mens of nationalities, common to all castes; and most of them are more rigidly observed by those who would be accounted the higher grades of society.

Again, when we are visited by the natives, it is generally either in the way of business, or of attendance at religious meetings, or of private instructions; and then, with a few exceptions, they are seated on a mat, as is customary with them at their own houses, and in the church of God. Occasionally our native preachers and a few others sit on chairs at our tables, and partake with us of a cup of tea, fruit, bread, etc.

Many other instances might be given of customs, which are mere nationalities, and which have no particular connection with caste. Indeed, we find a practical difficulty in attempting to separate purely caste distinctions, in the customs of social life, from mere nationalities; and it is even more difficult in the mind of a native. Even Christians are prone to plead for customs, which we believe are contrary to the spirit of the Gospel, that they are mere nationalities; while the unconverted Hindû sees no more propriety in our requiring a convert to break or renounce his caste, than to break or renounce other nationalities.

By the specimens of nationalities, which we have given above, it will be readily understood that it cannot be expected that we, as foreigners, whose customs and manners we would not have them imitate, should act the part of reformers of the Hindûs "in the walks of private and social life," except so far as these customs are contrary to the spirit of the Gospel. But, while we thus speak of the great gulf of nationalities, which separate us from the people, we rejoice to be able to say, that we have a growing esteem for and an increasing attachment to the Hindû nation as our people, and as a people to be made ready for the Lord. Many of them will, we doubt not, be a crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus, to those who labor with fidelity and perseverance for their conversion. Even now, and with blest anticipations, we come into close contact with them, holding constant and delightful intercourse with both the rising and the risen generation, on all subjects appertaining to the great object of our residence among them.

If the questions be proposed: "How far are the Continental castes, and the castes on the Island, alike? And why do you not treat caste as they do on the Continent?" we must, in answer to the first, commence by saying, that, with one exception, we

son.

have none of us, for any length of time, resided on the Continent, and are, therefore, quite unable to do justice to this subject. Our local and intimate knowledge of caste, as it exists there, is not sufficient to enable us to make a definite and exact compariBut we have in fact said many things in the former part of this Article which are an appropriate answer to the question. In the quotation which we made from the Madras Document, will be seen a very carefully worded definition of caste, as it is supposed to exist on the Continent. And, by comparing this with the statements we have made as to caste, as we find it in this Province, it will be clearly perceived, that it has already, by various causes, been greatly modified; and, especially, that there are now many causes in operation tending powerfully and rapidly to do away with the evil.

But, "Why do you not treat caste as they do on the Continent?" We have already stated facts to show that our circumstances, with respect to this evil, differ widely from those of missionaries laboring on the Continent. But we will say:

1. That we believe it is not proper for us to legislate upon this subject for the members of our churches, to compel the high castes to do violence to all their views of propriety, by eating in the houses of those of low caste, or to intermarry with them. But we have, from the commencement of our mission to the present time, used all Scriptural arguments against the distinctions of caste, and we think with great effect. It is hardly neces .sary for us to repeat, that we have never allowed any distinctions of caste in our churches. Different castes have also been in the habit of eating together in our boarding schools. Many of our native assistants, in certain circumstances, will cheerfully eat with those of lower castes, especially when on tours. At our Annual Convocation, in September, at Batticotta, provision is made for all our church members, and very many of different castes eat together on that occasion; not by compulsion, but willingly. Our native assistants, also, most cheerfully go among the low castes, preach the Gospel, and superintend schools. They also assist them in sickness, and at funerals. But, to make a law, compelling the high castes to eat in the houses of low castes, or to intermarry with them, would be more abhorrent to their feelings and all their views of propriety, than for a law to be passed for the churches in New York or Boston, compelling the rich to receive their servants, both black and white, to their

tables. We do not believe that it is proper for us to legislate upon this subject.

2. We should not accomplish the object we have in view. Our object is to destroy caste, and especially to root it out of the minds of our native converts. Now it is a well-known fact, that many native assistants and schoolmasters, rather than lose their employment, and be thrown into great pecuniary embarrassment, will comply, for the time being, with the demands of the missionaries to eat food prepared by low castes; and they justify themselves in this matter, and their friends also excuse them and overlook it, simply because they are compelled to do it, or sacrifice their living. But is the caste principle thus extinguished, or even diminished in their breasts? We think not. We do not believe that leviathan is thus tamed.

3. This course is productive of positive evils. It sours their minds; and its tendency is to make our members act hypocritically in this matter. Unless we can enlighten their minds, and carry their consciences with us, we gain nothing but their displeasure. We do not accomplish our object. For the caste feeling in their minds is rather strengthened, than diminished, by this course. We will encourage them, and help them in every possible way to do away with the evils of caste; and we fully believe that the only proper way of accomplishing this object is by light and love, and example, and the power of the Spirit of God. By the diligent use of these means, in connection with what the government is doing on this subject, we believe that caste is rapidly losing ground in this Province. How long it will linger, we cannot say. But this we do know, by long experience, that it cannot be killed by violence.

We see clearly, that it is the natural tendency of the Gospel to elevate the low castes to a level with the high, rather than to bring down the high castes to a level with the low; and this it will in due time accomplish. It will certainly, also, teach the high castes to treat their brethren below them with Christian kindness and love.

ARTICLE IV.

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER A POWER IN THE REDEMPTION OF THE WORLD.

By Austin Phelps, Professor at Andover.

THE last years in the life of Isaiah were chiefly engrossed by visions of the closing periods in the earthly career of the Church of Christ. This should seem to have resulted as much from the instinct of his religious feelings, as from the prompting of the prophetic impulse. The prophet is sometimes lost in the man, when he turns away from the disorders and idolatries and miseries of his own day, to contemplate, with the chastened enthusiasm of age, the happier times when Christ should reign over all lands. It is congenial with the feelings of all good men to anticipate thus the events of a better age than their own. It conduces often to the acquisition of just views of duty, to propose the inquiry: What would be the result, if certain changes predicted in the Word of God, should now or soon take place?

It is for the sake of such an inquiry, that attention is invited to a principle suggested by the twelfth and thirteenth verses of the fifty-first Psalm: "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee."1 This is the language of hope in the depth of religious humiliation. It expresses the conviction of the Psalmist, that his own restoration to the favor of God, involving, as it would, the improvement of his own character, would be followed by the increased success of religion throughout his dominions. The principle implied in this conviction, is one which probably all enlightened Christians will recognize, as entering largely into God's plan for this world's recovery. In its broad application, the principle is, that the rapidity of progress in the salvation af this world is, by God's plan of procedure, proportioned to the

1 This Article was originally prepared as a Discourse, and, in substance, delivered before the General Association of Massachusetts at Yarmouth, on the evening of the 29th of June, 1853; and it was repeated on the 4th of the September following, in the Chapel of the Theological Seminary at Andover, as a Valedictory Address to the Senior Class.

degree of piety existing among those who have already been made subjects of Divine grace. In other words it may be stated thus: That the success of sanctifying power does, in God's plan, enlarge the range of regenerating power.

This principle, it may be assumed, does not need a defence. here. It lies at the foundation of all that is peculiar to Christian benevolence. It is implied in every consistent theory of Christian missions. It underlies all intelligent effort to extend, in any manner, the knowledge and the power of Christian truth. It is, indeed, so well understood and so unquestionably conceded, in the convictions of probably the large majority of Christians, that its significance often escapes appreciation. It falls back into the rank of those truths whose lot often is, to be unfelt because of their importance. The very magnitude of such truths burdens a finite mind in the conception of them. Imagination grows weary in the effort to follow them to their consequences. The sensibilities shrink back in impotence, from receiving them as efficient realities. We recoil from the mental pains of the discipline which would be requisite to render them the nuclei of an earnest religious experience. The result often is, that we talk of such truths, like dreamers. They are the theme of much glib but unmeaning exhortation. Between our dialect and our experience with regard to them, there is apt to be a strange incohe rency. We know not that of which we affirm. It often becomes a duty, therefore, to sit down to a reëxamination of them, worn out though they be, as themes of intellectual conception. We need to admonish ourselves yet again, of the significance of that which we believe. We need to enter into a homely calculation, of the height and the depth and the length and the breadth of the faith we hold. It will do us no harm, if such a calculation should chance to diminish somewhat an imaginative fervor. We shall be the gainers by it, in point of truthfulness, of calm earnestness, of fixedness in principle, in short, of everything that enters into the structure of a manly Christian character. Especially is this true, in respect of those doctrines of our faith which concern the closing ages of this world, and the position of the Church of Christ in God's plan for the world's redemption. We make a hopeful advance in Christian experience, when a living faith on these subjects no more and no less than is plainly warranted by God's word and providence- takes the place of dreams and romance.

-