ful, but their appearance was most degrading and disgusting. They had their bodies plastered over with a thick coating of either red earth or charcoal; some had one half of their faces painted red; others all red or all black, as suited their taste: this, indeed, is the only covering they wear, except the females, who are decently covered with matted leaves. The native houses are low, wretchedlooking hovels, and they have neither mats to sleep on nor cloth to cover them. In the cold season they huddle together, like so many pigs, to keep each other warm, or sleep near a fire. The women are the slaves they weed and till the ground, dig the yams, climb the cocoa-nut trees, cook the food, and carry burdens; while the men walk about at their ease, with their clubs and spears, and bows and arrows. Conference with the Native Chiefs. On our return we found the Chiefs assembled in the teachers' house, and immediately proposed to them a number of questions, viz.-Whether they wished the Missionaries to reside among them? Would they treat their wives with respect? In case of war how would they act towards them? Would they give them a piece of land to build a house on? Would they assist in building a house for them? To these questions satisfactory answers were given, and we then returned to the ship. First commemoration in Tanna of the death of Christ. July 3, (Sabbath.)-This has been a memorable day. The brethren, Heath, Slatyer, Johnston, Turner, and Nisbet, went ashore about nine in the morning, and had a meeting with the natives in the open air, under the shade of a large tree. About 200 were present: most of them, who had the means, came decently clad, and were very attentive; while, through an interpreter, the brethren severally addressed them. Most of the men were armed with clubs, and bows and arrows. About half-past ten the Bethel-flag was hoisted in the Camden, and a boat's crew, with the Captains of each of the other vessels, came and united with us in solemn worship. In the afternoon, the ordinance of the Lord's Supper was administered, and addresses were given both in Samoan and English. The service was one of peculiar interest, as it was the first time of commemorating the dying of the Lord Jesus in this heathen land. Departure from Tanna. We remained till the 8th of July, when we bade farewell to our dear friends, and weighed anchor. We left them in much more favourable circumstances than we an ticipated. The teachers' house, in which they will reside till their own is erected, is a very good one, and the natives are very civil towards them. Resolution Bay is a beautiful place: close by there is an active volcano, which during our stay, was continually sending forth thick volumes of smoke, and in the night, at times the heavens were reddened with its blaze. The sight, a little way off at sea, was sometimes very grand. Every now and then it was accompanied by a rumbling noise, as of an immense volley of musketry. Nina-usefulness of the native evangelists. From Resolution Bay we proceeded to Nina, and arrived there about four o'clock of the same day. Brother Slatyer and myself went ashore, and proceeded to the teachers' house. After waiting a little, three of the principal Chiefs came to see us, accompanied by a number of the people, with whom we had some conversation. Every thing appeared just as we found it at Tanna: there are no converts, but a favourable impression seems to have been produced, and many attend worship on the Sabbath. Six times the teachers have been successful in preventing war; and soon after they landed, a boat's crew from a whaler would have been cut off, and every individual massacred, had they not interfered and prevented it. Pledges of a future harvest at Eranan. July 10, (Sabbath.)-We sailed close to Eranan, but the wind blew so hard, it was with great difficulty we could hold any communication with the shore. We succeeded at last in getting off from the island Samuela, one of the teachers, from whom we learnt that the good work had been commenced that twelve women and five men had embraced Christianity, and had stood firm; while some others had made a profession, but in time of trial fell away. We were delighted to hear of these-the first fruits of the New Hebrides; and our prayers ascended with our praises that this little one may soon become a thousand. The Chief of Ekeamu friendly to the July 11.-Anchored at Ekeamu. With the native teacher, Davida, for our guide and interpreter, we went ashore to see the Chiefs and people. As we neared the beach a young man ran into the water to meet us, clapping his hands and shewing other demonstrations of great joy, calling out "Davida, Davida !" We were informed by the latter that he was one of three who had become converts, and that he was delighted to see him return to the island. We were conducted to the apartments of the old Chief, who had always befriended the con verts; expressed our gratitude to him for his conduct; and urged upon him the object of our visit. He told us his people had been foolishly obstinate in disbelieving the teachers, considering them as "castaways," and not expecting again to see the ship that brought them; but that being now convinced what they had told them was true, they resolved to delay no longer, but would from henceforth attend to instruction. The natives plundered by foreigners. The people in this island are not so fierce in their appearance as those at Tanna: they are of lighter complexion, and we scarcely saw a war instrument among them. They told us they were much frightened by the crews of the sandal-wood ships, whose conduct, according to their account, has been most disgraceful. Armed bodies of men would go on shore; and after offering the natives some trifle for their pigs, which they could not accept, the foreigners would proceed to shoot the pigs, and carry them off by force-their fowls shared the same fate, and their taro had also been taken away. Through Davida, we expressed our utter abhorrence of such conduct, and they were glad to find we did not belong to that party. Criminal and appalling practice. This is a large island, mountainous, with but little low land where we anchored-what low land there was appeared very swampy. Here the natives had their plantations of taro and sugar-cane, planted in beds with much neatness and taste, and enclosed in a fence of reeds very skilfully constructed. We heard of a horrid custom prevalent in this island, namely, the immolation of widows. When the husband dies, whether he have one, two, or a dozen wives, they must all be strangled and cast together into the sea, where the people bury all their dead. Davida informed us, that, a few days previous to our arrival, he had been the means of saving one poor creature from strangulation. Her husband had died, and the brother of the wife, whose office it is to perpetrate the horrid deed, was prepared with a cord for the purpose. Davida ran between him and his victim, and rescued her, and made the brother promise that he would not again attempt it. The husband was consequently buried without the wife, and her life was spared. The New Hebrides appealing to the Church of Christ. This group presents a very interesting sphere of labour-the work, on all the islands we have visited, wears an encouraging aspect: we hope the Directors will not delay to send out a reinforcement. There are three very large islands; viz., Tanna, Erromanga, and Sandwich Island, and three smaller ones, Nina, Fetuna, and Ekeamu. We may hope they will all soon be ready to receive the messengers of Christ, and then thirty Missionaries would be few enough vigorously to carry on the work. INDIA. MISSIONARY VISIT TO LUCKNOW. LAST year, the Directors will remember, I On the 15th of January, we reached Lucknow. This is the largest native city in India, and in the number and magnificence of its public buildings, it is perfectly unique. We had no idea previously of its vast extent and its dense population. Even Benares is small in comparison, and its public buildings are far inferior. As the present king is very strict in the observance of his own faith, and intolerant to others of a different persuasion, it was thought by our friends in Lucknow, that we had better not attempt to preach to the Mussulmans, nor, indeed, address them at all on this occasion, but confine ourselves to doing good amongst the small Christian population. This advice occasioned us no small grief, as it seemed to hold out a complete disappointment to all our hopes and prospects. However, after deliberation and prayer, we resolved on making an effort to benefit the Mussulmans, leaving the consequences to God. In accordance with this determination, we succeeded in engaging an empty house in the densest part of the city, and had removed to it all our boxes of books for sale and gratuitous distribution. The house stood in front of the market-place, and when we had arranged our book-shelves they could be seen by all the passers-by. Thither we went every morning, and came away every evening. At first we had but few visiters, and, when they found that our books were for sale, they expressed themselves disappointed, as they had heard that, in the Company's provinces, we distributed them gratuitously. Soon, however, the news spread that Missionaries had arrived in Lucknow, and the street was crowded by persons anxious to speak with us. For eight successive days, we were engaged perpetually in preaching and teaching, and religious discussions. Some of our hearers seemed pleased to see us, while others appeared very angry that we had dared to come: one Maulavi said on parting, that if he had the power he would not allow us to remain longer. All this while we continued to offer our larger books for sale, and gave away the smaller ones to those who could read. Their eagerness to obtain the latter was, however, the occasion of much confusion, and threatened something worse, as one day a rush was made towards our book-shelves, and ten or twelve New Testaments were forcibly carried off. After this we found it necessary to be cautious as to whom we should admit, and succeeded in making arrangements which effectually excluded all characters of a ruder sort. As now only one or two days remained, previous to the commencement of the Muharram, when we should not be allowed even so much as to show ourselves as preachers of the Gospel, we resolved on distributing, gratuitously, all the books we had brought with us: this we did, to the great satisfaction of the people, though the supply was little commensurate with the demand. Having emptied our shelves of our Persian and Hindoo books, and thus accomplished all that we could do in a transient visit, and even more than we had dared to hope, we gave up our house in the Bazaar. At our lodgings, however, we had subsequently many visiters, including two or three Pundits, to whom we gave copies of the Scriptures in the Hindoo. On the 31st we left Lucknow, and after visiting Cawnpore and Allahabad returned to Mirzapore. BAPTISM OF HINDOO CONVERTS AT BANGALORE. Gradual enlightenment of a heathen mind. After about a year and a half, he requested baptism; but, as his knowledge was scarcely sufficient to warrant my compliance, I delayed until he should better understand what he was doing. There was no trace of insincerity or improper motive, but rather the reverse; and I do not now feel satisfied that it was right After about anto decline baptizing him. other year's trial and instruction, I felt no hesitation in admitting him into the Christian Church by baptism. He is, at present, a very delightful specimen of the triumph of christian principles over all the darkness and wickedness of heathenism. His example has been already, to my knowledge, very useful; and the unostentatious consistency of his conduct has attracted admiration. We have named him Lazarus. May it be his privilege to be specially beloved of Christ! Power of grace in a young Hindoo female. The case of a native girl, whom I have baptized, is also very interesting. She was as wild and as ignorant as a heathen girl could be, when she was intrusted to the Care of my dear wife, by her parents, about two years ago. But when I look at her now, and compare her with what she was then, and with what she would have been had she continued in the darkness of heathenism, I cannot but magnify the grace of God. Her mind gradually opened to the truth, and her prejudice against it being apparently nothing but the carnality of the unrenewed heart, gave way to its claims, and she soon acquired such a measure of intelligence, and manifested such a spirit of inquiry, as encouraged exertion and excited hope. Unreserved surrender to the Saviour. During Mrs. Sewell's frequent and longcontinued illnesses, this girl was constantly with her, to wait upon her; and was at the same time constantly receiving instruction from her, not in set and formal lessons, so much as in free and familiar conversations. She also witnessed, on one or two occasions especially, the power of Christianity to produce resignation under painful and trying disappointments; and it was evident the effect of them was beneficial to her mind. Her first manifestation of faith in Christ was during an attack of fever which threatened her life, about one year ago, when she expressed herself as not afraid to die, because she trusted in Christ for the pardon of all her sins, and for the complete salvation of her soul. She recovered from that illness, and ever since has shown a more serious and decided attachment to Christianity than she did before. It was about six months after this, according to her own account, that she seriously determined to follow Christ fully, and a few weeks afterwards she requested to be admitted to the church by baptism. Combination of christian decision and filial reverence. Her simplicity, humility, and love to the Saviour, were remarkable in the spirit which she manifested on this occasion, and the only obstacle to her baptism appeared to be the opposition which her parents would make. In encountering that opposition, she displayed great firmness and decision for God, without any improper or unbecoming disregard of parental authority, and used the most winning and persuasive arguments to induce her parents, her father more particularly, to consent; and at last to her entreaties, and to our arguments, he yielded so far as to promise no active opposition. In this respect he has kept his word, and continues to treat the girl as his daughter, though she has broken her caste. Stedfastness in the faith. She continues thus far to walk consistently, though, from her age, (only about fourteen,) she cannot be supposed to have acquired a very mature christian character. Her name was Kalee-the name of one of the most frightful forms of Doorga, the goddess of evil. She is now called Lydia, after her "whose heart the Lord opened, so that she attended unto the things that were spoken by Paul.” These instances, with the progress of inquiry, the increase of knowledge, and the desire of the people to have their children educated in our schools, which we have now considerably extended, encourage and cheer us in the midst of many things calculated to depress our minds. MORAL CONDITION OF THE INHABITANTS OF COIMBATOOR. (From Rev. E. Lewis, Coimbatoor, January 17, 1843.) Character, employment, and influence of the Brahmins. In conversing freely with the people in their own language, by which I have been enabled to form an estimate of their comparative views of idolatry and Christianity, I have frequently in my own mind divided them into three classes, namely, confirmed idolaters, sceptics, and inquirers. The first class, chiefly consists of Brahmins, especially those of them who depend for their livelihood on the liberal support which Government affords to idolatry. As these Temple Brahmins form a considerable portion of the "Holy and superhuman fraternity," (as they frequently call themselves,) and are employed by the other Brahmins who devote themselves to worldly pursuits, and by people of inferior castes, to purify their houses, pray for the dead, propitiate the spirits of departed friends, cure diseases, exorcise demons, and many other things of the like nature,-they naturally exercise an almost unbounded influence over the greater part of the people, whom, by acting upon their fears, they hold in abject submission to their own power, and in the grossest darkness respecting even the first principles of natural religion. It is scarcely necessary to say that men of this description, whose entire influence over the bodies and minds of the inferior people, and whose means of subsistence depend exclusively upon a firm adherence to their own system, are, without exception, confirmed idolaters. Still they do not altogether avoid intercourse with Missionaries, especially when they can meet an opportunity of openly depreciating Christianity, and of extolling the virtues of their own dumb idols, in the presence of a mob of their own people. On such occasions they studiously avoid everything in the form of an argument, being convinced that they would be defeated in the very attempt to defend idolatry in this way: they therefore deal in the wildest declamations, and the most ridiculous and extravagant non sense. There are, however, among even these persons a few, and but a few, who readily embrace any opportunity of conversing with a Missionary alone, and who, before the conversation is brought to a close, will not only freely acknowledge the excellency of the Christian Religion; but frankly confess that their adherence to their own system is merely worldly policy, and, as they frequently term it, "A profitable matter for the stomach." Atheistical objectors to Christianity. The second class of persons consists of sceptics. By public preaching, wide distribution of tracts, and other means, these persons have acquired sufficient knowledge to perceive that the idols which they formerly worshipped are "nothing in the world;" yet as to a belief in the existence of "one living and true God," they have none, or at least seem to have none; judging by the mode of reasoning which they adopt in reference to this subject. Frequently, after speaking to a mixed assembly in the market places and elsewhere, and when led to entertain a slight hope that their minds had been somewhat seriously impressed by the truths of the Gospel, one or two of these persons have boldly stepped forward, and, in the presence of all the rest, not only denied everything which I had advanced, respecting the depravity of human nature, and the way of salvation through Jesus Christ, but impiously asked "Where is the God you speak of? Show him to us and we will believe in his existence: our gods we can see, and therefore acknowledge their existence, but, as you rightly told us they are not God, for they can neither see, hear, speak, nor walk. We are, therefore, dissatisfied in our own minds as to the truth of what you advance respecting the existence of any God whatever." Thus they reason within themselves, and thus they speak. No argument whatever, drawn either from analogy, or from the natural connexion which they everywhere observe between cause and effect, seems to produce any conviction in them of the existence of an Intelligent Being who made all things. They seem to me to have closed their minds against conviction, and to have plunged themselves into the awful gulf of atheism. However, they are different from atheists in Europe in one point of viewthey use no persuasions to make proselytes, but are contented with being atheists themselves; neither do the theists attempt to reclaim them. So long as they do not call themselves Christians, but observe a strict attention to all the forms and distinctions of caste, no one will attempt to molest them. Mournful consequence of the fear of man. To the third class belong inquirers. With several of these I have frequently had the pleasure of conversing. Some of them, (as they tell me,) have renounced all connexion with idolatry for several years past. They live as formerly among their heathen relatives, and are silent spectators of all the idolatrous practices of their neighbours. They embrace every opportunity of speaking to Missionaries, and of obtaining books from them. These books they preserve with great care, and read very attentively. They frequently tell me, "We have a great desire to become Christians, but the very first day we attempt to take such an important step our relatives will abandon us for life, and leave us no other prospect than that of poverty and infamy." Their condition is such as could not but excite the sympathy and prayers of any Christian well acquainted with them. May the Lord of his infinite mercy deliver them speedily from this state of painful indecision, and bring them into the " glorious liberty of the children of God." CHAPELTON STATION, JAMAICA. THE following grateful intelligence has been communicated by the Rev. Robert Jones, Missionary at Chapelton, in a letter received by the Rev. J. J. Freeman, since arriving in this country, after his visit, as the Deputation of the Society, to Jamaica. encourage us in During the last have become de We have had much to our work since you left. few weeks several persons cidedly devoted to God. There is quite a favourable movement on the part of the young, since we established special meetings amongst them. We hope soon to receive several of them into the church. You will be sorry to hear that we have lost two young persons by death: one was a girl who had received her education in the school, and gave good evidence that she died in Jesus. The other was one of our newly-elected Deacons, named John Richards, who died a week after you left the island. You will remember him, I dare say, when I tell you that it was the same young man who took your boxes to Kingston: he was poorly then, and the fever became stronger upon him, so that he was never able to rise from his bed after his return from town. His loss is felt by all who knew him, being a most humble, consistent, and devoted Christian: he was beloved and respected by every member of the church. Throughout the whole of his illness, (which was most painful and distressing) he manifested great meekness and resignation to the will of God. For several days he was delirious, but not a word escaped his lips inconsistent with the religion of Jesus. He wished sometimes to be left alone, and when all his friends had retired from the room, he was heard praying very earnestly for God to have mercy on him, and bless him, and give him patience to bear his affliction. He said, two days before his death, that he knew he should soon die, but of death he was not afraid. He bade his friends farewell with composure. We feel that we have lost a faithful friend. The last service that he engaged in was the communion of the Lord's Supper, at which |