ported as it had hitherto been, at a very heavy expense, while the prospect of usefulness was so very small. They have also recalled their missionary in the Crimea. In the last Report it was stated, that he had baptized four Tartars; but all of these have conducted themselves in a manner unworthy of the Christian name. The opposition of the people to the doctrines of Christianity is stated to be considerably augmented. With respect to the circulation of the Scriptures, the missionary writes; "For more than a twelvemonth past, I have not given away a single copy of the New Testament, or of any religious publication whatever, in my immediate neighbourhood. This has not arisen from any reluctance on my part to grant, but from the aversion of the people to receive the gift."

The station at Karass the Directors have at present resolved to continue; for there, if in any part of Russia, the missionaries will have liberty to carry on their labours, as Karass is the parent settlement to which missionary and other privileges were originally granted. Here, for upwards of twenty years, more of the seed of Divine Truth has been sown than at any of the other stations, and a more general impression has been made on the Tartars. Here most of the persons ransomed by the Society reside, to some of whom it is hoped the past labours of the missionaries have not been altogether in vain; and for whose spiritual instruction it is desirable to make some provision. Here too a number of Germans settled a number of years ago on the faith of the colonial privileges; and had the Directors resolved to relinquish Karass immediately, they might have been involved in great and unforeseen difficulties. From this quarter too, should unexpected facilities arise to missionary exertions among the Mohammedan tribes in the south of Russia, the heralds of mercy may at a future period go forth among them, to proclaim the joyful sound of peace on earth, and good will towards

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men.

Though the Directors are abridging in so considerable a degree their operations in the Russian empire, yet, on taking a retrospect of their past labours, they trust that they have not been altogether in vain. Individuals among the Mohammedans, and even among our own countrymen, there is ground to hope, have reason to bless God for the instructions of the missionaries; and many copies of the New Testament, and of other parts of the Holy Scriptures, have not only been circulated at the differ

ent stations, but have been carried to distant parts of the Russian empire; and even, it is believed, to some of the surrounding countries. We unfeignedly sympathize with the friends of this institution, on the occurrence of these serious disappointments; but we trust they will not be al lowed to abate the Christian ardour of this or any other Missionary Society. Let them only plan their missions with prudence, and conduct them with faith and patience, and the meekness of wisdom; and, notwithstanding perhaps many partial disappointments, "they shall reap in due time, if they faint not.'

CHINESE COLLEGE AND MIS

SION AT MALACCA.

Dr. Milne's" Commentary in Chinese on St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians;" and also his "Essay on the Soul of Man," have been published. A tract, forming a small Chinese volume, intended as a

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Help to a Heathen Reader of the Scriptures," together with a Christian Tract for the use of Schools," consisting chiefly of selections from Holy Scripture, have been composed by the Rev. D. Collie, and are highly spoken of by Dr. Morrison. Thousands of Bibles, Prayer-books, Homilies, and Christian Tracts have already issued from this press. The blocks for the Commentary were cut at the expense of the London Missionary Society; those for two of the tracts, at the expense of the Religious Tract Society; a "Friend of Youth" has paid the cost of the schoolbook;

the Prayer-book and Homily Society has defrayed the expense of Prayerbooks and Homilies. Mr. Collie has made a free translation into Chinese of Dr. Bogue's "Essay on the Divine Authority of the New Testament;" and a "Friend to the Heathen" has promised to defray the expense of cutting a set of blocks for it, after it shall have been submitted to the inspection of Dr. Morrison, on his return to China, for which country he and his family are about to embark. The accumulation of blocks, and the great expense of constantly engraving new characters, render very desirable a set of punches for Chinese characters, that they may be founded, and as easily multiplied as alphabetical letters are. Dr. Morrison in particular has been very urgent in pressing this important suggestion on the friends of Oriental literature and Christian missions.

In the College there are 26 native Chinese students; 16 of whom are on the foundation, and eight more are candidates

sequent liberality of Parliament, and of his Majesty's Government, encouraged your Committee to resume its operations upon its former scale, yet the effects of the check which had been thus given, have continued to discourage the establishment of new schools. Notwith

standing these impediments, however, your Committee have to announce, that, in the course of the year, 261 new schools, calculated to contain 18,539 scholars, have been added to your list; and that the total number of schools which were assisted from your funds, during the year, either with grants of money, or of school requisites, including the 261 new schools, was 1,044-and the sum paid on account of such grants, was 11,6857.

"At the commencement of the year, 1490 schools were in connexion with you; 261 new schools having been added, and 156 having chosen to remain exclusively attached to other institutions with which they had been connected. The balance of these additions and subtractions from your numbers, gives 1,595 schools which still remain on your list.

"The number of schoolmasters who have been received into your trainingschool, during the past year was 200, and your Committee found 69 in training when they entered into office, making a total of 269. The total number of masters admitted since the opening of the training-schools, amounts to 1040. A training-school for schoolmistresses had been opened, making a total of 1171 teachers, male and female.

"In the cheap-book department, your Committee have to state, that the progress has been satisfactory; you have now on your list, 55 varieties of five-sheet books, and 9 varieties of two-sheet books; re-prints of 6 have been made during the year. The total number of cheap books sold during the year, was 132,477; making a total, from the opening of the depository, in November, 1817, of 1,089,933. Besides these sales, and the distributions throughout your schools, 127 grants have been made of cheap books, to form lending libraries for schools not conducted on your principles, and for institutions for the benefit of the poor. These grants for libraries are made freely, without any condition, save that the books shall be preserved and applied faithfully for the purposes for which they were given. The number of volumes granted for this purpose, was 11,295."

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. The Appendix to the Society's last Report contains a communication from the Society's Missionaries at Tanjore, to the Madras District Committee, relative to the Society's India Mission, since transferred to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. The following is the substance of this communication.

"The congregations have each year received a considerable addition. The number of Heathen and Roman Catholics added to the congregations during these four years is small indeed; but, considering the difficulties and disadvantages under which the Christians of that part of the country in particular labour, it is an increase deserving notice. of the disadvantages alluded to will be mentioned below.

Some

"To the schools, also, one at Tarasaram has been added last year; and the number of children has increased from 200 to 266. We found those congregations, where schools were established, usually in a much better state than those where there were none; so that it would seem very desirable to have a school establishment in each of them. To the catechists it is impossible to attend the children, they being obliged to go often fifteen miles in order to see the Christians of their district. Should the inhabitants, however, Christian as well as heathen, see their children freely instructed and improving in useful knowledge, it would undoubtedly contribute greatly to endear to them our holy religion, and prepare their minds for the faithful labours of the catechist."

From the reports of the acting native priest, who every month visits part of the congregations and schools committed to his particular care, and from their personal observation, the Missionaries lay before the Committee various remarks on the state of each congregation and school. The following are a few of these notices.

"Vatistergoody, near Tranquebar, with ten other villages at the distance of three to fifteen miles from the central place, is subject to the French jurisdiction of Carical. Out of eighty Christians only twenty-two live in Vatistergoody; the catechist is therefore obliged to visit the rest once in two or three months. If he is not absent, they in the central place are instructed at night after they return from their work-for even on Sundays they find it difficult to get leave for a few hours from their heathen masters. As there is

to

no schoolmaster, the children are extremely ignorant; and till they are better taken care of, we can never expect Christians worthy their profession. We admonish the parents to bring or send their children, if possible, on Sundays church, where the catechist might instruct them a few hours; they were willing, but said it was not always in their power. Could a schoolmaster be placed there, at least twenty children might be collected from the neighbourhood.

"Kumaramangalam, with ten villages, distant from one to six miles from the central place. This congregation is by far in a better state. Divine worship is well attended, though under the same difficulties as in the former place: fifty persons usually assemble; the rest are visited by the catechist in their houses. The Christians are under great oppression, and often forced to attend on heathen feasts to draw the Swamy coach. Complaints are frequently brought to us; but all that we could do hitherto for their comfort, was to admonish them to be patient.

"The school is well attended, except in the time of cultivation. From the progress of the children the schoolmaster appears diligent. A number of Christian families, living at Neduwasel, applied several times for a schoolmaster and could their request be complied with, at least twenty children might be collected.

Serfojeerasah pooram, with six villages from one to five miles distant from the central place. Here, too, the Christians suffer from their heathen masters, and are often prevailed upon to practise heathenish customs. They are, however, upon the whole, regular in their attendance on Divine worship,

"The school, though but lately established, is in a prosperous state. Some, especially heathen, boys have made a rapid progress. Here, as well as in several other places, some children of the high caste attend, notwithstanding the schoolmaster being of the low caste.

"Elendengoody, a free school.-It has since its establishment been well attended But, no Christians living in the neighbourhood, the scholars, besides a few Roman Catholics, are chiefly heathen children. "Teralundoor, with eleven villages distant from one to twelve miles from the central place. The school is well attended. Some heathen boys of the high caste frequent it: they read some of our Christian books, but refuse to learn any thing out of them by heart. Not to frighten them from the school, we leave them in this point at their own choice, well satisfied that they do not object to be taught by a schoolmaster of the low caste.

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"Tarasaram, with nine villages, distant from one to seven miles from the central place.-Finding a considerable number of Christian children who grew CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 292.

up in entire ignorance, we placed a schoolmaster here in June last; and we were glad to state that, besides the ten Christian children, ten heathen children are at present attending school, and, as far as their circumstances allow it, diligent.

“Kawastalam, with nine villages distant from one to seven miles from the central place.-Although the catechist is attentive to his duty, yet there have been several instances of very gross offence in this congregation. The circumstance that it is chiefly the female sex against whom we are to complain, shews that they must have been entirely neglected in their earlier age. A school here would prove a great blessing; twenty children at least, including thirteen Christian children, might be collected.

"We beg leave now to recommend this part of our mission to your Committee's kind attention and patronage. Something might be done perhaps for the relief of these poor Christians. The late Collector of Tanjore, Charles Harris, Esq., issued, when requested, an order that the Christians should be allowed to attend on Sundays on Divine worship, if very urgent labour in the fields did not prevent them, and that they should not be forced to attend on heathenish feasts, or to pull the Swamy coach. A renewal of this order would be highly beneficial. Many heathen, who, by the ill treatment and oppression Christians usually met with, were hitherto frightened from embracing Christianity, would be encou raged."

SPANISH-AMERICAN STATES. In the annual survey of missionary stations in the Missionary Register is contained an account of the progress of religion, education, and religious liberty, in the new independent States of America, formerly under the Spanish monarchy, from which we select the following notices. These States contain, according to Humboldt, nearly 16,000,000 inhabitants. Of Portuguese America, containing 4,000,000, we can collect little satisfactory information relative to its intellectual and religious improvement.

The progress of Religious Liberty may be retarded by the intercourse which the Pope has lately opened with these States; but the consolidation of their civil freedom will ultimately secure, it may be hoped, an unimpeded access to the understandings and consciences of the people. Buenos Ayres has herein taken the lead: the free exercise of their religion has been granted to British and American Protestants; and a Law has been enacted, declaring that "the right which man has to worship God according to his conscience, is inviolable in this province." The Rev. T. Parvin, from the United States, and the Rev. J. Armstrong, from our own country, both conduct public 2 K

worship. Colombia has, in part, already followed this example; having granted, in a treaty with the United States, entire security of conscience to the citizens of those States.-Mr. Parvin, who with Mr. Brigham was sent in 1823 by the American Board of Missions, opened a school at Buenos Ayres in March 1824; which gradually increased to 60 day scholars and 10 evening, all above ten years of age and many of them arrived at manhood, with 6 children from ten to eighteen years old in his family. A desire of learning English was the means of introducing the New Testament among these scholars, who are nearly all of Spanish descent, and many of them connected with the first families. A Sunday school has been opened for the children of Protestants. Mr. Brigham had left Buenos Ayres for Chili, on a journey of investigation. Mr. Parvin visited Boston last year, to procure more aid.

The provision made by the States for the support of education is steadily inereasing. In Mexico, Iturbide opened a school of mutual instruction in 1822; and had planned the establishment of the system in all the provinces. The present Government having a similar measure in contemplation, the Committee of the British and Foreign School Society had offered education and support for two young men, either Spaniards or Aborigines, by whose means the system may be effectively introduced and established. In Colombia, model schools have been formed in the capital and some other cities, in furtherance of a decree of the Government for the establishment of the system of mutual instruction in all the provinces: the benefits of education are to be extended to females. In Peru, the labours of Mr. Thomson were partially interrupted by the war: about 200 children, however, remained in the model school at Lima; and another school in the same city had eighty scholars. Bolivar, as Dictator of Peru, has lately issued a decree providing for the establishment, in the capital of each department, of a Normal school; to which each province of the department is to send at least six children, in order that they may ultimately extend the system to every part of the Republic. The schools established by Mr. Thomson at Santiago in Chili had, in January last year, become extinct. At Buenos Ayres, an act was passed for appropriating 12,000 dollars per annum for educating young men in foreign countries, for the ultimate benefit of their own.

In reference to the Scriptures as peculiarly important to these rising States, the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry remarked, at the last anniversary of the British and Foreign Bible Society; "Our society stands ready with all its means to supply them amply, and to diffuse in those countries the inestimable benefits of the word of God. The mound is broken through,

and the waters of life will shortly pour their fertilizing tide over the boundless plain. Dwell upon the suitableness and seasonableness of such efforts at this moment: contemplate the effects which will be produced by the Gospel; its influence upon the laws and lives of the people, making the rulers a terror, not to the good, but only to the evil; making the ruled obedient for the Lord's sake, and introducing into the cottages of the poor and the palaces of the rich a principle of social virtue; causing the wall of separation to be broken down among the people of far different conditions, and leading them, though still varying in wealth and rank, to meet by faith and affection as one flock and one fold-that of our Lord Jesus Christ.”Grants of money and books, to the amount of nearly 35007., were made for this object, in the Society's twenty-first year; and, in the prospect of an increasing circulation, 15,000 copies of the Spanish Scriptures were put to press. The Rev. John Armstrong was sent by the Society for the furtherance of its object among these States: he is now settled at Buenos Ayres as minister to the English residents; but will still promote the designs of the Society. A Bible Society had been established in Colombia. Mr. Thomson, in a journey from Lima to Bogota, found, in every place, zealous co-operators in governors of towns, ecclesiastics, and others: at Guayaquil, he sold 705 copies of the New Testament in three days. In Buenos Ayres, great anxiety for the Scriptures prevails; and they are finding their way there into families of the first respectability.-Mr. Parvin thinks that, amidst a population of 80,000 in the city of Buenos Ayres, there are not more than 500 Bibles and from 1500 to 2000 Testaments. The circulation of useful books and tracts will be promoted by the Spanish-Translation Society, noticed in our last volume. The Religious-Tract Society has added twelve, Spanish tracts to its list: it is preparing, in Spanish, Burder's Village Sermons, Leslie on Deism, and Gosner on Primitive Catholicism; and has forwarded to various parts of the continent 106,000 Spanish tracts.-In reference to slavery, it is remarked in the last Report of the African Institution; "It is gratifying to observe, that the rising Republics of South America continue to identify their interests, and their own emancipation from political slavery, with the restoration to personal freedom of the still more degraded members of the human family, the Negro Slaves. We have already noticed a deeree of Mexico on this subject. Colombia had nobly led the way. In Peru, a decree, issued by Bolivar, has liberated from a state of great oppression the Aborigines and Half-castes, forming nearly fourfifths of the whole population; which consisted, according to an official census taken in 1795, of 136,311 Whites, 608,911 Indians, 244,437 Mestizoes or descendants