a garden inclosed by a fine wall nine feet high; four wells; and fifty one palmyra trees, the fruit of which is the principal food of the natives half the year. Tillipally is likewise a place of great amenity and salubrity, resembling Batticotta in its builddings. The one is about six, and the other ten miles distant from Jaffnapatam. The brethren proceeded to put these glebes in repair, with the expectation that they would be granted by government to the mission. In this they were not disappointed; and the liberality of the government has even added similar buildings, and lands in six other parishes in the vicinity.

The missionaries immediately commenced schools for the heathen children and youth, and in one of them, at Tillipally, had soon sixteen boys able to read the Tamul and English testament with facility. One of the youths who attended the schools soon became very interesting. He was a Malabar of nineteen, named Supyen. He had heard something about the christianreligion, and came with a desire to be instructed. With much agitation he soon confessed his conviction of the truth, and expressed a willingness to forsake all for Christ. His father hearing of this came to remove him from the missionaries. Indeed he had no sooner got him from their sight, than he stripped and beat him cruelly, sparing no persuasions or threats to induce him to renounce Christianity. But the youth persevered. About a month after he was taken home, he was forced to attend an idol feast.

It was allotted him to make an offering to the idol. He went into the apartment, stripped the idol, and kneeled down to pray to the living God. His companions saw him through the curtain and were terrified, but his father came and punished him with great severity. He only said, "Christ warned his disciples to expect such treatThree or four weeks after he was rudely seized by his father and relations, his feet were put in the stocks, his hands and arms closely bound with cords, and he severely whipped. His Christian books

ment."

were brought and burned, and he was compelled to write a recantation. Still he remained firm; and though sent into the interior of the island, and afterwards exposed to extreme suffering at home, he showed no signs of apostacy. When his father was about to convey him to some heathen relations on the coast, he remonstrated. "You have done many things to turn me from the Christian religion, but to no purpose. You sent me to Candy, but I returned a Christian. If you now carry me to the coast, I shall return a Christian, for as I am a Christian in heart, I shall always be one." The father abandoned his purpose, but left hisson to wander in beggary. May it not be hoped this young confessor is designed to be another Christian David?

The missionaries became useful to the wretched population around them, by their knowledge of physic. Their morning prayers were attended by many whe came for medical aid-many wasting with hunger and disease, with no place to shelter them in sickness. Assisted by the active benevolence of one or two gen. tlemen, they, therefore, built a hospital and furnished it. But how mysterious are the ways of Providence! While these humane physicians were administering healing to others, they became themselves the victims of disease. Mr. Warren, before leaving America, was taken with a bleeding at the lungs, which threatened to be fatal. His voyage restored him, apparently, to health; but on the 13th of August his malady returned. Mr. Richards, likewise, in consequence of a severe cold taken on the passage from Columbo, fell into a languid state; and his symptons gradually became alarming. Both these brethren went to Columbo intending to try the effect of a voyage to Bombay. They were detained several months, by increasing illness, but at length they sailed for the Cape of Good Hope. The voyage was beneficial; and their symptons improved, until, after having come in sight of land, they were repeatedly driven out to sea for fourteen days, by severe and

cold winds. This occasioned a relapse, and on the 11th of August Mr. Warren deceased. He died with composure. His last words were, "Is this death? Is this death? Yes, it is death, it is death. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. To day I shall be with Christ. Tell brother Richards, tell the brethren at Jaffna, to be faithful unto death." Mr. Richards still survived; but with little prospect of recovery.

While the mission at Ceylon was thus deprived of half its strength, that at Bombay received an accession of numbers. Messrs. Graves and Nichols, who sailed from Boston Oct. 5, 1817, arrived there in February following. The former was fixed at Mahim, about six miles from Bombay, and the latter designated to Tanna, twenty five miles distant, on the island of Salsette. The prospects of the mission are very flattering. The system of operations includes preaching, translating, printing and distributing the Scriptures and religious tracts, and the instruction of the children. They have printed 1500 copies of a Scripture tract; a large edition of St. Matthew's gospel and of the Acts of the Apostles; and a tract of select scripture portions, all of which were translated by themselves. Their schools are eleven in number, embracing 600, and including all who attend in the course of a year, 1200, Jewish, Mahometan, but chiefly Heathen boys. The number of schools at Ceylon is somewhat less, but at both missions the system of instructing children and youth, is preparing the way for the rapid progress of the Gospel.

CHAPTER II.

WESTERN MISSION.

Cherokee mission commenced by Mr. Kingsbury-Joined by Messrs. Hoyt and Butrick--Choctaw missionSuccess among the Cherokees-Description of the station-Foreign mission school-Income of the Board. THE Board early turned their attention to the Aborigines of this country. They first patronized Eleaz

er Williams of the Cahnawaga tribe in fitting for a mission to his countrymen. But he disappointed their expectations. Afterwards Messrs. Meigs and Warren were designated for a western mission. This was prevented by the sickness of Mr. Warren, which made it advisable for him to go to the East. An instrument was however preparing for the work.

Mr. Cyrus Kingsbury, while pursuing his studies at Andover, fixed his heart on the Indians. After finishing his course he proceeded, in 1816, under patronage of the Board, to the Cherokee country, with the view of commencing an establishment. On his way he had an interview with the Heads of department at Washington, and was assured of the patronage of Government. Arriving at the Indian country, he was favourably received. He laid the object of his mission before a general council of the Cherokees and Creeks. Α principal chief then took him affectionately by the hand, and said, “You have appeared in full council, we have listened to what you have said, and understood it. We are glad to see you. We wish to have schools established, and hope they will be of great advantage to the nation."

Cheered by these favourable dispositions, the missionary purchased a plantation that had been occupi ed by a Scotchman, and immediately made preparation to cultivate the land and open a school. He commenc ed his operations on the 13th of January, and in March was joined by Messrs. Hall and Williams, sent out as teachers, with their wives. They built four log cabins, and soon had 26 children in their school.

The following January the mission was greatly strengthened by the addition of Mr. Butrick, and Mr. Hoyt, with his family. The latter had been pastor of a church at Wilkes barre, Pennsylvania. In examining the subject of evangelizing the Indians, "My mind," says he," was expanded, my heart was enlarged, and imagination painted these now savage tribes, English in their language, civilized in their manners, and Christian in their religion.' I then said, who will go'

and for my life could not help replying in the language of the prophet,' Here am I ; send me."" He offered himself to the Board, was accepted,and immediately set out with his family for the Indian country. The journey from Savannah was by land. It was somewhat tedious.. The 28d of Dec. Mr. Hoyt writes in his journal; "With great joy and elevation of spirits we entered the territory of the natives. Night coming on, we encamped by the road side in the true stile of the country. Our waggon, with blankets hung on poles, formed a semi-circle, in the front of which, by the side of a fallen tree, we made a fire. Here we prepared and took our tea, read a chapter, sung the psalm entitled, the Traveller's Psalm,' and with great joy and satisfaction bowed the knee around the family altar. Under the suspended blankets the young people slept, myself and wife in the waggon. I believe we all felt perfectly at home, and, so far as I could discover, every one rejoiced that we were now to rest on Indian ground. A rain in the latter part of the night rendered our situation rather uncomfortable; but the thought of having entered the field of our future labors rendered every thing pleasant." Two daughters who accompanied their father are hopefully pious, and have proved highly useful. One of them is since married to Mr. Chamberlain, a young man who resided in Mr. Hoyt's family, and with him offered himself to the mission.

This addition enabled the missionaries to contemplate forming an establishment among the Choctaws. Mr. Kingsbury with Mr. and Mrs. Williams were designated to the service. They therefore left the station among the Cherokees, now called Brainerd, and departed to go 400 miles distant into a perfect wilderness. On parting the whole mission family were assembled. Mr. Hoyt prayed, and all united in singing, "Blest be the tie that binds." Many tears were shed. About 200 miles of the journey was by land, eighty of which was through a wilderness, with only a foot path. Besides cutting their way through the thickets, they were frequently obliged to unload the waggon, and