who reads and writes Singhalese: the latter is a man who renounced Romanism some time ago, and has since been uncommonly active in his village. These men are to hold services on the Sabbath, and also pray with the people and instruct them on week-days. And from the character of the men I have reason to expect much good will be done by them. Mr. Atherton has also made them Constables in their respective villages, that they may have power to protect the Veddahs from ill-disposed Moormen who go to barter with them. I am happy to say that both the Government and Mr. Atherton, the Government Agent and District Judge, are taking great interest in the welfare of these poor wanderers. I stated before that the Government had granted £200 for settling them. This year they have granted £200 more; and Mr. Atherton is applying himself with great_diligence to its proper appropriation. The two schools I have mentioned are not Mission-schools, but "Mackenzie schools." I think I told you that our late Governor, (the Hon. Stewart Mackenzie,) before leaving Ceylon, empowered Mr. Atherton and myself to draw £25 a year from his sonin-law, the Hon. P. Anstruther, for the support of a school amongst the Veddahs; and I am glad to say we shall be able to keep two with the sum. This relieves the Mission considerably. Our prospects in the jungle are still encouraging. I understand that nine or ten families of village Veddahs wish to embrace Christianity, and to settle with some others that have already been baptized. We shall, therefore, probably have another nice village in a few months. With regard to my plans of supplying the Veddahs with the means of grace for the future, you will perceive that we are rendering them some permanent assistance in the two Schoolmasters. I also wish, as soon as possible, to get down two of their number for the purpose of giving them the opportunity of attending all the public ordinances of religion here, and getting instruction on various subjects. These men I wish ultimately to send as Catechists to their own people. In the mean time I shall go round as frequently as I can, and shall also send Mr. Philips and others. John Supermanien, who is appointed Head-man of Bintenne, is one of our very pious members. He will frequently be amongst them, and will lose no opportunity of instructing them. If they had spoken Tamul, we could have supplied them still better. Our work nearer home is increasingly encouraging. The new chapel is nearly full, and fresh hearers come every Sabbath. In 1840 our number of members increased from forty to fifty-four. This year it has risen to ninety; and we have several more on trial. The attendance of our native members at their classes is very regular; and several, during the year, have entered into the liberty of the children of God, and can now give that clear scriptural testimony, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God." The feeling in favour of Christianity is very general throughout the District; so much so, that some of the Heathens of Trincomalee are greatly afraid lest their friends here should leave the religion of their fathers. A number of respectable native Catholics are just on the point of renouncing the errors of Catholicism. I may add, that none of those who have been baptized have manifested any desire to return to Heathenism. And, lastly, I would mention, what is to me a source of great hope and expectation,-a daily prayer-meeting held at half-past six in the morning. We established it about three months ago, for the purpose of pleading for the more abundant outpouring of the Spirit upon the people. A few of our most sterling members attend every morning, and seem to throw their whole souls into their prayers for the salvation of their countrymen. Nothing pleases me more than to hear those men wrestling in mighty prayer for the downfal of Heathenism, Mahometanism, and every other false system. And I trust that their minds become daily more and more impressed with that important truth: "It is not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." I endeavour to impress, both upon my own mind and theirs, that all our labour is vain without the influence of the Spirit. And I trust that I feel daily more and more the force of that saying, "Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but God giveth the increase." I see it my duty to use every means which God has appointed for the salvation of men, because I know that God generally worketh by means, and seldom without them; but yet I am confident that, except the breath of God breathe upon them, they are a dead letter. I also wish to have that important truth of Scripture, that God is jealous of his honour, and will not give it to another, impressed upon my own mind and upon the minds of the people, that we may be led to adopt those means which will show to ourselves and others that the work is all of God. Here I see the beauty of our prayer-meetings, not only as bringing down the blessing of God upon us, but as showing to the Heathen what is the main-spring of Christianity and also the superiority of simply preaching Christ crucified, over both mere school operations, and the system of trying to root out Heathenism by secular knowledge only, in order to plant Christianity. Christianity, when faithfully preached, has a power to overturn instrumentally everything that opposes, and to do it in a way which makes the work appear all divine. of the Heathens and the Romanists, at least, seem ready to receive the truth. With regard to expenditure, I hope that £50 will meet anything additional which I may want, before the next DistrictMeeting. If the work continue to spread, we shall require Catechists at some of the distant places. At present we can procure a good deal of help, for the nearer villages, from some of our zealous natives, whom I think of planning as Exhorters, in a week or two: and some of them would be willing to go to more distant places, if they could afford it. This difficulty I can obviate, by paying their expenses, which will be very trifling. However, if our prospects continue to brighten, I must bring before the Dis With these views I would entreat the praying people of England, through you, to bring the case of the Batticaloa District-Meeting the necessity of requesting trict to the throne of grace in prayer every day, for at least three months. I trust none will refuse. It is a small request; but its results may be better to us than thousands of gold and silver. There are fifty thousand souls in the District, bowing to dumb idols, or believing in the false Prophet, or under the influence of the errors of Popery. Many you to send another European Missionary. I will not make the request until I see it absolutely necessary; for I think no burden ought to be thrown upon the Committee, under the present embarrassed state of the funds, but when we are almost sure of seeing some early fruit as the result. ANNIVERSARY OF THE LONDON DISTRICT AUXILIARY THE ANNUAL MEETING of this Auxiliary will be held in GreatQueen-Street chapel, on Wednesday evening, May 18th, 1842, at six o'clock. For particulars as to admission, and a list of the sermons to be preached in connexion with this Anniversary, on Sunday, May 15th, in various London chapels, see the cover of this Number of the Magazine. MR. WATERHOUSE'S JOURNAL. * THE remaining part of this valuable Journal has been recently received. It is our intention, instead of printing portions of it in successive months, to publish it at once, and, for that purpose, to print it as a SUPPLEMENTARY NUMBER of the "Notices," as soon as practicable. We are sure that it will be read with deep interest, and that its extensive circulation must greatly serve the cause of Missions. N.B. The List of Recent CONTRIBUTIONS is unavoidably postponed till next Month. LONDON-PRINTED BY JAMES NICHOLS, HOXTON-SQUARE. FOR JUNE, 1842. BIOGRAPHY. MEMOIR OF MR. CHARLES BARROWCLIFF, BY THE REV. BENJAMIN CLAYTON, MR. CHARLES BARROWCLIFF was born at Gringley, near Bawtry, in Nottinghamshire, on March 2d, 1810. From his infancy he was of a very affectionate disposition, and was also kind and dutiful to his parents. There is but little known of his early life. When about fourteen years of age he was removed from under his father's roof, and committed to the care of a master, who was a professor of religion, and a Local Preacher. The master was strongly attached to his apprentice; who, however, during the latter part of his apprenticeship, by yielding to the influence of ungodly companions, was led into considerable laxity of morals, and pierced himself through with many sorrows; so that he proved that "the way of transgressors is hard." After his apprenticeship was ended, he remained in an unsettled state for some length of time: he then, about 1830, entered into the service of a master at Newark. It was while he resided there, in the twenty-first year of his age, that he first yielded to the Holy Spirit's influence. This decision took place on the evening of Wednesday, October 2d, of that year. His language on the subject was nearly as follows: "While sitting by the fire, I was led into serious reflection upon my ungodly ways. While continuing to meditate, I was powerfully convinced of the sinfulness and danger of my state; and, for the first time in my life, formed a determination to 'flee from the wrath to come.' But, aware of my own weakness, and that only by Him strengthening me I could do all things, I at once betook myself to the throne of grace, dedicated myself to Almighty God, and earnestly prayed for divine assistance to enable me to seek his face, and be faithful unto death." He now saw it his imperative duty to make restitution to those he had in any sense injured, while in his unconverted state. He thus became evangelically penitent, and went about weeping, and almost overwhelmed with distress, for about the space of three weeks; after which, by exercising the faith of implicit trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, he was justified freely by the grace of God. He felt he had believed on the Son of God, and had the witness in VOL. XXI. Third Series. JUNE, 1842. 2 I |