took up my little boy in my arms, and went after them with trembling heart and limbs, fearing that my dear husband would be murdered before I got there. But when I arrived, I beheld him in the river, up to his knees, at work. I then learned, that these were Gika's Caffres, who had been hunting, and were returning home. This afforded great relief to my terrified mind.

We have been here nearly 10 months, and had nothing stolen till lately, when a man stole a few articles; but being alarmed, he ran away, leaving some of them behind him. This brought to my mind the depredations made upon our poor brethren and sisters at Otaheite, at the commencement of their mission.

Be constant in your prayers for us, for we know not what the end may be. Mr. Williams unites in Christian love to you and yours. May every blessing attend you through life-may you be happy even in death-and, may we meet before the throne, having washed our robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!

MISSIONS IN AFRICA,

E. W.

Extract of a Letter from a Missionary at Makoon's Kraal, near Latakkoo, dated May 23, 1817, to Rev. J. Campbell.

The daughter of Mateebe (the king) is very attentive, and I sometimes hope she will be the first brought to Christ. Mahootoo (Mateebe's wife) is become very friendly, and attends the word now and then, as does Munamets (the king's uncle) and their children. Gedult, our guide to Malapectzee, is a constant attendant, as likewise Shampan, one who spoke Dutch when we were there; but Mateebe's eldest brother, Malaba, and Teiso, the third in power, are the most attentive. The Lord has made use of the late expeditions to help When we first came they were very noisy and quarrelsome; but now, under the word, not a syllable is spoken, nor does any one attempt to contradict.

us.

In a conversation after sermon, a few nights ago, I was rejoiced to hear, Teiso address Makweesie (a chief who was saying he should never understand the word) thus: Makwecsie, go behind a bush, bend your knees, and say, Lord Jesus, open my heart to understand and love thy word, and he will do it.' This sentence touched every string of my heart, and brought me, soon after, on my knees, to thank our Lord for this little encouragement.

I have received a most pleasing letter from Mr. Williams, in Caffraria: he seems pleased with his situation. A verbal message was also sent to one of the missionaries from Gika, to this effect:- -The seed you sowed in my country when you was here, is ripe, and you must come to gather it in.'

The printing press sent to Griqua Town is come to hand, and they have begun to print a Hymn Book. One of the missionaries has begun to compose a Dictionary and Catechism in the Bootsuana language.

70

Missions in Africa

GREAT NAMAQUALAND.

We have just received a letter from Mr. Ebner, missionary to the Kraal of Africaner, in Great Namaqualand, dated Oct. 8, 1817, at Capedown, where he had come on business; in which he states, that he has introduced the sowing of potatoes and various vegetables, which have prospered beyond expectation: he speaks also favourably of their crops of corn, and hopes the natives will soon experience great relief from the introduction of these comforts amongst them. He informs us also, that the converts continue to be attached to the Gospel, and to him as their teacher.

In his examination of some who were applying for baptism, he relates some of their expressions: one said, If we will become children of God, we must believe in God's Son, though we cannot see him.' Another said, ' Because Jesus has delivered us, by suffering death in our place, it is our duty to give ourselves to him, soul and body, to live for him and serve him. We should not deliver (said another) our only son to cur enemies to be persecuted and crucified by them-but God did so with his Son for our sake.' Another said, My sin that I committed in my youth makes me to weep bitterly, to be sorrowful, and also the sins I daily commit; but I feel joy along with my sorrow. Till now I have only prayed with my mouth and lips, but now I pray to Him with all my heart.'

About 400 persons attend worship, so that the place of meeting first erected cannot contain those who are willing to attend. The baptized brethren and sisters, while conversing together, in their private meetings, of the word of God, and their experience, speak with such warmth and liveliness as would surprise you.

Since I came to Africaner's Kraal, (which I have named Jerusalem) I have baptized 40 persons, converts and their children: married about 40 couple: 16 have been born-8 died.

100 Bibles and 100 New Testaments have been received from the Bible Society, for those who can read the Dutch language.

The females are fond of learning to knit. Mrs. Ebner instructs them in knitting.

MISSIONARY SOCIETY IN INDIA.

The Auxiliary Missionary Society of Madras held their meeting on Wednesday evening, the 14th of May, 1817, (the time of the Missionary Anniversary in London,) when the Rev. Mr. Rhenius, of the Church Missionary Society, preached an excellent sermon from Isa. lxii. 1. After sermon, the business of the society was transacted. On Thursday evening Mr. Gordon preached from Isa. xliv. 3, 4. Mr. Loveless prayed on Wednesday evening; and Mr. Lynch, the Methodist Missionary, on Thursday.

Thus,' says Mr. Knill, we all united in one glorious cause. Our congregations were composed of all nations and colours: one Chinese, two Brahmins, and several native Christians! O! it was beyond description delightful! The spirit of the Lord was evidently among us. Never was such a meeting in India.’

H

'Collections amounted to 125 pagodas, a pair of ear-rings, a gold broach, sleeve-buttons, balance of accounts, &c. Thus since the ar rival of the Moira, we have remitted 320 pagodas, or 1207. sterling. Mr. Loveless presided as chairman, Mr. Knill was the Secretary"

Extract from the Journal of the Rev. Gordon Hall.

Oct. 12, 1816.-This afternoon, while on my tour among the natives, I found a young man and his wife's mother engaged in a furious quarrel. The occasion of the quarrel was this. The young man had requested that his wife might be sent to his house: I asked him the age of his wife, but this he could not tell me until he had asked another person, who told him that her age was seven years. But the mother of the girl refused to send the man his wife, unless he would first expend an hundred rupees in a family entertainment. To this the husband objected, and about this they were contending. But after I came up they soon desisted, apparently ashamed of such a shameful contention. The Hindoos among themselves are extremely quarrelsome and abusive, especially in their language; tho' they do not so frequently come to blows. I have repeatedly come up to a company of ten, twenty, or thirty, who were engaged in violent contests, and even in assaults upon each other. In such cases, I have repeatedly desired them to listen to a few words. I then reminded them that the great God was looking upon them, that his command was, that they should love one another, that they should love and forgive their enemies, and render them good for evil; that if they would do this, God would forgive and love them; but if they would not do this, God would never forgive their sins, but punish them for ever, &c. I have been astonished to see the effect of such an address. bare rehearsal of some of the divine commands and precepts seemed to have an irresistibly appeasing power on their minds. In this way I have repeatedly seen a fierce contention apparently quite subside in five minutes. I never found cause to regret my interference on any such occasion, but rather the reverse.

The

13. Lord's day.-Soon after sunrise went to the Sonapoore, that is, the place where the natives either bury or burn their dead. At that early hour one human body had been brought for burning, and the carcass of a cow for burial. This is the second time I have been present at the interment of this deified animal. The carcass is slung on poles by ropes and carefully carried on men's shoulders. A hole not very deep is dug in the sand by the sea shore. A large quantity of salt is then spread over the bottom of the grave, upon which the body of the cow is deposited. The grave is then filled up with the sand, and the whole ceremony is conducted with at least as much solemnity and respect, as when a fellow-man is consigned to the grave. I improved the occasion as well as I could in endeavouring to convince the people, that they ought to worship the great and eternal God, instead of such a dying brute, which to call God, and worship as God, was the highest degree of sin and provocation. In the

afternoon spoke to a considerable number of people in different places, about the momentous concerns of their souls.

14.-This evening came to a place where I found an aged Mussulman lecturing some Hindoos on the unity of God. I asked him how this one God must be worshipped, and how he could be reconciled to sinners? He was not inclined to say much, and I proceeded to address a large number of people who were soon assembled. I have spoken to the heathen in several other places.

16.-In my route this evening, I fell in with a company of Gosawees, a class of religious mendicants, highly venerated by the Hindoos, but a most ignorant, arrogant, self-righteous, and in general, it is believed, a vicious set of people. The conversation of these people, like that of the Hindoos generally, turns naturally and almost exclusively, either upon religion or upon filling their bellies, as their expression is. Though all the moral notions, and sentiments of these heathens are so gross and monstrous, yet their conversation habitually manifests such a remembrance and recognition of some superior power appointing and controling all the allotments and vicissitudes of human life, as does most severely reprove, and ought deeply to shame, that multitude of atheistic Christians, who will talk for hours, if not for weeks, about even more than the ordinary events of life, without the slightest acknowledgments of a divine Providence. Hence, it is usually very easy to enter upon religious conversation with the Hindoos. In the little company of Gosawees, just mentioned, was one of a distinguished demeanor. Perceiving him to be a stranger, I asked him whence he came? for there is no danger of giving offence to the Hindoos by this kind of inquisitiveness, to which they are themselves much habituated. He replied, apparently with a consciousness of no small degree of superiority, that he was from Nushee, a place twenty or thirty miles distant on the continent, and that he was a Jotesh, that is, an astronomer. I replied, that I felt gratified, and that I wished to ask him some questions about the Jotesh shasters. "Will you tell me whether, according to these shasters, the earth is a plane or a sphere ?" After fully comprehending the question, he confessed that he knew nothing about it, thus proving himself to be as much a novice and imposter, as nine tenths of those who prefer their claims to superior science, and as such do actually command respect among the ignorant multitude. It is a remarkable fact, and one which may ultimately be highly serviceable in pulling down the fabric of Hindoo superstition, that their religious books, held equally sacred, are directly at issue on several points in geography and astronomy. For instance, one class of their books declare the earth to be a plane, while their other books, with the same pretended supreme authority, as positively declare it to be a sphere. Thus obviously do they destroy the authority of each oth

er.

The conversation soon turned on their mythology, and one began to boast that he allowed of but one god, the god Mahadave, and that he worshipped no other. I asked him if Mahadave did not in a rage cut off one of Brumha's five heads, and was he not conse

quently a sinner." No," was his reply," for Brumha had perjured himself, and his head was cut off as his punishment." Then you allow that Brumha, one of your greatest gods, was a sinner?" "Yes," he replied, and manifestly with shame. But was not Mahadave severely cursed and punished for what he did?" Yes." But can those who commit sin, and are cursed and punished for it, be the great, the sinless, the everlasting God? I enlarged, and finally told him that God had declared, that the wicked should be turned into hell, and that all, who did not in this life repent and obtain pardon from God, would certainly suffer in that lake of fire for ever.

The poor creature, though apparently convinced, would make no acknowledgment, but declared, that he would never worship any but Mahadave, and that if Mahadave went to hell, he would go there with him. After a word more of exhortation, I left them and proceeded to another place.

17. As I was walking in a populous part of the town, but a part where an European is scarcely ever seen, a money changer, a Hindoo, sitting upon his stall in the angle of two public roads, politely made me a salam, (obeisance) and invited me to take a seat near him. As he had seen me before, and knew what things I was in the habit of saying to the people, the conversation of course began on religious subjects. In the course of the conversation I repeated some of the commands against idolatry. He asked where such commands were. Are they written? I took a little book from my pocket, and read to him the commands in his own language. By this time there were about twenty persons collected. But, "How," he asked, "and to whom were these given?" I then told him of the awful manner in which God gave the law from Mount Sinai. "But if God is an invisible and immaterial being, how could he write the commands on tables of stone?" When I remarked that nothing could be impossible or hard to him who created all things, he was not, or at least he pretended not to be, satisfied.

The Hindoos seem universally to possess some dark, indescribable, and unintelligible notion of a supreme, invisible, immaterial, abstract existence, or being, who is no more than a negation of all qualities. Hence, the people of all ranks are perpetually objecting to the doctrine that God is a spirit, and saying that it is impossible for an immaterial being to create material objects, or to have any immediate control over them. Here they found their system of polytheism, and their god Brumha is installed as the creator of all things, Vishnu the preserver, and Shev, or Mahadave, the destroyer; all gods in human form. And on the same principle, as new emergencies arose in the imaginations of the bewildered idolaters, and larger claims for a greater variety of gods, they went on multiplying them, and assigning to them their respective functions, until they swelled the catalogue of their deities to the monstrous number of thirty-three

millions.

But to return to the stall of the money changer. As I was speakiug of the great blessedness of those who love and serve the true

K