people and inspected the Christian village. I also gave him an account of our general plan of labour, and he expressed himself pleased with the whole. He gave me some useful hints, by which I hope to profit, and he said the Chitoura station should be strengthened

by another missionary. In this matter I fully agree with him, for he justly remarked, where God has given a measure of success, we ought to pay all possible attention, following it up by increased labour."

I now address myself to what cannot but be, on some accounts, a painful task, viz., to reply to our late esteemed Secretary's last official letter, which I have been prevented from doing hitherto, first, by preparations for visiting the great annual mela at Hajeepore, and, secondly, by my having been there at the time last month's letter should have been despatched. My fervent prayer to the Giver of every good gift is this, that in the onerous responsibilities you have assumed for the promotion of our dear Saviour's cause, you may ever enjoy his guidance and support, and see your anxious and laborious duties so owned by his blessing, as that the fruits of past exertions shall ever be present to encourage you in regard to the future, or, if that species of encouragement be wanting, may be fully sustained by a sense of our great Captain's all-sufficiency, and an apprehension of his all-comprehensive promises! And one more petition-that you may never have the pain of repeating any such proposal for the curtailment of the Society's labours as, to I am sure, his deep regret, our late esteemed Secretary has felt compelled to enclose in his final communication. May I, and my dear wife with me, be permitted, through you, to reciprocate his expressions of Christian friendship and esteem, and to assure him of our fervent desires that he may be abundantly blessed and prospered in his new and important situation.

The great festival.

On the 15th of last month I and my beloved family left Monghir for the mela, Nainsookh and other native Christians accompanying us. Nainsookh had but partially recovered from a fever, in consequence of which he was but weak, and it was a matter of great regret to us, as well as a severe disappointment to him, that having on the way gone out in a village to preach, and not returned to the boat till about ten o'clock, he suffered a relapse of fever, which continued on him so long, and reduced him so much, that he was unable to take part in our labours at the mela. Having the wind much against us on our way, we could not

afford time to tarry much in the villages for fear of being too late at the fair. We spent, however, an active day at Bar, on Lord's day 21st, having many hearers in the streets and markets, to whom the gospel was proclaimed, and the folly of idolatry exhibited. It was at Bar that brethren Nainsookh and Soodeen last year heard from the dying lips of a Hindoo such confessions of Christ as seemed to them some ground for hope that he was a true though fearful disciple. But, alas, for the present the enemies of the cross seem to have the pre-eminence, for just near the house, now desolate, where the messengers of truth used to receive a polite and even affectionate welcome, was rising a showy fabric, erected by the mistaken piety of a shopkeeper in the bazar to the honour of that most licentious object of Hindoo worship, Krishna. In another part of the bazar we saw a small square shrine of masonry, about two feet square and three feet high, with a toolsee-tree planted on the top, and a small wooden door facing the street. This door was readily opened by some boys, at the request of Nainsookh, and disclosed a hideous red figure of Hunooman, the monkey-god, raised in mud on the back wall. The sight of the Christians looking at the idol soon attracted a crowd, to whom first Nainsookh, and afterwards myself, spoke on the folly and mischief of idolatry, Nainsookh arguing the impotency of the idol to aid its worshippers from its manifest inability even to open or shut the doors of its own shrine, and solemnly warning the hearers of the displeasure of God which would assuredly be manifested towards the perpetrators of such folly and impiety; and myself following up the warning with an appeal whether they had ever found or could believe that there existed any deficiency in God's will or power to assist them, which they could urge as a pretext for turning away from him to dumb idols.

A sign of mental life.

During the day I was once invited by a Mahommedan to his courtyard for conversation, but found little profit in acceding to

becoming useful in this dark land. God is raising up in our midst brethren who have the power of making known the great salvation to the heathen in their own tongue, and they have begun to do this in a way that has most cheeringly shown their love of Christ and of souls.

Many thanks for your kind hint to friends in the October Herald. I hope that they will remember that the arrangement made for paying for our place of worship is one that requires us to raise amongst themselves £70 a year for the next five years, and that in addition to this we stand responsible for the support of an East Indian girls' school, and an East Indian and native Christian boys' school, both in Madras, a native school for heathen boys at Arnu, also for the support of a native preacher in Madras, and an East Indian preacher at Arnu.

These cost not less than £140 per annum. Add to these various other items, such as the support of a Sunday school, a Dorcas society, &c., and our friends will see that we are exerting ourselves to the utmost, and that we need all the help they can give us. In taking the responsibility of the payment for our chapel, &c., on ourselves, we were influenced by a simple desire for the good of the heathen around us, to whose benefit, rather than to our own comforts, we were anxious to appropriate all the money raised in England. I shall feel extremely discour aged if our having done this should cause our English friends to relax their efforts on our behalf. Though it may appear unseemly for me to say it, yet in justice to the people here it may be affirmed, that if any people deserve to be helped, they do.

A specimen of a missionary's labour.

In all probability I shall be from home, that is, wandering in the solitary places of this land, during the months of December and January, I therefore send you my statement earlier than were I at home. I enclose a copy of my journal for eight days; it will show you the state of the minds of many. The welfare of their souls is what we labour for, and what we are most anxious to know and see.

Struggles and successes.

To our brethren at home it may appear strange that so many Hindoos and Musalmans acknowledge the truth of the gospel, yet not embrace it. Let such look around them, and they will find it to be the same at home. No, not to such an extent as here. Thousands at home believe the gospel to be God's word, yet never think of obeying it. Others seem to have no idea how long some of the nations of Europe heard the gospel ere they fully received it. God forbid Bengal should hear it so long before they bow to Jesus Christ. Instance Sweden. This nation was partially converted to the Christian faith in the reign of Olaf III., in the year

1000, but more than half a century elapsed before paganism was abandoned in the reign of Ingi. Should Bengal continue to refuse the greatest of all God's favours for the next forty or fifty years, which I hope it will not, yet we would have no cause for wonder, impatience, or childish discontent. Oh, would to God that we could flee from zillah to zillah as if by steam, planting churches and appointing elders.

At present it is a stand up fight, a hand to hand struggle, in which neither party appears to gain ground, yet those who can see the kingdom of God on earth, see that the enemy and their objections are melting away. They see that the Hindoos are very many of them ashamed of the gods in which they once gloried, and for years past no one has been so foolish as to say that if a man spoke contemptuously of the gods, or if any one heard them despised, or listened to such language (i. e., the gospel), their heads would that moment fly off themselves; and we have seen them put their hands to their ears, and run to save their heads. But where, at the present time, from one end of the land to the other, will you see folly so gross and stupid? No where. Where, throughout the millions of Bengal,

will the man be found who will say that to speak evil of a brahmin boiling lead should be poured down the throat of the offender? We who have spent some thirty years in the land, nay more than thirty years, can look back and show that the kingdom of God is coming, and if all would call on Jesus, though like Nicodemus, they too would see. Another good sign, the native churches improve. When they receive the word of God with all their heart and soul, no doubt the great and glorious work will soon be accomplished. The strange coldness which at one time was common to native Christians, filled the soul of many a missionary with anguish. Much is yet wanting, still there is an advance in the right way.

May the Lord direct you in all things, and grant you not only the means of supporting those in the field, but to add many to them. The idea of withdrawing is painful indeed. Kindly grant us a place in your prayers.

Zillah Dinagepore, Ranecgunge, 15th Nov. 1849.

The contest.

I arrived here about half-past two, P.M. By sundown my own and servants' tents were pitched. On my way hither I met a Mussalman who, like myself, was going to Raneegunge. I entered into conversation, and explained the way of salvation to him. On showing him what Christ had done for sinners, he exclaimed, "Ah, that is what we want. I can understand that; but we have got a mulla who keeps explaining and explaining, and talking and talking the koran, and after all not one of us understands a

word he says. We don't know what he means. Here we have been from generation to generation, eating and drinking and attending to the pirs and pigombors, and now we have become new Mussulmans, we must neither eat nor drink, nor obey them. What is all this? Have we been deceived all this time? What is all this?" "I dont wonder you cannot understand your mulla, simply because he does not understand himself. It is not eating and drinking, and pirs nor pigombors you want, neither is it washing your hands, feet, nose, and mouth when you are going to pray. You need some one to show you how you can be delivered from the devil and your own wicked hearts. Your hearts are enclosed in the net of sin. Now some one must tear this net from your hearts, You cannot do it yourselves; you don't know that your souls are bound. Your prophet cannot do it, because he is dead. Now I will show you who can do this for you. Jesus Christ has triumphed over Satan. Satan could not keep him in the grave. Before he went into the grave he told every body he would rise again. Now he who when dead could tear open the grave, and

come out of it, can, now that he is alive, tear the veil or net of sin from your hearts. He can bring your hearts to God too. Try him. Call on him by prayer, and he will give you a new heart. You want, you need a new heart, and not a new name. New Mussalman is only a new name; you must get a new heart, man, or burn for ever in hell's eternal fire and brimstone. You must be made a new man; you must be made to love God, to love Jesus Christ, to love every body," &c. Thus we went on till I came to my encamping ground, which was nearly two hours. The man appeared to be determined to have as much as he could as he followed me some way out of his intended path.

17th. This morning several called at my tent for books. To them I explained man's state by nature, and the way of salvation.

As soon as the heavy dew was somewhat dried up, I went to the house of one Bala Rame, who is a man of some property. He received me with much kindness, and invited me to come in and take a seat in his cacherry (office), where all would hear. Many persons, old and young, were soon brought together. They inquired what they should do to obtain salvation. I fully explained to them their state, which they allowed to be very true, and then showed them what Jesus Christ has done for sinners. Vile as their hearts were, Jesus Christ could renew. him they must all pray. On him all must rely, or perish. They appeared anxious to understand, and asked, like Nicodemus, how can such things be? and when explained, they looked anxious, and again asked how can it be. Left with them a few very small tracts.

Fresh signs.

To

I passed through a number of villages to the house of Vialla Ram. In every village as I went I made known the way of salvation, the necessity of faith in Jesus Christ, love to God, and holiness, &c. All were attentive. The common idea appears now to be that all will shortly embrace that faith. Every where I was invited to sit down and converse. At Kalla Ram's I was invited in, and the little ones ran to fetch a seat for me. This provided, all sat round me, and were attentive. Kalla Ram appeared glad that I had called, and he told me he had read the book I had left with him two years ago. While engaged urging the necessity of a living, active faith in the Saviour of all mankind, his brother, a very sensible man, came from the ginige. He is a merchant, and his time is generally spent in his shop. He took a seat close by me, anxiety and desire was marked in every feature. He said, "I have read the book you gave me, and since, I never take food, lie down, or rise up without calling on God's name." I explained to him that this way would not do. The repetition