middle of October. But at Fatticotta,the requisite repairs could not be made before the rainy season came on; and Messrs. Richards and Meigs, at the ratest date, 20th of Jan. 1817, remained at Jaffnapatam. There they were employed in studying the Tamul language, preaching occasionally in English, and getting forward, as the season would permit, the preparations for their residence at Batticotta. Since fixing their residence at Tillipally, the Brethren Warren and Poor have regularly, on the Sabbath, preached by an interpreter there, and also at Mallagum, a place about two miles distant. Their congregations have varied from 30 to 80 persons. No females attend. They have every day, also, at the time of morning prayers, an exercise of religious instruction, at which a considerable number of persons are usually present. Early in December, they established a school for the instruction of native youth and children, both in English and Tamul, and another at Mallagum; and at their last dates, they were making preparations for establishing a third school at Milette, and a fourth at Panditrepo, places in their vicinity. In the Province of Jaffna, there are some relics of the Roman Catholic religion, which was introduced two or three hundred years ago, by the Portuguese; some traces of religious knowledge afterwards communicated by the Dutch; and some decaying fruits of the labors of the missionaries Christian David, Mr. Palm, and others: yet the great mass of the people are pagans. In ' the other provinces of Ceylon, the paganism is of the Budhist form, the same which prevails in the Burman empire; but in Jaffna, it is Hindoo, the same with that which prevails on the neighboring peninsula of India. In this district, however, the people generally, and even the Brahmins, are less devotedly attached to their idolatrous rites, have feebler prejudices against Christianity, and are more easily accessible by missionaries, than in almost any other part of the pagan world. They are particularly fond of having their children instructed; and our missionaries represent, that there will be no difficulty in establishing schools among them, to the utmost extent of the means, which shall be afforded for the purpose; and that something towards supporting the schools may even be expected from the people themselves. They also represent, that there is urgent want of Bibles and of school books. There is a good translation of the Scriptures into the Tamul, the language of the province, made by the Danish missionaries, in the last century; but copies of the Tamul Bible are extremely scarce. A considerable number of the people can speak, and some of them can read, English; and many of them are particularly desirous of having their sous taught the English language: but the English Bible is also scarcely to be found, and the country, in a word, is almost entirely destitute of books. Our missionaries had applied to the Columbo Auxiliary Bible Society for some Tamul Testaments for their schools; and were in expectation of receiving a few; but they saw no prospect of a supply of books from any quarter, until they could be printed in Jaffna; and there is no printing press in the district. They therefore express an earnest desire to be furnished, as soon as possible, with a printing establishment, and with hands and means for putting it into vigorous operation. Whether it will be best to order to Jaffna the press already sent out, and intended for Bombay, or to send out another directly from this country for Jaffna, your committee have not determined; but it will doubtless be the pleasure of this Board, that the desire of the missionaries should be accomplished, and their means of usefulness enlarged with the least unnecessary delay. And it is to be hoped, that the friends of the Bible in our country extensively will display a liberality towards the object here presented, in some proportion to its evident and urgent claims. It is not in the district of Jaffna only, that Bibles and other books might be advantageously distributed. The island of Ceylon at large is in a state of peculiar preparation for the means of Christian instruction. It is blest with a government of most benign influence, which lends countenance and aid to every benevolent design; and upon its population, extensively, a very consid erable impresssion has been made by the operations of Missionary and Bible. Societies. To this impression, the Chief Justice, Sir Alexader Jonnstone, a most distinguished and enlightened friend of mankind and of missions, in a communication which he has done us the honor to make to this Board, expressly attributes the very interesting fact, that a plan, which he has had long at heart for the abolition of slavery in the Island, has lately been adopted with wonderful consent. As so important an effect has been produced by means, in which this Board and this Christian community have had a share, the benevolent Chief Justice entertains the hope, that from us in this country aid will also be received, towards the improvement of the large numbers of children, who, in consequence of the abolition, will be placed in circumstances peculiarly interesting to public charity. Nor should it be overlooked, in this general survey, that the language of the Province, in which our missionaries are stationed, is also the language of 8 or 9 millions of people on the neighboring peninsula; and that the intercourse is such that, from Jaffna, Bibles and other books might with ease be extensively distributed in India. Hitherto our Ceylon mission has been marked with signal favor; and its present prospects are most rich in promise. The field is white already to the harvest, and most active exertions, with humble dependence on the Lord of the harvest, are evidently and urgently demanded. The feelings and views of the missionaries appear to be such,as every friend to the cause would wish them to cherish.' (To be concluded in our next.) PECUNIARY ACCOUNTS OF THE BOARD. The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in account current with Jeremiah Evarts, their Treasurer, Dr. To cash paid from Sept. 1, 1816, to Aug. 31, 1817,in conformity to orders of the Board, and of the Prudential Committee, from No. 150 to No. 210, both inclusive, $20,461 39 Losses by counterfeit and altered bills, and by bad or deficient coin, remitted in donations during the year, Balance carried to the credit of the Board in new account, Sept. 1, 1817. Contra Cr. 23 32 153,841 61 $74,326 32 By balance brought to the credit of the Board in new account, Sept. 1, 1816, as appears by the Auditor's certificate of Sept. 4, 1816, By cash received in donations, between Sept. 1, 1816, and Aug. 31, 1817, inclusive; viz. as published particularly in the Pan. for Oct. 1816, $44,277 69 PP, 474 476, $2,065 10 November, pp. 519, 520, 1,121 48 December, pp. 558-662, 3,214 56 January, 1817, pp. 30-32, 1,274 26 February, pp. 88-90, as explained in the Pan. for By cash received as interest of money and income of stock, during the year past; viz. on account of the Norris Legacy, On account of other funds, $2,251 75 500 00 $27,225-66 553 29-2,805 04 Carried forward $30,050 70 $44,277 69 Brought forward $30,030 70 $44,277 -30,048 63 15 00-17 93 $74,326 $2 N. B. It will be observed, that more interest has been received during the year, than accrued within that time. The reason is, that a considerable portion of the interest /received had accrued before the year commenced. SUMMARY ACCOUNT OF MONIES PAID FOR THE BOARD, BETWEEN SEPT. 1, 1816, and aug. 31, 1817, oN ORDERS FROM No. 150, to No. 210, INCLUSIVE; VIZ. Remitted on account of the salaries and extraordinary expenses of the missionaries at Bombay, On account of the purchase of types, and other materials of printing, Cost of a printing press, given by a gentleman in Boston, and credited among donations, Services of Mr. Cornelius, while soliciting donations for the education of heathen children in India, Remitted on account of schools at Bombay, On account of the translations at Bombay, of which $500 were directed to be paid to the Bombay Bible Society, $1,777 78 1,000 00 500 00 148 33 128 00 47 08 8 10-183 18 -5,809 28 3,224 66 -3,804 66 do. of Mr Graves, 250 00 18 00 -688 00 Travelling expenses, &c. Printing subscription-papers, &c. Remitted on account of the salaries and extraordinary expenses of the missionaries in Ceylon, On account of the translations to the Columbo Bible Society, On account of the outfit of Mr. Nichols, about to sail to Bombay, Premium on Spanish dollars, purchased for remittances to India, 226 68 Expenses of the Foreign Mission chool, established by the Board, at A quarter's salary of the principal, Expense of a large edition of the narrative of Five Youths, Expense of agencies in collecting donations for the school, and In making purchases; and of advances toward managing the farmn belonging to the establishment, and toward providing food and clothing for the students, the number of whom is at present twelve, Expenses of the mission and schools among the Cherokee Indians; viz. Expenses of Mr. Moody Hall, while learning the Lancastrian method of instruction at Troy, (N. Y.) Outfit and expenses of Mr. Moody Hall, and Loring S. Williams," and their wives, in preparing for the mission, and journeying to the seat of it, by the way of New York, Savannah, and Augusta, including the purchase of a waggon, horses, and harness, which are now the property of the Board, Remittances to Mr. Kingsbury, on account of the necessary expenses of the mission, Services and travelling expenses of the Rev. Elias Cornelius, while collecting donations for the mission and schools among the Cherokees, Expense of agencies, in soliciting donations for the school-fund generally, General contingent expenses of the Board; viz. Travelling expenses of the members in attending the annual meeting at Hartford, Carried forward $278 56 $18,719 10 Do. while on the business of the Board, 28 75 of the Treasurer, 26 88 Contingent expenses of the meetings of the Board and of the 23 64 Expenses of law-suits, in defending the legacies of Sarah Norton and Julia Norton, 114 00 boxes, freight, transportation and duties, Paid for transcribing, Fitting up Depository and rent, wrapping paper, twine, &c. Postage of the Treasurer, Do. of the Corresponding Secretary, Expense of agencies in soliciting donations for the general objects Brokerage in the purchase of dollars and stocks, packing dollars, Printed and other stationary for the Treasurer, blank books, Stationary for the Corresponding Secretary, Discount on bills issued by distant banks, by other corporations, and by individuals, Advanced to the Society of inquiry at Andover for the increase of their library, Allowance to the Treasurer for his services during the year preceding the annual meeting, Sept. 1816, Do. to the Corresponding Secretary and Clerk of the Prudential Committee, 191 29 142 81 350 81 16 1 25 16 39 35 36 5 18 47 24 17 02 47 62 57 20-1,142 29 400 00 200 00 $20.461 39 AUDITOR'S CERTIFICATE. Tais certifies, that I have examined the accounts of Jeremiah Evarts, Esq, Treasurer of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, for the year ending August 31, 1817, and found them correctly kept and well vouched, and a balance remaining in his hands of fifty three thousand eight hundred and forty one dollars and sixty one cents, accounted for by the within schedule. CHESTER ADAMS, Auditor. Charlestown, Sept. 14, 1817. The Schedule here referred to contains the particulars, which compose the following sums; viz. In bonds and notes secured by mortgages, In notes with good indorsers, or collateral security, In notes and bonds on interest,received in their present state directly from In the hands of the Corresponding Secretary to meet contingent expenses, Small balances in the hands of agents, to be accounted for, In current bills and specie, N. B. Before the annual meeting the Committee had made appropriations to the full amount of the ready money in the Treasury; and since that time more has been paid, than the ready money above stated, added to all the donations received since the annual meeting. It is to be considered, that more than $33,000 of the productive property belongs to a permanent fund, the interest of which only can be used. About $3,000 more have been received in legacies, which it seems desirable to keep as a part of the permanent fund; and it is indispensable to possess a considerable balance to meet unfore seen exigencies, and to apportion expenditures to different objects, without encroaching upon funds specifically appropriated by the donors. Calls are now very urgent in behalf of all the different objects of the Board; particularly in behalf of the Foreign Mission School at Cornwall, and the schools and missions among the Cherokee and other south-western Indians; and farther remittances will be necessary for salaries, translations, and schools in the east. It is proper, therefore, that the friends of missions should be informed, that they will help the good work by forwarding speedily any monies now in their hands, destined to the Treasury of the Board, and by making all suitable exertions to increast the number, the zeal, and the activity of benefactors of the heathen world. JOURNAL OF MESSRS. HALL AND NEWELL AT BOMBAY, CONTINUED FROM P. 411. July 13, 1816. To-day committed to the care of Capt. Austin of the ship Fawn, for America, our Journal up to this date, letters to Dr. Worcester and Mr. Evarts, and a large number of private letters; also a small trunk of books to Dr. W. consisting principally of copies of Tamul and Arabic Bibles, the Mahratta Testament, parts of the Scriptures in Hindoostanee, Arabic and Persian Grammars, Persian and English Dictionary, &c. Capt. Austin has been extremely kind to us.. He was particularly desired by the Hon. Mr. Gray to shew us any favor he might be in a situation to do for us. And we would gratefully notice, that Capt. A. has generously presented to us, (partly on his own account, and partly on Mr. Gray's account,) a number of articles, in the way of stores, which were very accep table to us. 15th. Capt. A. sailed for America by way of Trincomale, Madras, &c. Some days ago we engaged another native schoolmaster to open another (a third) charity school, as soon as he could procure a suitable place. Tot day he informed us, that he commenced the school on the 12th and that he has already collected more than 30 boys. He is to receive 10 rupees a month, and is to pay the rent of the school room himself. 29th. Nagpunchmee is the name, by which the Hindoos call this day. It is so called from Nag, signifying a serpent, and punchumee, signifying wor ship, and because, on this day, the Hindoos perform their annual worship of the serpent. Three reasons are assigned for this worship. 1st. Because a serpent is the bed, on which their god Vishnu is said to repose in the sea of milk. 2nd. Because they suppose, that a serpent supports the world upon his head. But 3d, and principally, because Krishna, the eighth incar nation of Vishnu, in one of his adventures against the demons, fell into the mouth of a monstrous serpent, and was apparently in the utmost danger of being destroyed. This threw his mother into the greatest alarm and disfress, and having interceded for the life of her son, she vowed to the serpent, that if it would spare him, every body should worship the serpent one day in every year. Therefore, the Hindoos very scrupulously observe this anniversary in the belief, that great evil will befal them, should they disregard it. On this day they pretend, that the serpent makes his appearance. The place of his fancied appearance is a rocky spot; and around a crevice in a farge rock is built an arch about twice the size of a large oven. Here the people are coming and going, from morning to night, and the latter part of the day the crowd from a great distance around is immense; so great indeed, that many of the people, who come with their various offerings of milk, butter, parched rice, flowers, &e. for the serpent, cannot force their way to the spot, but approach as near as is practicable, and throw their offerings as far forward as they can. Many persons, who have live serpents to exhibit, gather around on the occasion, and find it a very profitable season; for the people offer also to those live serpents, money, milk, and rice. Many of the persons, who exhibit these serpents, are females; they handle them with as little hesitation as they would a necklace; and they are almost constantly bawling, "Nag poojah," that is, worship the serpent. This is their manner of inviting the people to come and pay their homage to the snakes which they have to exhibit. At this ceremony the females are far more abundant in their offerings than the men. |