and we are told that the Bishop has a Manuscript Translation of the Four Gospels; but, after forty years' residence here, he has not made it public.

We have the assistance of two very competent men in the Siamese. One, a Chinese, but resident here most of his life, has not only a good knowledge of the Siamese, but speaks almost all the native various dialects of China, and is well acquainted with the languages of Cochin-China, Laos, and slightly with

the Cambodian; and thereby renders us

valuable aid, in various ways: he has

been with four Embassies to Pekin, in the character of Interpreter for the Siamese and Cochin-Chinese. The other is a Burman, who has resided in Siam from his boyhood, and therefore speaks the language like a native.

P.S. Sunday Evening, Nov. 10.- Birth-Day of Luther. Just before closing the Letter, I may tell you we have now only a few crumbs of the Bread of Life remaining. All the Scriptures are gone. Yesterday and today, several persons have been expressly inquiring for the "Sung Chait," Holy Book; and returned empty, with great regret. To-night a man put into our hands a short Note, which bears so much the stamp of truth and of a simple and genuine effusion of a warm heart, that I cannot avoid sending you the original, with a translation: he seemed, like his Letter, "a man of few words;" but his heart was evidently full, and wanted words to express his gratitude to us. We have received many Letters before, making grateful acknowledgments for the books, commending their doctrines, and professing a ready willingness to become the disciples of Christ; but none equal to this. The man seems to esteem the Gospel a treasure indeed-the pearl of great price; and, having found it, rejoices over it, more than they that have found great spoils. The Letter is as follows

Felicity! felicity! Formerly we heard of the God of Heaven, but knew not His Revelation; but now, seeing the Holy Book, (our) joy (is) not surpassed. Happiness extreme! happiness extreme! we wholly trust in the God of Heaven's merits. (We) disciples all believe in the doctrines of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Book; but desire the God of Heaven early (to) send down illumination, then simple men's happiness. Ah! cannot describe it, but thrice praise !

"Holy life unbounded."

"Simple HING LE TWAN

bows his head and worships."

Burmah.

AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSION.

Burman Superstitions.

MRS. Boardman writes

Tavoy contains about 6000 Burman Inhabitants; and, among them, are 200 Priests of Gaudama-men who possess an ascendancy over the minds of the people, which no person in an enlightened Christian Country could possibly gain-men, to whom the Rulers and Go

vernors of Burmah, as well as its Sove

reign, pay religious homage-men, who have no interference with worldly affairs, but whose whole time, talents, learning, and influence are employed in teaching a system that deludes immortals to remediless ruin! Mr. Boardman has conversed with several of these Priests, so that they know our design in coming to this country; and we have good reason to think that they have taken measures to prevent the people from listening to our religion.

Among the different states of punishment described in their sacred books, that for heretics is represented as the most dreadful. Nor is Priestcraft the only barrier that is raised against us. The common ignorant people are under the influence of Superstition, which we find very formidable. They worship Invisible Beings, whom they call "Nats;" and who are said to have the power of inflicting great evils, and even death, upon mankind. Houses are built for the accommodation and entertainment of these Genii, in different parts of the town one is only a few steps from our house. A few days since it was thronged with Females, bringing offerings in consequence of a threat made by the old woman who has the power of appeasing the Nats. She gave out, that unless bountiful offerings of fruits, rice, money, &c. were speedily made, a mortal sick. ness would prevail among the people, and those who refused to give would not survive! This had the effect desired. Hundreds were seen with baskets on

their heads, containing offerings! Among them we had the grief and disappoint ment of seeing several Women, who had visited us and heard a little of a Blessed Saviour. I could have wept bitterly as I saw one poor Woman carrying her offering. She had been at our house a number of times, and her conversation had induced us to hope that she was seeking the truth: but she too was among them; and we are since informed that she has now become a daily "feeder of the Nats."

India within the Ganges.

BURDWAN.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

To the Extracts from Mr. Deerr's Communications, given at pp. 191— 195, we add a few more particulars

relative to the Natives.

The Natives' low Opinion of one another's Veracity.

On one occasion, Mr. Deerr says— Much conversation passed between me and the people on the subject of the Christian Religion. Having received. information that some Natives had expressed a wish to be baptized, the people, present discredited the report. The fact is, that no Bengalee believes another Bengalee in a single word! They assert to me again and again, that there is not one of them, unless God shall change their hearts, who will tell the truth. One said: "If such a one speaks the truth when he says that he will be baptized, I will allow my ears to be cut off:" and another, "And I, my nose." One added: "If such and such a one would leave off lying, and become a true Christian, we should think it a miracle as great as those recorded in the Gospel: should such a one give up his caste and be baptized, I have no doubt but I may also then become a Christian:" another said, And I too:" and a third, "No

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doubt we all shall." Thus incredible does the real conversion of any one of them seem to the Natives; and, humanly speaking, I am inclined to think with them but God is mighty above all; and I have no doubt but He will be pleased to strengthen our feeble faith.

Hardening Influence of Caste. Mr. Deerr gives an affecting instance of the power of Caste to extinguish the most tender feelings.

In the beginning of July, the Sister of one of our people died, four days after having given birth to a Son. The child's Father and other relatives immediately remarked that it would not live. My wife immediately asked them to commit the child to her; promising to procure a nurse for it, and to bring it up; but they refused. Soon after the child sickened, most likely from starvation, for it drank milk with great eagerness when they gave it some at our request. The offer to take the child was again made; June, 1829.

but again refused, because they would have lost caste if they had complied. They alleged, that a devil had got into the child, and consulted with one another how to dispose of it in the night. It was now evening, and the father of the child had left home in the morning, with the remark that he wished not to

find the child on his return. Some of the relatives proposed to lay the child on the bank of the tank in the night, because the house would become defiled if one possessed of a devil had remained in it; but they well knew that the jackals would carry off the child: and so it was; for early the next morning, on one of us going to see what had become of it, it was no more to be found, I would not have reported this barbarous deed, had not we ourselves heard their own words. The relatives are of the Khodal Caste, only next above the Ha rees; and yet they would sooner see their offspring perish, than lose caste by giving the child to our care!

GORUCKHPORE.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Account of the Hindoo Temple at Goruckhnath.

(With an Engraving.)

By the kindness of a friend, lately returned from Goruckhpore, we have been enabled to give, from a Drawing made by her on the spot, an Engraving of a celebrated Hindoo Temple at Goruckhnath, about two miles from Goruckhpore. This Temple is situated in the midst of

a beautiful and extensive forest of mango-trees; and is a place of much celebrity among the Hindoos, who resort to it, not only from the surrounding districts, but even from the remote provinces of India. The tree on the left is the celebrated Banian Tree, with its fibres shooting toward the ground. We have been furnished with the following account of the Temple :

A Chief Priest, called a Mohunt, and a number of Devotees, are connected with this Temple; and are maintained. by a large revenue derived from lands and other sources. The Devotees wander over the country, dressed in garments of a salmon colour; for the double purpose of extending the tenets peculiar to 20

this sect of Hindoos, and of collecting the contributions of the people in sup. port of the Temple and its Worship.

The peculiar feature of this Superstition is, that there is no visible representation of the supposed Deity: his influence, it is imagined, presides; while his seat, which has no idol figure on it, is an object of idolatrous reverence.

Once a-week, on a fixed day, the Chief Priest holds a kind of religious levee in the verandah of the Temple. On these occasions, several handsome carpets are spread near the central door, on which is placed a large cylindrical pillow. Upon this the Mohunt reclines, clothed in a variegated silk dress. A large concourse of disciples attend; each of whom, in regular order, ascends the steps of the verandah, and advances toward the entrance: having deposited his offering on the shrine, he retires-rings a bell hung up for the purpose immediately above the door-makes his salaam, or obeisance, to the Chief Priest-and then mingles with the crowd assembled in the quadrangle in front. Rajahs, and other persons of rank or influence, usually occupy a post of honour near the Mohunt, after they have done homage at the shrine; while ordinary worshippers retire, satisfied with a slight inclination of the hand, or a condescending recognition from the Priest.

Interesting Conversation with a Native at

Goruckhnath.

wound round, and a jet-black beard and mustachios graced his face. On his left, a handsome looking Young Man was sitting, dressed in a flowing robe of pucecoloured silk; by whom I was desired not to enter the Temple without taking off my shoes. Declining to pay this honour, I withdrew a little backward; when the person first mentioned (who proved to be the owner of the place, and a descendant of the family by whom it was originally built) looked toward me, and, remaining in his reclining posture, asked, in a very contemptuous manner, whence I came. That I should be so regarded, you will think no wonder, when I tell you, that, at the same moment, he was receiving from the people divine, honours! On my replying respectfully, his face was swollen with rage, and his eyes seemed ready to strike fire, when he told me, with a most in"You dignant air of wounded pride, have usurped our dominions-robbed us of the power and privilege of governing ourselves-and degraded us as a people!" A most pompous eulogium on their forefathers, as to their antiquity and superiority over every other race, followed this charge of usurpation. On being reminded of the circumstances under which our Government came to possess so large a portion of territory, he was somewhat surprised and confused, and could not help betraying his own ignorance of the whole matter. He was now told, however, that this was not my concern, and that I served a Master

whose kingdom was not of this world.

tures and Religious Tracts in considerable numbers, and sometimes holding conversation of peculiar interest with the people. Of one of these visits he thus writes

A most interesting conversation now took place, on the subject of his own religion and that of Christianity.

He was first asked respecting the sa

and as to the benefit derived by those who visited it. To this he replied"According to the faith and merit of each person, so will be his reward."

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"When will this reward be obtained, and what will be its nature?" "The body is the cause of all suffering and of every kind of evil; and emancipation from the body is the reward ultimately expected by the devotee of our holy religion."-" Does this emancipation take place immediately at death to every one who observes the directions of your holy men and holy books ?" "No one observes them perfectly; and, therefore, it is necessary to complete emancipation, that each individual should pass through