It was really delightful to see upward of 180 Children assembled in one place without regard to caste-Christian and Heathen Children mingling, and uniting their voices in praises to the true God; and to observe that many of them displayed a love of the truth, and manifested to the observer a spirit of inquiry.

Two Boys of the Third School obtained the prizes, and were recommended to the others as examples. Several of the other Boys received rewards, and were advanced. About 30 Boys had, besides the other School-books and the small Doctrinal Catechism, advanced to the second part of the Historical Catechism.

It was encouraging to see the Girls from the Four Schools increased to the number of ten, one of whom had advanced to the third class.

On concluding the Examination, a Hymn was sung; and, after prayer, they were dismissed, the blessing of the Lord being pronounced upon them.

John Devasagayam, Native Inspector of the Tranquebar School Establishments, had visited these Schools, when at Madras some time before. He reported-

I examined the Children, chiefly regarding their improvement in religious knowledge. I beg leave to say, that I rejoiced much to find that they have made so good a progress.

Of two of the Schools, he says

Most of the Children of the principal classes could answer pretty well my different questions, and they appeared also to improve in good feeling.

One Boy had died, to whom the Missionaries bear this testimony

We have sustained a great loss (if it can be termed so) in the death of a Boy from the Second School. This meek and attentive little fellow always found pleasure in hearing of Jesus from us. He was the comfort of his Mother, the honour of the Schoolmaster, and frequently an encouragement to the Missionary. He used to come to the Mission House frequently. When he was laid on his sick bed, he sent to the Schoolmaster for his books; and continued to learn his lessons, and deliver them to the Schoolmaster, till within a few days of his death.

On the Schools at a distance from Madras, the Corresponding Committee remark—

During this year, the Committee directed their attention particularly to the condition of the distant Schools of this Mission; and the consideration of their utility, in the actual circumstances of the Mission, with reference to the means of efficient inspection and superintendence. The Rev. Mr. Bärenbruck, having visited these Schools, laid before the Committee his views on the subject in a Report, from which Extracts are here given. The issue of the Committee's proceedings in this

matter, was the discontinuance of the Schools at two places, Panabakum and Vengadamungalum; which were small villages, producing but few Scholars; and, from their situation, difficult of oversight and control, with the present establishment of the Mission. The School at Kannipootoor, another small village, will probably be transferred to the larger town of Perriapollam; when the only distant stations connected with this Mission will be that place, Conjeveram, and Trivaloor; all of them populous towns, affording considerable facilities for undertaking various objects of a Missionary nature, and capable of more systematic inspection than the remote villages which have been relinquished.

These Schools (says Mr. Barenbruck) are the nurseries of our Holy Religion among Heathens. They require much labour and a watchful eye of the Superintendant, and a persevering Missionary Spirit: and, perhaps, if the expense they require be compared with the infant state in which they still seem to be, it may appear almost lost labour; but, after a fair investigation of the Schools themselves, and when we come to compare the Boys attending our Schools with other Heathen Children, their real usefulness and progress will be obvious to the candid observer.

These Mission Schools may be considered very justly, as means by which the Missionary is introduced to the Heathen, and as places where he has the best opportunity to preach the Word of God to them; and if his conversations with them, by Divine Grace, make any impression or create a desire for inquiry after truth, the Schools will be the places to which such persons will resort to get more information.

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We frequently find that Heathens will say, "This or that Book I read in your School;" or, After you had been here, I got this information from the Schoolmaster." A young Brahmin came to me, in a choultry half-a-day's journey from Kannipooloor, and said, "Sir, is the Brahmin, the Schoolmaster in Kannipootoor, your disciple? for he gave me some of his books to read, and explained them to me. I did not then much mind these things: but, since, I have felt much desire to know more of them; and if you can spare one or two books for me, and explain them to me, I shall feel highly obliged." After I had done so, he went and brought another Brahmin, desiring me to explain the same book to him. These people would not allow me to pay for anything in the place; but provided me with all I wanted, free.

The first day excepted, I was, in Conjeveram, four days surrounded with people from the morning until the evening, to whom the Word of God was preached: sometimes, they amounted to sixty or seventy; so that I was obliged to go into the street, on account of the closeness of the air. I should recommend it to the Committee's consideration, that a Reader be stationed for three months at great Conjeveram, three months at Trivaloor, and three months at Perriapollam. At no great distance of time, a Christian Schoolmaster may be stationed at each of these places, to which the proposed Seminary will render us, we trust, great assistance; and the Missionary may follow, who, when stationed at Conjeveram, may with more facility inspect the other Schools in Trivaloor and Perriapollam; when these three, or any such branches of the Mission, may be extended further into the interior, if the way be opened by Divine Providence. Though the present Missionary Journeys are more especially for the inspection and examination of the Mission Schools, yet they are far from being confined to that duty: they offer to the Missionary the best opportunities for disseminating and preaching the Gospel among the Heathen; and, at the same time, to form acquaintance with them, which may prove very beneficial for further instruction. The Heathen thereby become acquainted with him; and must feel that he loves their souls, and seeks only their good, and not his own interest,

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The Committee remark on this extract

The Missionary will neither become sufficiently acquainted with the character of the people nor with their customs or language, if he be not, at least for some time, among them, and confine himself entirely to the language of the people. Mr. Bärenbruck was entirely surrounded by people who knew no other language than Tamul; and found, that, in the short time of his absence, he advanced more in the familiar use of the language, than perhaps he would have done by half-a-year's study at home.

Of the intended SEMINARY, it is said

In the actual state of this Mission, it has been found necessary to postpone establishing the long-contemplated Seminary for preparing Schoolmasters and Catechists for the Society's Missions on this coast. The Parent Society has placed the sum of 20001. at the disposal of the Committee, for the purposes of this Institution; and the Grant will be appropriated, as soon as circumstances permit. Meanwhile, the Missionaries continue to use their present limited means, for the particular instruction of some promising Youths: two of whom have this year been nominated to Offices in the Congregation, after a long observation of their characters and a course of preparatory instruction; and they have hitherto answered the Missionaries' expectations. The subscriptions formerly collected at this place for the erection of the Mission Church, and which were afterward. mostly transferred by the subscribers for the general purposes of the Mission, or for the Seminary, have lately been appropriated for the erection of a Building in the Mission Compound, comprising accommodation for the chief Native Schools, and for the Society's Printing Office.

In the PRINTING-DEPARTMENT, 15,300 Tracts, in English or Tamul, have been taken off; besides occasional papers, for the Religious and Charitable Institutions of the Settlement. For several of these Tracts the Society is indebted to the Rev. James Hough. Large supplies have been furnished to the different Stations; and a selection of 600 was granted to the Rev. W. Reeve, Missionary at Bellary, for distribution on his journey to that place from Madras.

Before the Committee proceed to the other Stations of the Mission, they will quote, from the Letters of Mr. Bärenbruck and Mr. Ridsdale, the views which these Missionaries give of their difficulties and prospects*,

Some further Extracts from the communications of Mr. Barenbruck and Mr. Ridsdale are printed in Appendix XI.

Mr. Bärenbruck gives a striking view of the secret but powerful working of the leaven of the Gospel:

We make no rapid progress, and cannot boast much of Converts from the Heathen; but, thanks be to God! the light is shining among them; and works its way more in secret, where the observer, who has felt the blessed influence and power of the light on his own heart, will watch its progress with delight, though frequently he will see it covered with the outward appearance of a Heathen, who trembles lest it should be discovered that he knows and believes so much, and appears surprised at himself that he has come so far.

In this view, inquirers after Truth are many; but few there are, who come to a decision to follow the Truth, and make an open profession. Yet one of these fearful Heathens, who has hesitated and been captivated by fear now upward of two years, has at last stepped forward and desired Baptism. He says, "I am an unhappy man! If I die a Heathen, I am lost; and under greater condemnation for knowing so much of the Word of God. If I live as a Heathen, I am without peace and rest for my mind; and know so much as to make me unhappy in my continued Heathenish profession, while I have a Christian Faith. There remains only one thing for me-not to be ashamed of Christ, but to make an open confession before men. If I overcome this, I will lay out myself for the service of Christ." He is now received under instruction for Baptism.

He adds these just remarks on the caution to be observed by Missionaries in the report of their proceedings:

We might, without deviating from truth, have represented some subjects in our Journals, in a more pleasing light; but we were afraid-thinking that, perhaps, this would convey a better idea than the subjects would bear on close investigation. It will always give us pleasure when a friend, calling on us in passing through the Mission, has to say that he found more than he expected: but any disappointment felt by such a friend, if it should justly arise from our statements, and not from undue expectation, would surely be mortifying to us.

In October, Mr. Ridsdale writes

To the Christian mind, the general state of things around us, is truly distressing; here Satan reigns, either by Popish error and superstition, or by Heathenish darkness and idolatry, with an extended sway that is truly awful. But, blessed be God, the eye of Faith looks upon these lands of darkness, as devoted territory: only send us troops that we may go up and take possession. Our cry in every Epistle must be, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few! Send, Oh fail not to send, labourers into this harvest!

TRANQUEBAR.

The Corresponding Committee thus introduce their report of the School Establishments at Tranquebar :

The measures which the Committee adopted on the death of the late Superintendant of the School Establishments of this station, the Rev. Mr. Schnarrè, were detailed in the last Report. The Rev. Dr. Caemmerer cordially complied with the application of the Committee to undertake the office of directing the proceedings of the Native Inspector, John Devasagayam; and has added to his valuable services in that respect, the benevolent office of inspecting the Schools personally, as often and as generally as his other numerous and important avocations have permitted; and his assistance in this way has been very advantageous to the Schools.

The Committee quote the Reports, made to them by John Devasagayam in the course of the year on the state of the Schools, to shew how entirely their expectations in adopting the arrangement referred to, for the care of these numerous and useful Schools, had been realized; and they give various extracts from his Journals*, which will be found, they remark-to throw much light on the state of the Natives generally, both Christians and Heathens; and to exhibit the devout spirit with which the Writer is animated.

Opposition having been excited, by some Heathen Natives, to the Society's Schools in a few places, the Corresponding Committee give a statement of the consequent fluctuation in the number of the Scholars, from which it appears, that, at the end of December 1820 there were 1634, at the end of April following 1424, at the end of July 1457, and at the end of September 1591. The number having been 1632 at the date of the last Report of the Corresponding Committee, the decrease on the year was but 41.

On this subject, it is stated

The activity and diligence of the Inspector, in availing himself of opportunities to establish New Schools, in lieu of some which were ill attended and of others which were diminished by the efforts of their opponents-and in altering the mode of conducting others-have thus nearly restored the full number of Scholars; while further openings have been made for extending

* In Appendix XII. will be found a series of Extracts from John Devasagayam's Journals.