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opinions of the natives on the subject of religion, we often feel to be highly encouraging, while it excites the hope that the continued preaching of the gospel will yet, even amongst them, produce its appropriate effect."

MINISTRATIONS AMONG THE SICK.

"The attendance in the Hospital is as large as formerly, and affords an excellent opportunity for imparting to numbers a knowledge of Divine things. During the year, a dispensary has been opened twice a week in the Old Chapel, whither many resort for medical relief, who would not go to the Hospital. On these occasions, also, religious services are previously held, which, we trust, in connexion with the highly-appreciated medical assistance rendered them, will yet be found savingly beneficial to many."

THE GOSPEL PROCLAIMED IN THE CITY OF CHAPÍR.

"Our visits to, and reception at, various places have been much in accordance with previous details, so that it were unnecessary to enlarge on this head. We shall therefore confine ourselves to the narrative of a visit lately paid by Messrs. Muirhead and Wylie to the city of Chapír, about eighty miles distant. As you are probably aware, that place was the scene of a severe battle during the Chinese war, the remembrance of which, it was supposed, might have engendered an inimical feeling towards foreigners among the inhabitants. On the contrary, however, (the visitors say,) we experienced no difficulty, and were at liberty to go about and distribute our books just as at other places. In one corner of the city there is a Manchin fort, into which admission has hitherto been found very difficult. After a little time, we succeeded in getting in, and walked through it n the most open manner. About the middle of it, a large congregation of Manchins gathered around us, and as they knew Mandarin, they were addressed in that dialect for a short time. Although seemingly very desirous of our speedy departure, they listened, for the most part, attentively, and readily accepted our books. As we had a few sheets printed in Chinese and Manchin side by side, it evidently excited their surprise that foreigners should know anything of their language, and should come to distribute books in it. The general aspect of the place was tho

roughly Chinese, and we saw nothing particular in the way of military fortification, though we understand it contains a considerable Manchin garrison. On inquiring the number of residents, we were informed there were upwards of one hundred thousand; and this we could easily believe, from the multitudes that crowded round us. The appearance of the men, and particularly of the youth, was very pleasing. Their cast of countenance was altogether different from, and much more noble and intelligent than, that of the Chinese. Whether they had previously emigrated from their native country, or had always resided there-what were the means and extent of communication with Manchius-what proportion of them could read and speak their original language-were points we had not time fully to investigate, though we have since heard, that the distribution of religious books among them might be useful, and through them might be conveyed to their native land. We intimate this, by the way, on the ground that Manchin, and even Mongolian books would sometimes be serviceable to us. In various parts of the country, that could be reached, there are Manchin garrisons, where books in their native tongue would be well received. Besides, we are occasionally visited by persons from the northern provinces, who, as they eagerly desire Chinese books for conveyance to their distant homes, would find available channels for the others in the neighbouring districts. An instance of this occurred in the case of the two Jews who were lately with us. On asking them if Manchin or Mongolian books could be usefully distri buted in their part of the country, they assured us that many resort thither from these places, amongst whom the circulation of such books might be highly advantageous."

MOHAMEDAN MOSQUE AT SMAG-KIANG.

"On our way back to Shanghae we visited Smag-kiang, another large and populous city, about thirty miles distant. In the suburbs we observed the inscription of a Mohamedan mosque, and accordingly went to see it. As the moolah, or chief teacher, was absent at the time, we walked about the adjoining cemetery, which is a place of considerable size and antiquity, and much more resembles a foreign than a native burial-ground. The

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moolah having at length arrived, he received us very politely, and ordered the doors of the front area to be opened. We immediately entered, followed by a crowd of Chinese, and were struck with the neat and clean appearance of the whole place. The mosque was altogether after the Chinese style, having over it and the outer portico a great many Arabic and Chinese inscriptions, all bearing upon the Mohamedan religion. On desiring to see the interior, we were told to look through the blind in front, and on doing so, it seemed to be quite new, and richly decorated with numerous gilt inscriptions hanging on the walls. Conversing with the moolah, we found him to be a very intelligent man, and ready to communicate on any point connected with his religion. He said he understood Arabic, and otherwise could not hold his present position. They had no religious books, except their classic, the Koran. He knew the name of Mohamed, but did not worship him, or any visible image. The only object of their veneration was Heaven. On their Sabbath (which is our Friday, and which happened to be the day of our visit) they observe particular ceremonies, and had just finished them, it seemed, in another part of the city, though we gathered from others of the community, they knew very little either of the day or its observances. The mosque, we were told, was really very ancient; but not long ago, a wealthy Mohamedan, from western province, had repaired it at great expense. The moolah himself came originally from Honan, where his sect is very numerous. Even in the immediate neighbourhood it was said the numbers amounted to fifty or sixty

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families, but as it is not a proselyting sect, they must either have emigrated from other parts of the country, or descended from those who had formerly done so."

TWO JEWS OF KHAE-FUNG-FOO VISIT

SHANGHAE.

"With regard to the two Jews mentioned above, we are happy to say, that since their arrival they were constantly under Christian instruction, and acquired a considerable knowledge of its leading truths. They read various portions of the New Testament, particularly the Gospel of Matthew and the Epistle to the Hebrews. The genealogy of Christ seemed to interest them much, as containing the names of those ancestors they still hold in veneration. Far from showing any opposition to, or prejudice against Christianity, they were quite willing to accept it, as having some similarity to their own system. One of them had been well educated in the Chinese manner, and could read fluently our Christian books. Under the instructions of Mr. Edkins he wrote out literal translations of the early chapters of Genesis and Exodus, with the Hebrew interlined, and at the time he left could go over the first chapter of Genesis in that language without much assistance. We hope his acquirement of so much of his original tongue will prove an inducement to some of his countrymen to send their children here for religious instruction. He left us on the 8th instant, full of this idea, resolving to return with a few boys in about four months. Both of them have taken a supply of our various books for distribution among their Jewish friends."

SOUTH AFRICA.

THIRD JOURNEY OF THE REV. DAVID LIVINGSTON TO THE HITHERTO UNKNOWN

REGIONS OF SOUTH AFRICA.

Ir will be in the recollection of our readers that Mr. Livingston, with a view to the introduction of the gospel among tribes hitherto unvisited by the European, undertook, in the summer of 1819, the exploration of the regions extending north-west from his Station at Kolobeng, and which issued in the discovery of the large interior lake, Ngami, and of several considerable rivers in its vicinity.

Stimulated by the signal success which had crowned his first journey, Mr. Livingston, in the spring of 1850, again left Kolobeng, accompanied on this occasion by his family, in order to follow up his discoveries; but, on reaching the lake, his further progress was obstructed by the alarming prevalence of marsh fever, peculiar to the season of the year, and of a venomous insect, scarcely less formidable, The party were accordingly compelled, though most reluctantly, to retrace their steps.

Nothing daunted by these obstacles, and strong in the conviction that they were not insurmountable, our enterprising brother, in the early part of last year, set out on his third visit to the Lake region; and though it would be premature to assert that the results of the journey, so far as they have transpired, are such as to warrant the immediate commencement of missionary operations among the new tribes to which Mr. Livingston has obtained access, the facts disclosed in the subjoined extracts from his last letter serve to show that this important field of enterprise, unless pre-occupied by the Christian Missionary, will inevitably fall a prey to the rapacity of the slave-dealer.

Writing from the banks of the River Zouga, under date 1st October, ult., Mr. Livingston observes:

"This letter will be forwarded by a party of Griquas, who leave this river to-morrow, and proceed direct to Philippolis. We left our old route at Nahokotsa and proceeded nearly due north, crossed the bed of the Zouga and certain salt pans, remarkable for their extent. One, called 'Ntwétive,' was about fifteen miles broad, and, probably, one hundred long. Beyond these we passed through a hard flat country covered with mopane trees, and containing a great number of springs in limestone rock. A considerable number of bushmen live in the vicinity, and they seem to have abundance of food. Leaving this district of springs, and guided by a bushman, we crossed an excessively dry and difficult tract of country, and struck a small river, called Mabali. Visiting a party of bushmen, and another of Banajoa, we after some days reached the Chobe, in 18° 20′ S., the river on which Sebitoane lived. The Tsetse (a venomous insect) abounded on the southern bank, and as the depth is from twelve to fifteen feet, we could not cross with the wagons; the cattle were accordingly taken over to an island, and Mr. Oswell and I proceeded about thirty miles down the river in a canoe. It was propelled by five superior rowers; and to us, who are accustomed to bullock wagons, the speed seemed like that

of boat-races at home. Sebitoane received us kindly, and offered to replace our cattle, which were all believed to have been bitten by tsetse. He returned to the wagons with us, and subsequently fell sick, and, to our great sorrow, died. He formed one of the party of Mantatees, repulsed by the Griquas at old Lattakoo, and since then he has almost constantly been fighting. He several times lost all his cattle; but being a man of great ability, managed to keep his people together, and ended his days richer in cattle, and with many more people under his sway, than any other chief we know in Africa. A doctor who attended him, interrupted with rudeness, when I attempted to speak about death, and his people took him away from the island when not far from his end. Mr. Oswell and I went over to condole with his people soon after the news of his death came, and they seemed to take our remarks thankfully. We remained two months with them; they are by far the most savage race of people we have seen, but they treated us with uniform kindness, and would have been delighted had we been able to remain with them permanently. Such was my intention when I left Kolobeng; and having understood that there were high lands in that region, to avoid the loss of time which would occur in returning for my

family, I resolved that they should accompany me. The deep rivers among which they now live, are a defence to them against the Matibele. To have removed them to the high lands would have been rendering them defenceless; and the country itself was so totally different from anything I could have anticipated, I felt convinced that two years alone in it are required for the successful commencement of a mission. It is for hundreds of miles intersected with numerous rivers and branches of rivers coming out of these, and returning into them again: these are flanked with large reedy, boggy tracts of country. Where trees abound, if not on an island, the tsetse exists; indeed, we seem to have reached the limits of wagon travelling. We proceeded on horseback about one hundred miles farther than the place where the wagons stood, to see the Sesheke, or river of the Borotse. It is from three hundred to five hundred yards broad, and at the end of a remarkably dry season had a very large volume of water in it. The waves lifted the canoes and made them roll beautifully, and brought back old scenes to my remembrance. The town of Sesheke is on the opposite shore; the river itself, as near as we could ascertain by both instruments, 17° 28′ South. It overflows the country periodically for fifteen miles out, contains a waterfall, called Moriatunya (smoke sounds), the spray of which can be seen ten or fifteen miles off. The river of the Bashukolompo is about eighty yards wide, and when it falls into the Sesheke it is called Zambesi. There are numerous rivers reported to connect the two, and all along the rivers there exists a dense population of a strong black race. That country abounds in corn and honey, and they show much more ingenuity in iron work, basket work, and pottery, than any of the people south of them.

"That which claims particular attention, is the fact, that the slave trade only began in this region during 1850. A party of people, called Mambari, from the west, came to Sebitoane, bearing a large quantity of English printed and striped cotton clothing, red, green, and blue baize, of English manufacture, and with these brought from the different towns about two hundred boys; they had chains and rivets in abundance, and invited

the people of Sebitoane to go on a marauding expedition against the Bashukolompo, by saying, You may take all the cattle, we will only take the prisoners. On that expedition they met with some Portuguese, and these gave them three English guns, receiving in return at least thirty slaves. These Portuguese promised to return during this winter. The people confessed that they felt a repugnance to the traffic, but they (the Mambari and Portuguese) refused cattle for their clothing and guns. It seems to me that English manufactures might come up the Zamberi during the months of June, July, and August, or September, by the hands of Englishmen, and for legitimate purposes, as well as by these slave dealers for their unlawful ends. There is no danger from fever if people come after May, and leave before September. The Government might supply information to traders on the coast. I shall write you fully on this subject, as also on another of equal importance, but at which I can only now hint.

"You will see by the accompanying sketch what an immense region God has in his providence opened up. If we can enter in and form a settlement, we shall be able in the course of a very few years to put a stop to the slave trade in that quarter. It is probable that the mere supply of English manufactures in Sebitoane's part will effect this, for they did not like it, and promised to abstain. I think it will be impossible to make a fair commencement unless I can secure two years devoid of family cares. I shall be obliged to go southward, perhaps to the Cape, in order to have my uvula excised, and my arm mended. It has occurred to me, that as we must send our children to England soon, it would be no great additional expense to send them now along with their mother. This arrangement would enable me to proceed alone, and devote about two, or, perhaps, three years to this new region; but I must beg your sanction, and, if you please, let it be given, or withheld, as soon as you conveniently can, so that it might meet me at the Cape. To orphanize my children will be like tearing out my bowels; but when I can find time to write you fully, you will perceive it is the only way, except giving up the region altogether."

Anniversary Services in May, 1852.

THE Directors are gratified in announcing to the Friends and Members of the Society, that they have made the following arrangements for the ensuing Anniversary :

MONDAY EVENING, MAY 10,
WEIGH HOUSE CHAPEL.

SERMON TO THE YOUNG, by the Rev. HENRY ALLON, of Islington.
To commence at Seven o'clock.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 12.
MORNING.-SURREY CHAPEL.

SERMON by the Rev. JOHN STOUGHTON, of Kensington.

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SERMON by the Rev. DR. BEAUMONT, of Bristol.

THURSDAY, MAY 13.

MORNING.-ANNUAL MEETING-EXETER HALL,-CHAIRMAN,
RIGHT HON. THE LORD MAYOR.

EVENING.-ADJOURNED MEETING-FINSBURY CHAPEL, CHAIRMAN,
GEORGE HITCHCOCK, Esq.

FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 14,-instead of the MONDAY, as formerly. The SACRAMENT of the LORD'S SUPPER will be administered at the usual Places of Worship in and around London.

LORD'S DAY, MAY 16.

SERMONS will be preached on behalf of the Society, at various Places of Worship in London and its Vicinity.

TO THE AUXILIARY SOCIETIES IN LONDON AND THE COUNTRY. THE Officers and Committees of Auxiliary Missionary Societies, in London and its vicinity, are respectfully requested to pay in their amounts at the Mission-House, on or before Wednesday, the 31st instant, the day appointed for closing the Accounts. The Lists of Contributions should be forwarded to the Mission-House, on or before that day, in order that they may be inserted in the Society's Annual Report for 1852.

The Officers of the Auxiliary Societies throughout the country are respectfully requested to transmit their Contributions, so that they may be received at the Mission-House on or before Wednesday, the 31st instant; together with correct Lists of Subscribers of Ten Shillings and upwards, alphabetically arranged, for insertion in the Annual Report; also distinct statements of the sums collected from Congregations, from Branch Associations, and by Deputations sent from London.

WIDOWS' AND ORPHANS' FUND.

NOTICE.

THE Directors, in presenting the annexed list of Contributions, beg to announce that for the accommodation of those friends who have been prevented from making their contribu tions during the preceding two months, the list will be kept open until the first week in April.

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