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medicine. A degree of proficiency that would qualify him to practice in his native country is not necessary. But so much knowledge as would enable him to be exceedingly serviceable to the people, to win their confidence and affection, and to confer on him an influence the most important and advantageous, in accomplishing the objects of his mission might be acquired prior to his departure from England, without in an injurious degree directing his attention from other pursuits. I speak from painful experience of deficiency in the means for meeting the necessities of my own family, as well as those of the people among whom I have resided. I know they still exist, and therefore express myself more strongly than I should otherwise feel warranted to do."

In a letter from Rev. H. Howard, Baptist missionary in Rangoon, Burmah, is the following appeal. It is dated March, 21, 1835.

"Can you not, under God, do something to send us some physicians? I verily believe that a physician of the right stamp would possess double the advantage to do good in Burmah Proper to that of any other man— and that this sentiment should be proclaimed and reiterated through all the American churches."

In order to show the suffering of the natives of Burmah, and their desire for aid at the hands of Europeans, the following instance, among a great many, may be recorded. It is from the pen of Mrs. Vinton, and is dated in March 1835.

"When we first came here it was very sickly; we sometimes had three or four new cases of malignant jungle fever in the course of a day. It seemed entirely use

less to close the lid of the medicine chest, and what was still worse, we had to nurse as well as prescribe. We frequently were applied to by those who did not possess either dish, spoon, or knife, to help themselves with, so that we had to send what few dishes we had with medicine to the sick, till often we are quite destitute ourselves. In one circumstance where I was administering an emetI ic, I wished to give the patient a little warm water. looked around for a dish, but in vain; there was not one to be seen but the filthy rice pot. At length they got a piece of cocoa-nut shell, and she drank as cheerfully as though it had been silver. As the Lord condescended to bless the medicine given to the recovery of the sick, it gave the natives an unbounded confidence in us as physicians. Mr. V. was even sent for one hot day to go and see a man about three miles distant, who had been confined to his bed for three years. The cords of his limbs were so shrunk that he could not stand on them. In this case we had not so much faith as the poor sufferer. As he had been sending to us from time to time for medicinę, we could not find it in our hearts to say nay; and yet, faithless as we were, the man is now by the blessing of God nearly recovered. Another instance: while Mr. V. was absent, intelligence was received that there was a man at some distance attacked with the jungle fever, was delirious, and would not probably live but a few hours. As I gave permission for him to be brought to the zayat they laughed aloud for joy. They, therefore, brought him as if to lay him at my feet. I looked upon him; reason said, his case was hopeless; but faith said, God would raise him up and show him his mercy. The third day he returned home.

In the year 1831 it was concluded by the American missionaries at Bombay to establish a new station in the Deccan. In pursuance of this design, a delegation made a journey into the interior; and found on all hands most eligible and inviting places of labor. During a journey of four hundred miles the delegates visited about fifty populous villages. Ahmedmuggur was finally selected as the seat of the new mission. "Junere," says the Rev. Hollis Read, was regarded as a desirable location, but could not be occupied for the want of a physician. It is neither a civil, nor a military station of the Government, and consequently no English surgeon is stationed there. We cannot occupy such towns, till we can have missionary physicians."

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CHAPTER X.

Facts and opinions continued,-from Borneo,-Algiers,-Journal of the Landers in the interior of Africa,-Persia,-Constantinople,— Syria.

A RECENT number of the Chinese Repository, from which we have already extensively quoted, has in it an able article, on the Island of Borneo, its condition, prospects, and so forth.

That Island it will be remembered, ranks the third in size among the islands of our globe; New Holland and New Guinea only being larger. All who have traversed the Indian Seas, have looked upon its geographical position,-convenient for an extensive inter-tropical commerce,,—with great interest. With a soil unparalleled for fertility; and with rivers connecting all parts of its interior with safe and commodious harbors, it stands unrivalled among the Eastern countries. Not only has it attracted the notice of the voyager and the man of commerce; but the moral condition of its inhabitants has called forth the ardent sympathy of the Christian. But in the way of their improvement and salvation there has seemed to be impassable barriers. The few unsatisfactory accounts that have reached the European, have led to the belief that a state of extreme savagism characterize the people, rendering it hopeless to exercise a salutary influence over them. The island has long been known as the great depot of the pirates that at times scour the Eastern seas; a terror to the unarmed merchant-mariner. In the scale

of estimation generally adopted, the Battas of Sumatra even, have no doubt been considered better than the Borneans. And herein has consisted the hopelessness of the case. They have seemed beyond the reach of mercy or of means. The able writer in the Repository lights up a gleam of hope concerning them; and expresses the opinion that, by a proper course, access, ready access, may be had to them. It is worthy of notice that this writer instinctively turns to the means advocated in this volume as the plan best adapted to the case.

following:

Mark the

"At the present time a missionary, who should go from Singapore under the protection of the resident of that place, would be safe from violence in Borneo Proper. He would be protected by the sultan, who knows it is important for him to keep on good terms with the English. But the missionary should not rely too much on governmental protection. His trust should be in Him who turneth the hearts of kings and others, "as the rivers of water are turned," and in the favor which his benevolence and beneficence shall, through the blessing of that protector, secure for him among the people. A missionary to the Malays of Borneo should doubtless first visit Singapore. He could there make himself master of the language, and secure the friendship of the Malays, who go thither by thousands every year. He can while there, exert no small influence in favor of his great object in Borneo. He can also learn what course it will be necessary for him to pursue on entering his field of labor, to secure his safety, and accomplish his object. feels himself prepared to enter the field, he

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