases of the Lybian Desert; with the Natives and Tribes of Nubia, Dongola, Sennar, Kordofan, and lately Fazoglo, with the mountainous regions of the Gold Mines, are all subject to the Pasha. His possessions, therefore, are as extensive and important as were those of any of his most glorious predecessors; whether they were the Baharite Mamlook Sultans; the Caliphs; the Ptolomies; or any of the Rulers of the Pharaotic dynasties. Just as the Roman World was, at the time of the Apostles, evidently prepared for the spread of the Gospel, not only in respect to the minds of its nations, but also by the security it offered to the Apostles and Evangelists; so the same Almighty Hand appears to be now preparing Egypt, and its dependent nations, for Missionary efforts. The traveller can with safety now wander from the Cilician Taurus to the southern frontier of Fazoglo, and from the Oases of Lybia to the banks of the Euphrates. nation, in which the chief actors are their sacred men--the Brahmans-and unhappy young women, who, from their very infancy, are reared up to this most loathsome of all lives. The knowledge of these and the like facts has served to give me an idea of the abominations of this polluted city, such as I could scarcely have believed: so that, instead of the scenes seeming to affect me less, as they became more familiar, every day they seem to affect me with greater horror and deeper commiseration. It can be, therefore, only ignorance of the true condition of this sin-abounding land which would make any of our countrymen look on with indifference at the processions which daily pass, or regard, with any degree of complacency or composure, the sensual ringleaders of all these fiendish ceremonies. In the following passage Mr. Gray very graphically exhibits the— System of Idolatry wrought into the earli est habits of Children. The adaptation of the system of idolatry to the end kept in view is most striking. In the month of May, for instance, it is customary for the people to drag about the great car, decked with flags accompanied with musical instruments and attended by those who have arrived at maturity of life; and again, three months after, a procession exactly similar is formed for the younger branches of the family the car then is small, but resembling the larger one in every respect, and is drawn entirely by children; as Feelings in the midst of a city wholly though the Brahmans were determined, Indla. CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. given to Idolatry. that, from their earliest years, these children should be imbued with a sense of the religion of the land; knowing well, that if they make the system one of amusement to them in the days of their playfulness and mirth, they have secured their countenance and support when they shall have ripened in years. Now, when twelve months of my resi dence here have been completed, I am led to view the idolatry and superstition of this land in a yet more awful form than even at first. The system has been, and daily is, opening to me in its more detestable forms, while I behold the instances of self-torture which these wretch- The same policy and craft on the part ed men have invented, to pacify their idol of the priests appear in another feast I gods; such as swinging on hooks insert- have observed, in which the boys under ed into the fleshy parts of their back, or ten years of age are seen dragging along the thrusting of iron rods into the flesh a small car with their Pulliar-or, as they which covers the ribs; or while I learn term it in English, "Belly-god," on acconcerning the midnight scenes of abomni-count of the great protuberance of this part of his body-seated in it. This piti- || ther had been also a faqir, had establishful image of clay is, I believe, possessed ed himself for the performance of a long by every family, and kept for the sake fast of forty days, during and after the of the children. On two or three days Ramzan. He had wished, according to in the month of August the boys are the ordinary mode, to undergo this austo be seen drawing their deity in their terity within the mosque at Hugli; but little cars a few of which seem to be being of the Shiahs, or followers of Ali, kept as common property, for this pur- reckoned heretics by the orthodox Mopose to the sea-shore; and there they hammedans, the Sunnis or followers of deposit their god in the waters. As they Omar, he had not been permitted enpassed along, I observed the boys play- trance. He therefore, in order to withing and singing, occasionally also quarrel- draw himself from the eyes of men, ing, with all the buoyancy of youth; but which is deemed essential to the strictat no time manifesting any feeling of de- ness and merit of this rigorous service, votion-and how could they? for they had caused to be dug for him, a little off know it is only a mass of clay, formed by the high road, in a private garden bethe hands of man into a certain shape, longing to a devout darzi or tailor, a spot which soon the waters will totally disfi- of ground five yards long and three wide, gure; and then his place will be supplied to the depth of seven feet. Over this by another, the work of the potter. As bamboo rafters were laid, covered with soon as the deity is consigned to the deep, darmas, on which the earth was laid to one of the boys seats himself in the car; the height of a foot or more. Within, and the others draw him along, with much the space was partitioned by darmas into apparent pleasure, till they reach the three compartments, the most distant of house of a neighbor, whose Pulliar they a small width, for the purposes of nature; then put into the car; and in the same the central for prayer and perusal of the manner draw him also, till he, too, has Koran; the third for his slight refection been committed to the mercy of the surf, and the necessary ablutions. and so reduced to his former state. So proceeds the work throughout the day. Thus accommodating do we find Satan and his emissaries to men of different nations, ages, and estates. A Mohammedan Fakir's Austerities. What are the effects of that system of religion upon the heathen, which, next to Christianity, contains most of the knowledge of the true God? Does it impart peace of mind, hatred of sin, love of holiness, desire that God may be glorified,and man made happy here and blessed hereafter? Does it elevate the understand. ing, or purify the affections? Let the following account of the practice of one of its votaries, to atone for his sins, given by one who was an eye-witness of it, answer. It is from the Calcutta Christian Observer. [Bapt. Mag. About a quarter of a mile from Chinsurah, on the Hugli road, a Musalman faqir, named Maharam Shah, whose fa When I saw the place, the man had been ten or eleven days within it. For his admission a narrow space had been left uncovered, which after his entrance had been closed with earth, except a small opening about six inches over, for the supply of air and the introduction of his daily repast. Directly under this opening, was a stand for a small chirag, or wick lamp, to enable him to see and reach forward his hand for the supply, consisting of two small plantains and half a seer of milk, taken each evening after the going down of the sun, and which, we were assured by the darzi, was his whole nourishment during the entire period of the forty days. For the first three days, he told us, even this was not received. The faqir had taken a few cloves with him on his entrance, a single one of which daily, with as much water as would cover it in the hollow of his hand, was the whole amount of what he had swallowed, On the fourth day, however, he accepted the plantains and milk, and has continued to do so daily since. In receiving them he does not allow his face to be seen; although I watched close, at the introduction of the supply, to catch a glimpse of his person, I could perceive only his arm stretched from behind the first partition. He was covered with a woollen chaddar, or cloth. When we called out to ascertain if he were really there, he answered by a simple affirmative, beyond which we could not succeed in eliciting a syllable. The garden was situated between two tanks. || The grave of this living entombed, (for such too was its external appearance,) was dug to the level of the water, and below it, so that the water speedily found entrance, and stood an inch or two above the floor; over which, however, had providently been erected a stage of bambus and darmas, a few inches in height, and upon which this poor wretch sat to his devotions. In the inner or prayer compartment was a lamp constantly burning. In addressing him, the darzi and others called him Murshid, or spiritual teacher, and Khudawand, or lord, a term of the highest respect, and even veneration. It appears that by the injunction of his own initiator, or spiritual preceptor, at Dhaka, when yet a boy, he was engaged in the present austerity, now performed for the fourth time, of seven originally directed. The first entombment took place when he was but eleven years of age, and from which he barely escaped with life, having been obliged to be lifted out of the cave, and restored by gradual supplies of milk and snails. He was now thought to be about twenty-five or twenty-six years old. The expense of the excavation was borne by charitable contributions from the surrounding Musalmans, and the daily milk and plantains were supplied by the darzi on whose homestead the austerity was practised, and who thereby thinks to perform a charitable and meritorious act, entitling him to divine favor and human repute; as the faqir himself was conceived to be in process of acquiring high supernatual powers, as well as extraordinary merit with the Deity. Presbyterian Board of Foreign Fissions. COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE MISSIONS. India Missions. ALLAHABAD. REPORT FROM THE MISSIONARIES, DATED MAY 13, 1839. The following considerations are mentioned for selecting Allahabad as the principal stationof the second Mission of the Board in the Upper Provinces of India : First its importance as to its geographical advantages for carrying into effect the plans and wishes of the Board at home, and the dissemination of the gospel over India. The Society have laid their plans for occupying the Doab, [the country between the Ganges and Jumna rivers,] so effectually that, as soon as those plans can be carried into effect, there will be three Presbyteries to be organized into a Synod. With reference to this plan, Allahabad occupies a most commanding position. It is the key to the whole region of country contemplated in this plan. It stands at the head of steam navigation, and at the junction of the Jumna and Ganges. Upon the waters of either of these rivers our missionaries and their goods, and the property of the Society to be employed in our work, may be sent up the country in boats to a considerable distance. Should the press be stationed higher up the country, the greatest part of its productions must be sent down again; thus incurring a double expense. The [English] missionaries below us at Benares and Mirzapore, have expressed a desire to have their printing done by our press, and should it be stationed higher up the country, a great additional expense must be incurred without the slightest reason, or hope of reimbursement in any form. Second its political importance is greater than that of any other station in the Doab. It was chosen as the seat of government for the Agra Presidency when it was about to be established, and still continues to be the location of all the highest offices of Government for the North Western provinces. So commanding is this position regarded by political men, that Lord William Bentinck once fixed upon it as the seat of the supreme government for all India. All this gives the place a great importance in the view of the natives, and causes them to flock here to reside. The consequence is, that the population of Allahabad is greatly on the increase. It not only thus brings us into contact with more of the natives, but many who come here to transact legal and revenue business are thrown in our way, so that they may be brought under the influence of the gospel, and sent away with the seed not only sown in their hearts, but in their hands to scatter it around them, where the feet of the missionary have never trod, and his voice has never been heard. These facts show what men of the world think of this place as a centre from which their influence may be exerted on the surrounding country. Why then should the men of the world be wiser than the children of light? Why should not the servants of the living God occupy it as a central point, from which the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ may be most effectually radiated in all directions? Third: as to its religious importance, it is in the mind of the Hindu one of the most holy places in all India. Hundreds of thousands assemble annually, from all parts of the country, to bathe at the junction of the two sacred rivers which here unite their waters. They remain from four to six weeks, during the coldest season of the year. This affords a most delightful opportunity for preaching to them Jesus and the resurrection. It also furnishes us with thousands of tract distributors, and to some extent accomplishes the object of itineration, without any of its expenses or other disadvantages. By the hands of the returning pilgrims the word of life may be scattered far and wide over this region and shadow of death, and it may be hoped that many, who come here the dupes of superstition and idolatry, will return to dissipate the delusion which still binds their families and neighbors. It is most of all important that such a station should be well occupied. This, however, is but one of the many melas which are held here annually. There are many of less note held at various points of this station during the year. At all of these, where the people assemble for religious purposes, if the station is well occupied, they may be met by the ministers of the gospel, and furnished with the word which is able to make them wise unto salvation. As to the fixed population of this place, it is already more than ten times our number can supply with the preached word, so as to furnish them with even a partial knowledge of the plan of salvation, and it is continually on the increase. The missionaries, therefore, were of opinion that, although there might be some other places which furnished a larger population, this fact of itself could not afford any solid ground of argument, in opposition to all the facts already mentioned, against electing this as our principal station and the location of the press. And for the designation of four men to occupy it there is one additional argument. It is that we have here a regularly organized Presbyterian Church, which is important to the mission on account of its influence, both on the churches at home, and on the heathen around us. The principal objection to this city, which appears to have rested on the minds of the Executive Committee at home, is the supposed unhealthiness of the place. Now we have no reason to regard it as any more sc, than any other station within the sphere of our operations. In the view of all these considerations, |