not feel its power on their hearts; scarcely a day passing without a visit from some of the most respectable natives at the Mission-house. A Vakeel belonging to the Court, generally visits me two or three times a week, and has introduced me to the heads of villages who have come to Belhary to transact business in the Court; and I hope this will prove a considerable advantage to us when we begin to itinerate in the surrounding villages.

While our worthy brother was thus proceeding in his Missionary career, he was greatly delighted with the cheering hope of soon enjoying at Belhary the as sistance of his dear brother and former fellow student, Mr. Thompson; for, to this promising station the Directors, the friends at Madras, and his own inclination all concurred to direct his course. But, alas! is it not in man that walketh to direct his steps. The sovereign Disposer of human events saw fit otherwise to determine, and we bow in silence to the holy mandate. Mr. Thompson, as the Society were informed last year, after residing for a few months at the Cape, where his labors were very acceptable and useful, proceeded towards India, by the Isle of France, where he obtained valuable information concerning that island, Bourbon and Madagascar; from thence he sailed to Calcutta, and from thence to Madras, where he arrived March 22, 1812. He was there advised to report himself, as is expected from strangers, at the Police Office, requesting permission to go forward to Belhary. But when, upon inquiry, it was understood that Mr. Thompson came from England without license from the Directors of the East India Company, he was informed that he could not be allowed to reside in India, but must immediately return. The order was as follows:

Madras Police Office,
May 22, 1812.

A direged to acquaint you the the Honorable the Governor in Council is precluded, by the orders of the Supreme Government, from permitting you to reside in any place under this Presidency: you will therefore return to the Isle of France, or to Europe by the first opportunity.

am, Rev. Sir,
"Your obedient Servant,
"J. H. STMS.
"Superintendant of Police."

Mr. Thompson, by the advice of his friends, addressed a respectful letter to the Hon. the Governor on the subject; but after wait ng several days without reiving any answer, he again waited on

the Superintendant of Police, who informe ed him, that if no answer was given, the order for his removal remained in force, and that if he did not go, he should be obliged to report it. Mr. Thompson ob served, that he had no means of obeying the order, and that the Missionary Society had not authorized their agent to advance him money for that purpose. He was then informed, that he should receive an order to put him on board some vessel homeward bound, when a very small allowance would be given him for his pas sage, as he had come out without leave from the Company; and added, that he supposed it was the intention of Government to put a stop to such endeavors.

It is impossible not to feel, on this recital, the most painful regret that regulations, which were originally made for commercial purposes only should now be employed to imped the progress of Christianity, or place under the control of the East India Company, a subject so intimately connected with the present and eternal happiness of many millions of the human race. For the removal of such unrighteous restrictions, the Society applied to his Majesty's Ministers; has petitioned the Legislature; and will continue importunately to address the Throne of Grace.*

*The reflections of our dear departed brother, in a letter dated May 12, may not be unacceptable to the Society.

"There is no appeal, as it is confirmed by the highest authority not only in India but in England. This you may probably regard as a melancholy event; but no, regard it as an unwarrantable stretch of arbitrary authority, which the Great Head of the Church will over-rule for the promotion of the interests of his kingdom. For my own part, though I deeply regret the loss of time, and the inconveniences of another voyage to Eu rope and back; I feel no doubt that

shall return, and that this occurrence will turn out to the furtherance of the Gospel. I have nothing to complain of in the Government here, for they act agreeably to the letter of their instructions; nor of the Government at home, as when the Charter was given to the Company, there was little regard to such an accession of territory, and it had no view to the religion of the people; and when the Toleration Act was passed, the Parliament did not anticipate that the British dominions would be so extensive, or that Christians would feel it their duty to communicate the knowledge of the Gospel to foreign lands, and therefore no provision was made for such a purpose. Considering that the renewal of the Charter is about to be discussed in Parliament.

This refusal of the Government to permit Mr. Thompson to proceed to Belhary, was soon followed by another event still more distressing:-He had frequently complained of a pain in his side, which was considered as the symptom of a liver disorder, which it was hoped would prove but slight, but alas! its progress was rapid and fatal. He had desisted only two Lord's days from preaching, and was at chapel on the 21st of June. On the following Thursday he became extremely ill, and danger was apprehended; but his mind was preserved in peace, and he maintained a humble, yet confident and unshaken dependence on the atonement of the great Redeemer; while he renounced, with a kind of indignant jealousy, any thing in himself in which he might glory; and although, through the extreme violence of his disorder, he could not, so frequently as he wished, express what he felt and enjoyed, yet, on two occasions he cheered the hearts of his weeping friends, when he declared his joy in the Lord, and exhorted them to increasing zeal in his cause. "Cran, said he, I never saw; Des Granges I once saw; but Brain was my

should it be said to those who wish to diffuse the Gospel in India, that none had been prevented from peaceably exercising the functions of his office, nor any one sent home, any alteration might be deemed unnecessary, but should the Government here insist on my return, I trust it will give such an additional impulse to their exertions, who are desirous of such an alteration, as will secure its attainment. Mine is a case peculiarly in point, as I have sailed to no foreign port, under no foreign colors, nor proceeded a step without the public sanction of the existing authorities, and am, in fact, deficient in nothing but the Company's license."

It may not be improper, in this place, to transcribe a passage from a letter written by Mr. Hands on this subject.

66

hope that this order for Mr. Thompson's return will have a powerful effect on the minds of our dear friends in England; and, that if the Company's Charter should be renewed, they will endeavor to procure some provision therein, for the protection of Protestant. Missionaries in India. Catholic Missionaries abound in almost every part of India; they excite no notice nor suspicion, and are allowed to travel about as they please, why then should not we enjoy the same liberty? A new Catholic chapel has lately been erected at Belhary, and a new Padre has lately arrived from Go. All the persons who attend are Portuguese or Malabar peopie, belonging to the different native corps stationed here.”

dear friend, companion, and fellow student. I shall soon see them in glory, and Swartz too;" and then, in a rapture of mind, and with exertion of body that was almost too much for his enfeebled frame, he added, "But I shall see Jesus, and that is the glory of all!" Thus our dear Brother, though denied the expected privilege of preaching among the Gentiles "the unsearchable riches of Christ," was highly favored by his rich grace in his departing moments, and expired with a hope full of immortality.

To the Society, as well as to his relations and friends, it is no small consolation to reflect, that he died in the house of our valuable brother Mr. Loveless, our Missionary at Madras; where he enjoyed all that attention which piety and friendship could afford in his painful circumstances: and this leads us to report briefly the circumstances of that faithful Missionary at

MADRAS.

The

MR. LOVELESS has been, for several years, usefully employed as a teacher in the Male Asylum, and also in preaching the Gospel both to Europeans and natives. Having been enabled by their generous aid to erect a chapel in the Black Town, where he has met with considerable encouragement, he has judged it expedient to resign his situation in the Asylum, that he may devote himself wholly to his proper employment in the ministry of the word, as more congenial with his office as a Missionary, for which he has indeed most ample scope in that great and populous city; and it is the earnest wish of the Directors that he may be assisted by the addition of another able laborer. local situation of Mr. Loveless, together with his own prudence and zeal, have rendered him very useful to the other stations, especially to Vizagapatam and Belhary, both which ought to be strengthened by the addition of more Missiona ries, and we trust will be so, if the present unjust and impolitic restrictions should be removed. But under the existing circumstances, and doubtful whether Mr. May and other Missionaries from different Societies, have been permitted to res de in India, the Directors have late ly written to Mr. Thom at the Cape, desiring him not to proceed until he shall have heard again from home. The Di rectors, sympathizing with their Christian brethren of the Baptist Missionary Society, in their heavy loss, occasioned by the fire which consumed their printing office at Serampore, immediately on hearing of that disaster, cheerfully voted them one hundred guineas towards repairing

the damage: a donation which they are confident that the whole Society will cordially approve. From India we naturally pass on to the adjacent island of

CEYLON.

WE have the satisfaction to state that the hopes expressed in our last Report have been in a great degree realized. By the very laudable exertions of the present Governor, Sir Alexander Johnstone, the Honorable and Reverend Mr. Twisleton, and other friends of religion, the care of the schools has been revived. Our Missionary, Mr. Ehrhardt, was appointed to visit the schools in the district of Matura, and enquire into the character and conduct of the schoolmasters. Mr. Ehrhardt describes the greater part of those who have formerly been baptised by the Dutch, on merely being able to recite the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and Creed, as extremely ignorant of Christianity, and still living in the constant practice of idolatry, having submitted to baptism only for worldly advantage. He says, they are exceedingly addicted to the worship of images, before which they fall prostrate on the ground and pray, and this attachment to image worship accounts, in his opinion, for the success the Roman Catholics have had in making many proselytes, while the religion of the Protestants appears to them too simple, and is called by them "the Religion of the Company."

Mr. Palm, who has acquired the Tamul language, has been very assiduous in his care of the schools, particularly at Tillipaly; in which he has been much encouraged by the Hon. Col. Molesworth, (now Lord Molesworth,) who has been successful in establishing several other schools, one for the children of the Seapoys, in the garrison of Jafnapatam, which includes a number of Hindoo, Mussulmans, and Portuguese, children;* another is under the care of Mr. Christian David, (a native,) where the Lançasterian system is adopted with success.

Mr. Read, who teaches a school at Amlamgoddy, is appointed to superintend the schools (in number about twentyeight) in the district of Galle. He found them in a deplorable state, owing partly to the negligence of the masters, and partly to the reluctance of the natives to send their children to school. But there is reason to hope, that by the encouragement now given to the schools by the

* "The progress these boys made in a few weeks was such, that several respectable persons, and of the highest Hindoo cast, came and offered their sons to be instructed in the Christian religion.”

Government, the increased diligence of the teachers, and the distribution of the Scriptures in the Cingalese language, which may shortly be expected, the Missionary prospects will soon become much brighter, especially if some able English Missionaries can be sent to labor there. "I hope," says a gentleman resident in Ceylon, "the Missionary Society, and all societies for promoting the glorious cause, will consider this, and strain every nerve to send some able teachers to this country; never was such a harvest as is prepared for the reapers."

The Directors have been informed, that Mr. Palm and Mr. Ehrhardt have, by the kindness of Government, been appointed to two of the churches, and are so provided for, that the Society will be relieved from the expense of their future support.

Before we quit this part of the globe, it will be proper to notice the efforts which have been made in this country, in favor of the

LASCARS AND CHINESE,

who, having navigated British vessels from India, usually reside some months in this metropolis, before their return. The Committee to whom this business was entrusted, report, that in pursuing the object of their designation, they have not been exempt from difficulties; but that they have engaged two persons, who, during their leisure hours, have, in the space of eight months, made considerable progress in the Bengalce language, in which they are able to read the New Testament with tolerable ease, and that each of them has translated two tracts into that tongue; and the Committee hope they will soon be enabled to converse with the Lascars on the subject of religion, and ultimately prove of great use to them; a third also, has for some months past, applied himself, in his leisure hours, to the Chinese language, that he is no less indefatigable in his pursuits, and that his prospect of success is no less pleasing than that of his fellow laborers before mentioned. The Directors next pass on to

CHINA,

an empire so vast, so populous, and so idolatrous, that it cannot be mentioned by

An Auxiliary Bible Society has been formed in Ceylon, under the auspi ces of the Governor and most respectable residents, from which, by the blessing of Heaven, the most pleasing results may be anticipated. The people will soon have the Scriptures not only in the Tamu, but in the Cingalese language.

Christians without exciting entiments of the deepest concern. On the shores of this immense country our excellent brother Mr. Morrison, has persevered, for several years, in his solitary, but most interesting labors-in translating, into the language of more than three hundred millions of the benighted descendants of Adam, the Scriptures of Truth. Mr. Morrison, whose acquaintance with the Chinese language has, perhaps, seldom been exceeded by any European, has completed his Grammar of the Chinese language, which he has presented to Lord Minto, Governor General of Bengal; he has printed his translation of the Gospel of Luke, a single copy of which he has sent to the Directors, whose gratitude to the British and Foreign Bible Society, for their second generous donation to Mr. Morrison, in aid of his Chinese version of the Scripture, induced them immediately to present that copy to the Committee, that they might deposit in their Biblical Library a book of so much interest, and to the production of which they had so liberally contributed. The Directors have also presented to the Committee, the only printed copy, transmitted from Vizagapatam, of the Gospel of Mark in the Telinga language, translated by our Missionaries. And the Directors feel a pleasure in again acknowledging with unfeigned respect and affection, their obligations to that excellent Society, in whose growing greatness and usefulness they exceedingly rejoice, for the readiness with which, on every application, they have furnished Bibles for their Missionary stations in different parts of the world.

Mr. Morrison has transmitted to us the copy of an Edict, which was issued by the Emperor of China, whereby printing religious books and establishing preachers are made capital offences. The Roman Catholic Missionaries at Pekin have been sil nced, and some of them imprisoned, till they can be transported to Europe. Mr. Morrison, however, proceeds in his work undismayed, but with all necessary caution and prudence. He has formed a Catechism in the Chinese language, and also a tract on the Way of Salvation. "I must," he says, "go forward, trusting in the Lord.

We

will scrupulously obey Governments, as far as their decrees do not oppose what is required by the Almighty; I will be careful not to invite the notice of Government. I am, though sensible of my weakness, not discouraged, but thankful that my own most sanguine hopes have been

*See a copy of this Edict in No. XXIV of the Missionary Transactions,

more than realized. In the midst of discouragement, the practicability of acquir ing the language, in no very great length of time, of translating the Scriptures, and of having them printed in China, bas been demonstrated. I am grateful to the Divine Being, for having employed me in this good work, and should I die soon, it will afford me pleasure in my last moments."-"When I am dead, God may raise up some Chinese who will republish these, and thereby proclaim to the millions of his countrymen, the Unity of God, the redemption that is in Chist, with all its preceding and consequent doctrines, and these may lead to the eternal life of many. Little as has been done, I did not expect, four years ago, that by this time so much would have been effected; if the labor had been a million times more, I should not have regretted it."

The Directors hope that, notwithstanding the Imperial Edict (which, there is reason to think, will not be severely acted upon, especially in the provinces,) many copies of the Translation will, by means of merchants and sailors who frequent Prince of Wales's Island, Java, and other adjacent countries, find their way into the heart of the empire, and that God will bless his own word to the salvation of many, and possibly the very prohibition may excite in the people a greater curiosity to obtain and peruse it.

Mr. Morrison having frequently complained of being left to serve alone in this great work, and fearing that in case of his death it might be for a long time suspended, the Directors have sent forth Mr. Milne, by the way of the Cape, who they hope will prove an a ceptable fellow labor

er.

The Directors have also, according to Mr. Morrison's earnest recommenda tion, determined on commencing a mission to the populous island of Java, in which it is said there are thirty millions of inhabitants, including two hundred thousand Chinese, among whom the Scriptures may be freely distributed. It ought not to be forgotten, that the zeal of our worthy brother has also been manifested by promoting among the European residents at Canton a subscription towards the Auxiliary Bible Society at Calcutta, to the treasurer of which he has transmit ted two hundred and eighty-five dollars.

WEST INDIES.

TOBAGO,

I was the intention of the Directors, as intimated in the last Report, to remove Mr. Elliot to New Carlisle, bat they have yielded to his wishes to continue for a lon

ger time at Tobago. The chapel erected here, which will seat about two hundred persons, was opened in May last, and a tolerable number of persons, both white and black, attended. Mr. Elliot hopes that his labors are not altogether fruitless; the morals of many of the negroes are improved; and one of the managers informs him that he frequently hears them reproving each other for sin; a few also seem to be truly concerned for the salvation of their souls. A serious gentleman from England who visited the island, and observed Mr. Elliot's labors, has given the Directors a more favorable report of the Mission than they had before received. There seems also to be a prospect of retlucing the expense of the Mission, by the contributions of some of the planters.

TRINIDAD.

AT Trinidad, Mr. A-lam continues to preach to the white and colored people, and to the slaves, in the chapel which he has erected at the town called Port of Spain, as well as in other parts of the island; laboring not only on the Lord's days, but at frequent meetings held in the week, for the purpose of catechising the negroes. We believe that Mr. Adam labors both faithfully and usefully, but through the failure of business, the want of intercourse with America, and the extravagant price of provisions, the expense of this Mission is extremely

great

DEMARARA.

MR. WRAY still labors at Le Resouvenir, in the colony of Demarara. Soon after his return from England, a proclamation was issued by his Excellency Governor Carmichael, agreeable to the directions issued by the Government at home, by which the liberty of the negroes to attend the instruction of the Missionaries was considerably enlarged. The preamble to this proclamation stated, that the Governor had received instructions from the Prince Regent to recal a former (restrictive) proclamation, "and to give every aid to Missionaries in the instruction of religion." This public measure was accompanied with the most friendly assurances of the Governor to the Missionaries of his support, as he considered their exertions to be highly useful to the community. His Excellency was also pleased to make a handsome present towards the support of the Mission. He also desired them to undertake the instruction of the soldiers' children, for which a small salary is to be allowed. The good effect of this magisterial encouragement soon became apparent in

the attendance of the slaves, six or seven hundred of whom attend Mr. Wray's ministry, and some of them from a considerable distance: from thirty to fifty slaves attend thrice a week to learn to read, and many more who live at a distance teach each other. Several have been baptised and admitted to the Lord's Supper during the last year. This Mission, in consequence of the distressed state of the colony, has become this year far moré expensive than before.

Mr. Davies has finished and opened a large chapel at George Town (formerly called Staebrook) which is attended by a very considerable number of people of different colors. It is supposed that about 1000 negroes attend. The inhabitants of the town contributed more than 6001. towards the building, and about 601. was subscribed by the poor negroes, who gave half a bit (or two-pence-halfpenny) each. But the debt still remaining on the place is very large. An Auxiliary Missionary Society, including people of color and slaves, has recently been formed at George Town, whose subscriptions amount to 801.

BERBICE.

ac

A NEW, and we trust, a wide door of usefulness appears to be opening in the adjoining colony of Berbice, distant from Demarara about seventy miles. Several estates in this colony belong to the British Crown, and are now under the direction of Commissioners who are disposed to encourage the instruction of the slaves. These gentlemen, who are well quainted with the valuable services of Mr. Wray, have made a proposal to him to remove to Berbice, and undertake, with the consent of the Directors, the relig ious care of the negroes, who are very numerous. To this proposal the Directors, unwilling as they are to relinquish the services of Mr. Wray, have consented, in hopes of his more extensive usefulness, and in expectation that his place at Demarara will be well supplied, of which they ve some prospect, three Missionaries who had been educated at Berlin and Rotterdam having been sent over to England, by the Dutch Society, in conse quence of their own inability to employ them. One of these Missionaries is at present intended for Java, and two others for Demarara or Berbice. The whole expense of the Mission at Berbice will be defrayed by the Commissioners.

OTAHEITE.

FROM the Missionaries who returned to, Qraheite from New South Wales in