taunts and reproaches of their neighbours, they would hardly dare to do at their own homes.

- Christian, having business at the Collector's Court, went there, and found that about 50 Heathens were harass ing Swargdham (who also previously went on business), disputing with him. Christian stood quietly, and listened for some time; not discovered by his Christian Brother. On hearing the name of "Esa Messeeh," Christian instantly returned, "Yes! and, without that Name, not one of you can be saved from wrath." In a moment, every eye was fixed on him, and the Sheriff of the Court asked him whether he also was a Christian: on assenting, he was seated by the chief man, and had to encounter the whole body himself. On replying to all their questions, one and another, in astonishment, began to bite their fingers. The Sheriff now began to abuse the partizans of the contending systems; and said that they were miserly, mean, and faithless-without the true Religion-could not be depended on-and many other things, which none could dare to gainsay; while he extolled those who had boldly renounced error and falsehood, and before the world had embraced the Truth. These testimonies from the enemy, with their inability to refute the Christian Doctrine, tend very much to confirm the faith of the young Converts; in shewing them the immoveable basis upon which Christianity stands; so that, instead of shrinking from their enemies, they are emboldened to go forward.

Baptism of Three more Natives. Archdeacon Corrie arrived at Chunar on the 29th of November, and has given a very satisfactory account of his visit to that place and to Benares and Goruckhpore.

On Sunday the 14th of December, three more Native Men were baptized by Mr. Bowley, when the Archdeacon was present. It appears, from the Registers, that, since May 1820, Mr. Bow. ley had baptized 105 Natives, of whom 51 were Adults.

COTTAYAM.

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

Report of the London Missionary Society's Deputation on the Syrians & the Mission. THE visit of the Deputation to the

Syrian Mission was noticed at p. 99. The Rev. John Doran thus speaks of the Deputation

Never can we forget the candour and affection of their observations, in ranging through the Departments of our Mission; and the wisdom of their suggestions, borne out by an extent of experience which does not usually fall to the lot of one man.

As our Readers will be glad to see an account of the state and prospects of this Mission by such intelligent and faithful witnesses, we subjoin the report of their visit.

When at Quilon, we were not more than 24 hours from Cottayam, and the Syrian Churches, which have excited so lively an interest among Christians in England; and, being aware that the Church Missionaries there were desirous of seeing us, and that our having seen those Christians would be gratifying to you all, we resolved to pay them a short visit. Dr. Macauley lent us his boat: we proceeded up the Backwater, a series of lakes running parallel with the seashore northward and 75 miles from Quilon, and arrived next day. Our friends received us with all the cordiality and joy of Brethren and Sisters, and shewed us no small kindness. We saw all that was possible for the short time of our visit, both of the state of these Churches and of this Mission among them; and shall give you a general idea, in as few words as we can.

The whole Syrian Population in Travancore amounts to 13,000 families; perhaps about 70,000 individuals. They have 55 Churches still in their hands: the Papists have appropriated several of these to themselves: these Churches, in general, resemble the Parish Churches of our own country, though of course they are of various sizes, and differ much as to the style of architecture: some of them are respectable buildings, and of a considerable extent: they have neither pews nor benches inside: at the east end there is a kind of altar, with steps, on which a cross is placed, and tapers lighted in time of worship. Their Mode of Worship strongly resembles that of the Armenian Churches; and strikingly approaches, in different ceremonies, those of the Church of Rome: though they have crosses in their Churches, there is no crucifix nor carved image: the Ser

vice is read in the Syriac Language, of which the people know nothing, and but few of the Catanars are acquainted with it: the Catanars are the Priests: here is no preaching; and nothing in the whole Service for their edification, but a short extract from one of the Gospels which is read in Malayalim, which is the language of these Syrian Christians: of course, they are in a state of the most wretched ignorance. In fact, these Churches are but so many limbs of Popery, from which, as to doctrinal sentiment, they do not essentially differ.

The Church Missionaries have for their object the introduction of the pure Gospel among these benighted Christians. The Rev. Mr. Bailey is engaged in translating and printing the Scriptures in Malayalim, and has made considerable progress. The Rev. Mr. Do ran is at the head of the College, in which are 51 Students and stout Boys: 28 of these are intended to be Catanars: on examining all the pupils in Mathematics, Latin, Greek, English, &c. we found them in a very reputable state of proficiency: the College Building is large and commodious, and there is in it a valuable Library. The Rev. Mr. Baker is at the head of the School System: here is a sort of Grammar School, in which are 60 Boys: from these are selected Students for the College: we found them, also, in an excellent state: besides this, there are 55 other Schools, containing about 1000 children of the Syrian Christians, in different parts of the country. Both the College and the Schools are conducted on principles which are decidedly Evangelical, to which the Metropolitan does not object. He was from home, but we saw his Substitute and Representative. Of all the Catanars, there is but one, a Young Man, who appears to be truly pious. Mr. Bailey has been permitted occasionally to preach in the Churches; and a good understanding appears to exist between the Missionaries, and the Metropolitan and Catanars.

Of these Missionaries, with Mrs. Bai. ley and Mrs. Baker, we cannot speak too highly they are truly pious, and breathe an excellent spirit; and appear to be greatly devoted to their difficult work. Mrs. Baker has one School of fine Syrian Girls under her care. A Church is about to be built here, in which the Gospel will be preached, and all the Students will attend there. The Mis sionaries have Service in their own July, 1829.

houses on Lord's Days, after the manner of the Church of England. We were greatly interested in this Mission, which we trust will be instrumental of great good; though we fear that its operations will be slow, and the hopes of good are distant. Persons more suited to the undertaking could scarcely have been found by the Church Missionary Society. The houses of the Missionaries are excellent, their situations beautiful, and the neighbouring locality exceedingly rich and fine,

From the Eighth Report of the Madras Auxiliary, just received, we shall here extract the Com

mittee's general views of the state of the Mission, reserving various particulars for the next Survey.

Opening Prospects of Good among the Syrians.

Ignorant and dark as this Church confessedly is, the dawn of a brighter day is evidently arising upon it. The light of that pure and blessed Gospel, which is able, and is designed, to turn men from darkness to light and from the power and service of Satan to God, is now spreading its enlightening rays around them: and those rising desires, which, it will be seen, are now prevailing among them to a considerable extent, will, we hope, by the spreading of the Sacred Word, become daily more intense; until, under the teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit, they are turned from their vain services, and taught to worship the Living God, in spirit and in truth. The following pleasing extract from Mr. Bailey's report must be read with lively interest :

It will, I am persuaded, afford the Committee pleasure to hear of the great desire generally manifested by the Syrians to possess the Scriptures. The demands upon me for stitched together so quickly as they are recopies are so great, that I cannot get them quired. The Metropolitan (Mar Dionysius) called on me, last evening, to take leave, previous to his setting out on a visit to a few Churches in the south, and requested a large supply of copies to distribute during his absence. I gave him as many as I could spare, but by no means so great a number as he re quested.

The free circulation of the Sacred Scriptures among them may, under the Divine Blessing, be productive of incalculable benefit; and tend to remove from their minds any prejudice or superstition that remains: it may also raise their Church from its present degraded condition. I trust that the time is fast approaching, when the Lord will make bare His holy 2 U

arm, and favour this Church with the outpouring of His Holy Spirit. We may not be permitted to see this blessed period; but for its speedy accomplishment we labour and pray. May our labours and prayers prove acceptable to the Great Head of the Church, and be succeeded by His special blessing!

There are Four Readers employed in this Mission, whose chief business it is to

read the Word of Life in the places to which they are sent. The usual weapons of Popery have assailed these men and their labours; and the unhappy Romish People have counted themselves unwor thy of the heavenly boon: but many of the Syrians, and even of the Heathen, shew a better mind; as will be seen by the following extract from the Report above alluded to:

The Readers, whom we have sent out to different parts of the country, have been kindly received in some places: in others, they have had to encounter much opposition; especially from the Roman Catholics, who have received strict orders from their superiors, not to read, or hear read, any book which goes from us, on pain of excommunication. Many of the Heathen, particularly the Soodras, evince a great desire to hear the Scriptures: some of them have received copies of the Gospels, and appear to read them with attention.

It should be remarked, that the relation in which the Missionaries of this place stand to the Syrian People is by no means that of Pastor and Congregation; but, as individuals sent to bring, by Divine Assistance, those who have the charge of these Congregations, from the darkness of a false and superstitious worship, and from a blind service, into the marvellous light of the glorious Gospel. Such being the case, they are able to speak more with reference to the general effects of their Mission on that Church, than respecting its particular influence on individuals. Mr. Baker's own remarks on this subject are deserving of

observation :

The business of the Society's Missionaries here is not to pull down the Ancient Syrian Church, and to build another upon some plan of their own with the materials: our object is, to remove the rubbish, and to repair the decayed places, of the existing Church. This being the case, the Missionaries must ever have in view the general good of the whole, rather than the welfare of individuals. We do not stand in the relation of Pastors to the several flocks for whose good we are labouring, as other Missionaries do: we are but advisers and helpers, and instructors of such as are willing to hear. The Children in the Schools are those of another Communion: our Readers (Catechists we have none) are the same; and so are many of the Schoolmasters: the rest are Heathens. Under such

circumstances, we think our Christian Friends will agree with us, that we have gained much, when, by the grace of God, we have brought some to see and lament their ignorance, and the departure of themselves and their people from the spiritual worship of God; and to pray, in the sincerity of their hearts, for further light and knowledge.

It will, doubtless, be gratifying to the Society's real friends, to find, from the Reports, proofs that the people of Hindoostan are not yet delivered up to a judicial blindness and hardness of heart; and that there is good reason to hope that the Society's labours are not in vain, even among people so far gone from the simplicity of the Gospel, and so deeply sunk in ignorance and superstition, as the Society's Missionaries in this part of India are the Syrian Christians. Other Stations of afford undoubted instances of a work of Divine Grace in the hearts of the people: and here too, though it is necessary to speak with caution, we must say, in order to declare the truth, that there are evident signs of a gracious work going on. Since the Bread of Life has begun to be broken to the peopleby distributing the Scriptures, by employing Readers, and by Preaching-the attention of the people has been roused; and they are inquiring diligently after the most important things that can occupy the attention of man, and listen with great attention to the preaching of the Word.

Malayalim Congregation.

The time and attention of the Missio naries have been so engrossed with preparatory measures, almost exclusively for the benefit of the Syrian Church, that, until within the last two years, they have not established any regular system of public preaching, in a place set apart for the Service of the Church of England. Since the end of the year 1827, however, they have had stated and regular worship in the large room, used for the Grammar School. They have strongly urged the necessity of building a Church; but the present depressed state of the Society's funds, and other circumstances, have, for the present, prevented the Committee from acceding to a request, which has ever appeared to them so reasonable and proper. following judicious remarks of the Rev. Henry Baker on this subject, extracted from recent communications, will no doubt be read with interest:

The

The Malayalim Congregation now fills our large School-room; and, if a regular Church were built, there is no doubt but double our present number would attend in a very short time. We have never yet been out to invite the people to attend, and yet our room is full.

The School-room will contain about 250 persons, children and adults, conveniently. At present, the Congregation consists of ABOUT 50 Deacons and Scholars from the

College, 40 Boys belonging to the Grammar School, 30 School Girls, about 10 Young Men and Boys belonging to the Printing Office, and from 60 to 70 other persons of both sexes; amounting together from 190 to 200. We endeavour to adapt our Discourses as much as possible to the capacities of our hearers, and have the happiness of seeing them very attentive during the Sermon. The good effects of our preaching are not yet apparent, except it be in a graduallyincreasing knowledge on divine subjects, and a respectful demeanour in the House of God, which they are little accustomed to in their own Churches. Several Catanars have at

tended occasionally; and would do so oftener, if their own duties would allow them.

A Church is very much needed here, not only on account of the additional accommodation which it would afford, but on account of prejudices that exist here against a place not regularly set apart for Divine Worship. It is much needed, also, for the reception of such Heathens and others as may desire to join the Church of England in particular; but, more especially, in my opinion, as a place in which the Syrians might witness for themselves, the beautiful simplicity of our Protestant Form of Worship, and compare it with their own.

Remarks on the Readers employed in the

Mission.

The following remarks, made in Mr. Baker's recent reports, will enable the friends of the Society to form a better judgment respecting the Readers and their employment.

Of Converts and Communicants it is not our province to speak: whenever we see any of whom we have reason to hope well, we endeavour to impart to them further knowledge, and to lay hold of them and employ them in our work. This we have done, and will continue to do; and it is from this class

of persons that we have selected our present

READERS.

Two of the Four Readers lately appointed are attached to this department of the Mission. There are also four candidates for the office of Reader and Schoolmaster, who have an allowance from the Parochial SchoolFund; and who go out sometimes with the Readers, and at others remain at home re

ceiving instruction. It is proposed to station them at Villages remote from the Churches, to act as Schoolmasters in the week, and as Readers or Catechists on the Sabbath. The Readers have been everywhere well received, except among the Roman Catholicsthose enemies to the truth; and they have made some progress even among them. Their conduct has been very good. They are SYRIANS, who, though they still continue connected with their own Church, see and lament the many errors which are common among their own people, and speak freely against them; and, in this, are not unfrequently joined by others of their brethren, who have obtained a little light on the subject. They have also been very patiently

heard both by Brahmins and Nairs, and have, distributed many copies of different portions of the Scriptures among them.

What I have said of the READERS, both in my Report and above, is, I think, what I may safely say; and as much as I can say, at present. I may add, that they are out, three weeks in the month, reading the Scriptures; and one at home, reading with me: but I would rather defer saying more of them, until they have had a few months' further trial.

Indian Archipelago,

NETHERLANDS MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

THE Rev. Joseph Kam, of the Netherlands Society, transmits, from Amboyna, to the British and Foreign Bible Society, the following Remarkable Instance of apparent Preparas

tion for receiving the Scriptures.

be

An Arab Merchant came to my house, for the purpose of selling some goods, and of exchanging his copper money into silver. "Friend," said I, "it is out of my power to assist you in this way, cause I do not possess a sufficient sum of money: nevertheless, I have got some. thing, which is of far greater value even than silver, provided you are able to read." This, he assured me, he could do. I then opened the first part of the Old Testa ment, and began to read slowly and distinctly to him; but the style appeared too lofty for him to understand, until I explained it in the way of familiar conversation. After conversing with him some time on the excellence of the Sacred Scriptures, I pointed out to him the first promise of God, concerning the Seed of the Woman (Gen. chap. iii. 15.) This seemed very mysterious to him, until I explained it. He then exclaimed, “I

never saw such books before: our own teachers do not possess them: they are very ignorant: they do not even understand the Korân, when they read it." He afterward turned to the Book of

Psalms; and, on reading the First Psalm,

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, &c. he cried out, "Oh what beautiful books are these! How happy am I that I have met with such a book! I came to you in the hope of obtaining silver; but, surely, this is a treasure of far more value !" "It is, indeed, my friend," replied I; "and this book is at your service, if you are willing to make good use of it: and if you pray to God to enlighten your mind, He will enable you to understand its contents. In giving it to you, I have given you the key of all spiritual knowledge. Through

out the whole of it, from Moses down to the end of all the Prophets, ample testimony is borne to our Prophet, who was greater than all others-Jesus Christ; whom, in your language, you call Noby Xisai; but with whom you are yet unacquainted. After dying like all the other Prophets, He alone rose from the dead; whereas Mahomet, in whom you trust, never ascended from the grave, and there. fore you cannot expect any assistance from him: from the Prophet, however, whom we worship, we expect salvation; because all power is given to Him in heaven and earth, according to the good pleasure of God."

Surely this man was not far from the kingdom of God; for he felt the power of Divine Truth on his heart: he remained more than two hours in our house, and could not be satisfied without our explaining to him whatever he did not understand: my wife, also, was much pleased with his company; and availed herself of the opportunity for pointing out to him some of the most striking passages in the Prophets, respecting our Lord Jesus Christ. When it grew late, and he was on the point of leaving us, he inquired if he might be permitted to take the books with him: I told him that he was welcome so to do; adding, that the books were not our own, but that our friends, in a far-distant country, who loved God, had provided us with them

for distribution. At this he was exceedingly pleased; and, ordering his servants to leave every thing else behind except the books, was going away. My wife, however, begged him to let his merchan. dize also be conveyed away; adding, that she did not wish to incur any responsibility on account on it. "No," said he, in reply, "I am not at all anxious on that score; for where such excellent laws of God are observed in a house, the inmates will never steal: to-morrow I will send for my goods:" and, so saying, he left us full of joy.

Two days before he left Amboyna, he once more called at our house, wishing to read again in the Bible: on which occasion we directed his attention to many striking passages in the New Testament, which we compared with the testimonies contained in the Prophets of the Old Testament, respecting our Lord; whereby his faith and confidence in the Holy Scriptures were greatly increased. On the subject of Sacrifices, which the Mahomedans place much dependence

upon, we pointed out to him how Christ our Saviour, by one sacrifice, has perfected all those who are sanctified: this we confirmed by various passages out of the New Testament; as, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!-As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, &c.—and, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. It was evident that these testimonies came power. fully home to his heart: and, indeed, I have often witnessed how far superior the testimonies of the Bible are, and how much better they are calculated to convince any one of the authority of the Sacred Scriptures themselves, both of the Old and New Testament, than all the arguments which our natural but imperfect reason can suggest.

North-American States.

State of Ohio.

FROM communications, chiefly of February and March last, addressed by Bishop Chase to his friends in England, we shall extract the most recent intelligence relative to the

Progress of Kenyon College.

Some of the circumstances here recorded may have been mentioned by us before; but we think it desirable to place the statements before our Readers in the glowing description of the excellent Prelate himself.

With the money contributed by our friends in England, we purchased 8000 acres of our best lands, in the middle of our Diocese. This tract consists of two square sections, each of 4000 acres.

In the south section is our Seminary founded, precisely in the centre, on a lofty hill or promontory overlooking the country all round. The river comes in from the west, and first runs to the south and south-east, then north and northeast, and then south-east again till it leaves the College Grounds; having run, in all its wanderings, under our own eye or on our own grounds, nearly the distance of five miles. From the walls of our lofty College, I view the meanderings of this most beautiful river, as it washes the banks of our fine and expansive meadows; and, while I do so, never cease to wonder that so much and such valuable property was obtained with so comparatively incompetent means. The