mised, when it had grown to a certain length, to give it to the god, as an offering.

15.-A man who was called in to receive a book, asked what it was? Putting the ten commandments into his hands, I described their contents. After which he said, All men broke them; all men were liars; and were he able to obtain two rupees that day by telling lies he should consider it a good thing.

THE SYRIAN CHURCH.

Extract of a letter from a Gentleman who had visited the SYRIAN CHRISTIANS near Travancore.

Columbo, October 28, 1816.

I will now leave Goa, to say something of the Syrian Christians whom we visited, and of whom I will hereafter send you a more complete account. You will be surprised to hear that these Syrian Christians are at present neither Nestorians nor Eutychians. They disclaim the errors of both, and profess to believe Christ to be very God and very man. They, however, acknowledge seven sacraments. In Baptism they use water only, and sign with a cross the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears; to signify, as they say, that these senses of the carnal man are to be obedient to the Cross. In the Lord's supper they use leavened bread, and stamp the wafer with a cross dipped in oil; but in neither of these sacraments do they use salt. They have two Bishops, both residing at the same place; but only one of them appears to have any charge of the clergy. Their priests are ordained by the imposition of hands; and though they have but three orders, bishops, priests, and deacons, yet they have many different degrees in each order. I understand there are three among the priests, and four among the deacons. They formerly had arch-deacons, but have none at present. They have-many customs among them which mark them as an Oriental Church; but both their ceremonies and their doctrines have been much corrupted by the Church of Rome. They administer both bread and wine to the laity; but the elements are then mixed together. They do not believe in transubstantiation, though they say the body and blood of Christ are verily and indeed taken by the faithful communicant. They do not believe in Purgatory, but they believe there is a common receptacle, a gehenna, for the souls of men after death, into which Christ descended, in the interval between his crucifixion and resurrection, and to which they think he alluded when speaking to the thief on the cross; and that Christ, at his descension, relieved the souls of all them there; and that the souls who have died since will remain there till the general resurrection, when they will be judged according to their deeds. In the mean time, the good are supposed to feel a pleasing hope of happiness, and the wicked a fearful looking for of judgment. They believe that certain saints and martyrs are in heaven above this receptacle, and yet not admitted into the presence of God. They pray through the intercession of saints; but strenuously deny that they worship saints,

and will not allow any images of them in their churches, professing that salvation is through Christ alone. Their liturgy and whole service is performed in the Syriac language, which is understood only by the priests; they have, however, of late years, used in many of their churches the Malayalim translation of the Gospels, which was made chiefly by their present bishop, Mar Dionysius, (then Ramban Joseph,) under the superintendence of Mar Dionysius, who was the Bishop in Dr. Buchanan's time. I was present at their performance of Divine Service on a Sunday, and which, I am sorry to say, partakes in some measure of the superstitious mummeries of the Papists. They use frankincense, chant the whole ser vice, cross themselves often, elevate the Host. On the Sunday, they have a very useful custoin of reading a portion of the Gospels, in Malayalim, from the altar, and then briefly expounding to the congregation. They do not preach as Europeans do, nor use pulpits; they have no schools, and little means of teaching the poor : but this arises rather from their extreme poverty than from any unwillingness to teach and be taught. Indeed, considering the persecutions they have suffered from the Papists and the proselyting ravages of Tippoo Saib, I am thankful and surprised that they still retain so much of genuine Christianity amongst them.

"The dress of the priests consists of loose white trowsers, with a white surplice and a red silk cap. The proper dress is of a dark colour; but they told us, that they were too poor to purchase it: each priest has a pastoral staff, generally tipped with gold. At ordination, the priests profess to sign the Canons of the Council of Nice, which are read to them by the Bishop; but they could not show us any copy of them. They, at the same time, swear to shave the crown of the head, and not to shave their beards; to fast on the fourth and sixth days of the week; but they do not engage to lead a life of celibacy: this custom has crept in among them from the Romans. The Bishop, Mar Dionysius, has lately sent a circular letter to his clergy, expressly stating that they are at liberty to marry some have actually availed themselves of this permission, and forty more have declared their readiness to do so when their circumstances will admit. Their incomes are wretchedly small, merely fees and gratuities. They all, both Bishop and clergy, earnestly besought us to give them copies of the Scriptures, both in Syriac and Malayalim. I had with me a few copies of the Syriac Gospels, the type of which they consider as exceedingly beautiful. I hope the Bible Society will go on to complete that work: it is a highly useful, and well executed edition.

"The form and architecture of their churches is simple, and may be Syrian; the windows long and narrow, not pointed, as Dr. Buchanan implies. They possess very few books; I understood no printed ones but the Gospels in Malayalim; and, besides the Scriptures in manuscript, they have some sacred hymns and their liturgy, which are often obliged to be carried from one church to another for service. The copies of the Old Testament which we saw, want

ed Nehemiah; and the New Testament had the Nestorian readings. Some books are also in their Canon which we do not call canonical.

They were very much pleased with the Bishop of Calcutta's visit, and expressed a very earnest desire to put themselves under the protection of the English. Colonel Monro, the British resident at Travancore, is doing a great deal for them: he has established a college for the better education of their priests, and employs many of them in his public office.-I must not omit to mention one interesting and truly pious custom of these Christians. The father of a family collects his children around him in the evening; and, sitting on a sod on the outside of his cottage, he reads or repeats portions of Scripture to them. These, of course, consists chiefly of such passages as are most easily understood and retained in the memory-the parables, the passion and death of Christ, &c.-which he explains, and dilates on the doctrines and duties of Christianity as he is able. Here, then, is a promising harvest: if the Lord but send forth reapers, every thing may be hoped for where we find so much zeal and piety, and so much inclination to be instructed."

From the American Baptist Magazine.

BURMAN MISSION.

The following letters will be read with peculiar interest by all the friends of evangelical missions; not more on account of the safe arrival of our young missionaries in India, than for the wonders of grace manifested in the conversion of a number of the seamen during their voyage.

MR. COLMAN, TO REV. MR. SHARPE.

EVER DEAR PASTOR,

Calcutta, April 29, 1818.

Having just been informed that a vessel will sail for Boston tomorrow, I cannot deny myself the satisfaction of writing you a few lines. The diary which I kept during my passage is unfinished. I have devoted it to you, and shall send it by another conveyance. From it you will learn our state while upon the water. I will say nothing more about our voyage here, than that it lasted five months, and was remarkably pleasant. We were treated exceedingly well by all on board, and nothing occurred to imbitter our peace. The weather for the most part was remarkably serene. But the most delightful circumstance which we have to mention is, that the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the sailors, and six or seven of them, we humbly hope, were brought to the knowledge of the truth. Upon our arrival at Calcutta we were kindly received into the house occupied by Messrs. E. Carey, Yates, and Penny. Brother Lawson resides at a little distance from them. These four are connected together in the Missionary work in Calcutta. They are active and devoted men. Mr. Penny is engaged in teaching a large school upon the Lancastrian plan. Brother Yates is principally employed in translating, and brethren Lawson and Carey in preach

ing. A Missionary Society has, within a month past, been formed in Calcutta, auxiliary to that in England. Upwards of 1300 rupees have been already subscribed. This sum exceeds the most sanguine expectations of the brethren. Consider, that this work has been accomplished in the land of darkness; in the land where but a few years since the gospel was unknown! The people here feel the necessity of missionary efforts, because they see the barbarous and superstitious rites of the heathen.

It is very sickly at Bengal; but none of us have been attacked by the prevailing disease. Many of the poor Hindoos are daily cast into the Gunga. The other day in coming from Serampore I saw one dead body floating upon the surface. Vultures and crows were feasting upon it.

I send you with this two Reports of the Calcutta School Book Society. It will be perceived, that even the natives subscribe to this institution, although the sentiments which the Society's books contain aim at the vitals of the Hindoo system of religion. There is nothing which will more certainly effect the destruction of superstition than these schools. Each succeeding generation will feel their influence more and more, until the contracted and absurd ideas of the heathen will be renounced. Already in the schools have the highest and the lowest casts mingled together. The Soodras have been placed above the Brahman youth, without exciting the chagrin or anger of the latter. If these events continue to transpire for any length of time, the sacred thread of the Brahmins will be esteemed as nothing, and thrown by with disgust. The Church School Society have 3000 children under their direction; and the Baptists have more than 6000. These children will acquire more lofty ideas than their ancestors possessed. Nor can we suppose that the time is far distant when they will have a mean opinion of their sacred books which assert that the world is made up of 7 continents and 7 oceans; and that Hindostan is the centre. When they find the true geography of the globe, what will they think of their shasters?

Yours with respect and affection,

J. COLMAN."

MRS. JUDSON, TO DR. BALDWIN.

REVEREND AND DEAR SIR,

Rangoon, Jan. 29, 1818.

Yours of March 12th, and 18th, 1817, together with Magazines, &c. I had the pleasure of receiving a month ago; and as Mr. Judson is absent, and a good opportunity for sending to Bengal now offers, I cannot deny myself the gratification of writing, notwithstanding the presumption it may imply. Mr. Judson embarked for Chittagong five weeks ago, and expects to be absent three months only. His long confinement to close study, an opportunity for going and returning in the same ship, (which has never before occurred

Since our residence here,) together with an ardent desire to instruct the (supposed) converted Mugs, and if possible bring one or two round with him, were the motives which induced him to embark, and our acquiescence in his departure.

The mission here is nearly in the same state as when Mr. J. last wrote. His Dictionary was nearly completed, after which he intended either going to Ava, or to commence preaching here in a more open and public manner than ever before. Our hopes have been frequently raised by the serious appearance of some of the Burmans, but none have yet heartily embraced the religion of Jesus and become his disciples. My little female meeting is still en→ couraging, between twenty and thirty attend every Sabbath. They sometimes hear with apparent attention, sometimes ask pertinent questions, and some of them say they worship the true God only, and have left going to the pagodas to worship. But how much truth there is in these assertions, time alone will determine. Last Sabbath, after reading and conversing as usual, I told them of the anxiety of Christians in America for their conversion, of the formation of societies, the contributions of the poor, and the earnest and fervent prayers which were constantly ascending on their account. The tears came into the eyes of some of them, who feelingly said, "and do they indeed do so much for us?" But the Burmans in general are mad on their idols; they are not like professed Christians in our country, partly engaged in religion and partly in the world, but their whole souls seem engaged in idolatry; they evidence at once that they believe what they assert. Could Dr. Young have seen the Burmans as they are now engaged, he might emphatically have said, "O for a heathen zeal in christian hearts!" Even this moment while I am writing, my ears are almost stunned with the noise and confusion occasioned by preparations for fireworks, to be exhibited at the approaching festival. Could you, my dear Sir, witness but once this annual feast, could you behold the crowded streets. the splendid offerings, the gay attire, and the enthusiasm of their devotions, you would readily admit that nothing short of an almighty arm could break down these barriers, these strong barriers, and cause the introduction of the gospel. But even these seasons, these momentary triumphs of satan, are not destitute of advantages to the cause of Christ. We have opportunities by these means of distributing tracts and parts of scripture among those who come from other towns and villages where the name of Christ is still unknown. The Spirit of God may water seed sown in this way, and cause it to spring up to the eternal confusion of the adversary of souls, who prompted their attendance on this festival with a different object.

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We still live in a quiet manner, unmolested by government or robbers. The Vice Roy's family treat us with respect and affection; they now and then send us an elephant to accompany them into the woods. Her highness the Vice-Roy's wife, professes a particular regard for me, and I, in return, have presented her with a translation of Matthew, a tract and catechism, and have had two or three