MISSION TO THE KARENS.

Mr. Mason, of Tavoy, in a letter to a friend in this country, dated July 4, 1835, says of the Karens, "Be they Israelites, or Gentiles, they are the most interesting people on the pages of modern history; and I verily believe, that, since the days of the apostles, the power of divine truth has never been made so manifest as in their conversion. The language is a most eloquent one; and when I sit, as I sometimes do, and listen to a native, preaching the Gospel with more genuine eloquence than a whole university could produce, and then think of his state and that of his nation half a dozen years ago, I am lost in astonishment.' The number of missionaries attached to the Karen mission since January, 1835, beside native assistants, and including Mr. and Mrs. Howard of Rangoon, is nine. Much incidental labor has also been performed by other missionaries at Maulmein and Rangoon, or in occasional excursions, as already stated. The number of native assistants whose names have been given, is seven. The stations permanently occupied by the missionaries are two, Tavoy and Chummerah, beside Mergui, Maubee, and Newville, and several out-stations occasionally visited.

TAVOY.-Missionaries, Rev. JONATHAN WADE, Mrs. WADE, Rev. FRANCIS MASON, Mrs. MASON, Miss ANN P. GARDNER.-Native assistants, Moung Kya, Moung Sha-too, Moung Shwa-boo, Ko Myet-la, Moung Sek-hee.

Tavoy is the chief city of the province of Tavoy and stands on a river of the same name, about 220 miles south of Maulmein, and nearly in the latitude of Bankok. Population of the province in 1833, 34,188,—of the city, about 9,000. The city was first occupied as a missionary station in 1828. Connected with it are also six out-stations, Matamyu, Toung byouk, Pyee-khya, Ka-pa, Tsa-ra-wa, and Ta-mler, between which and Tavoy the labors of the missionaries are distributed, according to the seasons of the year. During the dry season, the Gospel is preached extensively in the interior, while the rainy season is devoted to the study of the language, the translation of the Scriptures, the preparation of tracts, and the instruction of schools at Tavoy. Mr. and Mrs. Wade and Miss Gardner arrived at Tavoy January 10, 1835.

Translations.-Under date Oct. 1834, Mr. Mason writes, "I have devoted considerable time, these rains, to writing Karen, and have two more tracts ready for the press. One, Salvation, a dialogue in verse, being with slight alterations a translation of the Burman Catechism, and another, the Vade Mecum, a large tract, consisting of a portion of Scripture, reflections and remarks thereon, accompanied by an appropriate hymn for every day in the month, intended primarily for family worship, but serving at present for Bible, hymn-book, and body of divinity." Another Karen tract, "The words of the ancient fulfilled," was at the same time in'press, at the expense of the Tavoy Missionary Society. In April, 1835, a fourth tract was in readiness for the press, embracing the principal parables, and many other extracts from the Scriptures, adapted to the parables respectively, with an appendix of more than fifty hymns. But the most important work in this department of missionary labor, is the translation of the New Testament into Karen. At our last dates, Mr. Mason was prosecuting it with the liveliest interest. In the letter already quoted, he remarks, "I am daily employed in the translation of the New Testament into the language, and cannot lift off my thoughts from the all-absorbing subject, or my pen from the paper, to write English letters to my dearest friends;-not because I love them less, but because I love the Karens more. They are literally stretching forth their hands for the bread of life, and give it them we must." Mr. Wade was also employed, during the rains, in preparing or revising books in the Karen language, particularly the Karen dictionary. Printing. It has already been mentioned, under the head of Maulmein, that two Karen tracts had been printed at that station; one, consisting of 12 pages, octavo, of which 1,300 copies were printed; and the other, Salvation, or Karen Catechism in verse, also of 12 pages, in an edition of 1,000. These tracts, however, were printed under great disadvantages, partly on account of the imperfection of the Karen type, and partly from the distance to which it was necessary to send the proofs for revisal. Both these inconveniencies, have since, we trust, been remedied, a complete set of Karen type having been procured at Calcutta by Mr. Hancock, and arrangements made, either for the removal of a printing

press to Tavoy, or for the prompt revisal of publications put to press, by some other means.

Schools.-In 1834, during the rains, a Karen school was taught by Mr. and Mrs. Mason, in which, in addition to the female department, special attention was given to the training up of native assistants. Several natives were thus educated to be school-teachers, and arrangements have been made in a recent tour down the Tenasserim for the establishment of schools in four different places, to be put under their charge. Two other Karen schools had been taught during the preceding rains, by native assistants, at the out-stations, Matamyu, and Toungbyouk.

There were also three Burman schools under the superintendence of Mrs. Mason, where Christian books were read, and portions of Scripture committed to memory every week. The average attendance had varied from fifty to sixty, nearly one half of whom were females. During the summer of 1835, the schools conducted by Mrs. Mason, aided by Miss Gardner, were increasingly prosperous, and the number of scholars amounted to nearly two hundred.-At the last of April, 1835, agreeably to arrangements previously made, about 60 Karen youths, male and female, came down to Tavoy from Matamyu, and other villages, to join the boarding-school under the direction of Mrs. Wade. In a letter of June 6, Mr. Wade writes, "They give us great satisfaction, both in regard to the progress which they make in learning and their moral conduct. Though required to spend but about seven hours of the day in study, they voluntarily devote to it most of the hours allowed for relaxation. In the evening, at candle-light, they assemble and spend an hour in learning to sing, under the instruction of br. Vinton. After which an hour is spent in listening to a sermon, or an exposition of Scripture, and devotional exercises." "May we not hope," Mr. Wade adds, after describing the interesting circumstances under which these children had journeyed to Tavoy, "May we not hope that in these children the Scripture will be fulfilled,-'Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise.' Some of them indeed have already asked for baptism, and are under a course of religious instruction adapted to prepare them understandingly to follow Christ in that ordinance." Letters of a more recent date, state that nine have been baptized, and about twelve others give evidence of piety.

Itineracies. In Nov. and Dec. 1834, Mr. Mason journeyed several weeks among the Karens in the interior. Speaking of Matamyu, he says, "What wonders God has wrought for this region in five or six short years. When br. Boardman came out hither, there was not a sober individual, male or female, in the jungle, or one who was not in the practice of making offerings to nats. Now, I sit with a hundred consistent Christians within call, that have not drunk spirituous liquor for years. Then, the idea that they would have books in their own language, was associated with tigers laying aside their fierceness. Now, I have a Sabbath school of thirty-nine children and youth, able to read their own books, and give intelligent answers in respect to their contents." Matamyu is a new village, three days' journey from Tavoy, situated in a large plain at the confluence of the rivers Ben and K'hwa Moung-thwa, whose united waters form the Tenasserim, about latitude 14° 12′.

A second tour was made to Matamyu, by Mr. Mason and Mr. and Mrs. Wade, in January and February, and thence down the Tenasserim to Mergui. A third tour was made in March, by Mr. Mason, to Toung-byouk. Much good was accomplished in these excursions. At Matamyu, the efforts of Mrs. Wade seconding the previous labors of Mr. Mason, were signally blessed, and on a second visit of Mr. Wade, the number of hopeful inquirers and applicants for baptism was about 60, of whom 25 were received. Mr. Mason also, in his tour to Toung-byouk, baptized four individuals. In his journal dated at that place, March 27, he remarks, "It is as rivers of waters in a dry place, to find myself transported, in a couple of days, into the midst of this Christian people, where nothing meets the eye or the ear but what would lead one to suppose that the gospel had been known here for centuries, yet all the work of three short years." Miscellaneous labors.-Religious services have been conducted in the English chapel, as heretofore. There have also been social prayer-meetings during the week. "The congregation is small," Mr. Mason remarks, Oct. 1834, "but favorable changes have occurred in one or two persons, and I had the pleasure of baptizing one on the fourth of this month." During the last rains, the English de

partment was committed to Mr. Vinton, of the Chummerah station, temporarily resident at Tavoy. The following is an extract from his letter, dated June 6: "I usually spend an hour and a half [in religious services] four evenings in the week, besides occasionally visiting at the hospital and barracks. Within five or six weeks, ten soldiers have entirely left off the use of intoxicating liquors, and have commenced attending meeting. Our assembly has more than doubled. There are a number of interesting inquirers. The few among them that are entertaining hope, are beginning to feel a deep anxiety for the conversion of their impenitent associates; and their prayer-meetings are held with special reference to the accomplishment of this object."

Tavoy Baptist Missionary Society.-The Missionary Society, connected with the English congregation, which was formed, Nov. 22, 1833, held its first annual meeting, January 5, 1835. According to the Annual Report which was then read, much missionary labor had been performed by several members of the Society, aside from their ordinary avocations, and 484 rupees had been received by the treasurer during the year. At the same meeting also the Society voted to take two native assistants on their funds, in addition to the two previously engaged in their service.

Baptisms. Before the close of 1834, seven had been baptized, and from January, 1835, to April, there was a further addition of twenty-nine Karens, and one Burman-making, with the nine Karen scholars since baptized, a sum total of 252 since the station was established. The Burman who was baptized by Mr. Wade, about the middle of March, was a man of some distinction for learning among his countrymen, and teacher of one of the day-schools under the superintendence of Mrs. Mason.-There had been five deaths.

MERGUI. This station, it will be recollected, was vacated by the death of Ko Ing, in October of 1834. In giving notice of the event, and of the results of the labors performed there, Mr. Judson writes, "Though Ko Ing was faithful and laborious until death, it did not please the Lord to give him any present success. Mergui, however, has been well sown with Gospel seed; and I have no doubt the seed will spring up, and contribute to the abundance of some future harvest, and to the mutual joy of all the laborers."

That the labor bestowed on Mergui has not been wholly in vain, may be inferred from the reception of Messrs. Wade and Mason, at their last visit in February, 1835. "When Mr. Wade stopped at Mergui," says Mrs. Wade, 66 even the idolaters came around him in great numbers, begging him to stay and be their teacher; and some of them assured him that there were many who would believe, if he would stay."

NEWVILLE-situated on the Dah-gyieng, about three days' distance from Maulmein.

From a letter of Mr. Judson, dated December, 1834, we learn that the Karen church at this station had received two members by baptism, since the June preceding, making the whole number baptized during the year, 11, and of the church, 45. About the last of April, 1835, it was visited by Mr. Cutter. The native Christians had built, at their own expense, a neat and commodious zayat, in which Mr. Cutter attended several meetings. On the Sabbath the congregation consisted of between 30 and 40, besides small children.

MAUBEE. The district connected with this station, has enjoyed the labors of native preachers and assistants, a portion of the time, but has suffered greatly from persecution. Some details respecting it have been given in connection with the station at Rangoon.

CHUMMERAH.-Missionaries, Rev."JUSTUS H. VINTON, Mrs. VINTON. Native assistants, Ko Chet-thing, native preacher, and wife.

In consequence of the lamented death of Miss Cummings, the 3d of August, 1834, mentioned in our last Report, this station was for a few months unoccu

pied. Mr. and Mrs. Vinton arrived January 6, 1835, and were welcomed by the church, and indeed by the whole village, with the liveliest expressions of joy.

They immediately established morning and evening worship, spending an hour at each season in reading the Burman Scriptures, exhortation, and prayer. Two public services were also regularly maintained on the Sabbath. The rest of the time was spent by Mr. Vinton mostly in conversing with visiters at the zayat, about the interests of their souls, and in going from house to house, and praying all he met, in Christ's stead, to be reconciled to God. Many of the neighboring villages were also visited.

On one excursion, in March, Mr. Vinton, accompanied by several native brethren, visited a Christian village about 40 miles distant, where the native Christians had agreed to erect, at their own expense, a zayat for a school during the rains. Their reception was most cordial, and accompanied with unequivocal demonstrations of gratitude. The following day, Mr. Vinton visited six villages, and was every where met with the same cheering evidences of interest in the new religion. "I have hardly a doubt," he remarks, "that could a good faithful missionary remain here only a few weeks, a glorious harvest of souls would be the result. Not a caviller have I found to-day. All have seemed to hear the word with gladness, and on leaving us would assure us that so far as they understood the new religion, they liked it, and wished we would come again, and teach them more about it." Mr. Vinton was also urged to visit other and distant places. At one of the villages where they stopped, they found two Karens from Siam. After hearing a little of the new religion, one of them said he wished Mr. Vinton would go immediately home with him, and preach, and establish a school in his village, alleging as a reason that the people would all become Christians. A similar request was afterwards made by a Karen, who lived on the borders of China, and who was represented by his brother as having relinquished the worship of nats, and been accustomed to pray to Jesus Christ. On leaving the Christian village to return home, numbers called out, "Teacher, we want you should come back as soon as possible; for the time seems long to the close of the next rains."-Previous to this excursion, Mr. Vinton had baptized five Karens, among whom was a brother of Ko Chet-thing. Others had applied for baptism, but were set aside for further trial.-Mrs. Vinton, besides her attentions to the sick, who were continually applying to her for relief, appears to have been assiduously engaged, from the first, in imparting instruction to females and children, in little daily meetings for conversation and prayer, and in teaching school. Under date February 23, Mr. Vinton writes, "We have a school of more than 20 scholars. Some of them are now members of the church, and the rest, we are expecting, with the divine blessing, will soon be brought into the fold. Indeed, we have encouraging indications that a number of them have already bowed to the yoke of Christ. Six have applied for baptism."

SIAM.

BANKOK.-Missionaries, Rev. JOHN T. JONES, Mrs. JONES, Rev. ROBERT D. DAVENPORT, printer, Mrs. DAVENPORT.

The year 1834 was passed at Bankok, by Mr. and Mrs. Jones, chiefly in the study of the Siamese language. Occasional aid was given to such as applied for medicines, and conversation held on religious subjects with those whom Providence put in their way. Mrs. Jones had continued her visits to the neighboring Burman village, and with apparent success. One of the aged women, to whom she had been accustomed to give religious instruction, had professed "an entire renunciation of idolatry, and the daily worship of Jesus," and in her dying moments declined paying any regard to Boodhist superstitions, saying, "I am going to a happy home." A few others had made similar professions. Some embarrassments had attended the efforts made to establish schools. A boardingschool, however, was commenced with some encouraging circumstances. At the last date, Mrs. Jones had eight scholars under her care, four of whom were boarders, besides another day-school of Chinese boys.

Early in 1835, Mr. Jones repaired to Singapore, to superintend the printing of the Siamese tract, called "" Creation," which he had prepared on the basis of the Catechism, drawn up by Mr. Judson, and a Siamese version, which he had just completed, of the Gospel by Matthew. Of the tract, consisting of eight pages, and containing an outline of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian

religion, an edition was printed of 2,000 early in March. The Gospel, occupying 12 pages, 8vo., was printed in an edition of 1500 copies by the middle of June, besides a separate edition of the Sermon on the Mount, entitled "The Preaching of Jesus," also of 1500 copies,-1,000 to be bound up with the tract, 66 Creation," " and 500 to be circulated as a distinct tract. A third tract containing from 16 to 20 pages was also made ready for the press, but could not be printed before Mr. Jones's return to Bankok. The whole number of copies of tracts and Scripture was 5,000. Mr. Jones returned to Bankok July 18. Much of his time, since then, has been spent in distributing the Siamese tracts and gospel, besides administering to the sick, and preparing for future labors. "We have many calls," he says, under date Sept. 13, "some for conversation and inquiry-some for medicine and some from mere curiosity. Of those who called to-day, some were Cambojans, Cochin Chinese,-Taychew, Hoh-kien, Hainan, and Canton, Chinamen,-Siamese, Laos, and Malays; and yesterday, Hindostanee and Peguan, and Burmans. The number to-day was more than 60."

At the last dates, the attention of Mr. Jones was directed to the erection of some accommodations for the printing establishment. The lithographic press, mentioned in former letters, was on the way from Calcutta, having been rendered very complete under the superintendence of Mr. Hancock. Mr. Davenport, it is presumed, has since arrived at the station, or will shortly reach it, with a printing-press, ink, paper, &c., and, by the time he has become prepared to work the press, will be supplied with complete founts of type, both in Siamese and Chinese. Orders to this effect have been sent out to Rev. S. Dyer, missionary of the London Missionary Society at Penang, “a man every way competent to the work," says Mr. Jones, "and worthy of entire confidence."

MISSION TO THE CHINESE.

BANKOK.-Missionaries, Rev. WILLIAM DEAN, Rev. ALANSON REED, Mrs. REED, Rev. JEHU LEWIS SHUCK, Mrs. SHUCK. Native preacher, Chek Bunti.

Before Mr. Jones's departure for Singapore, religious services were conducted in Chinese by Bunti. The average attendance on the Sabbath was from 15 to 20, all males. Two or three aged women, wives of China-men, were intending to join the public worship as soon as practicable, and had given considerable evidence of faith in the gospel. One Chinese, of the name of Lyseng, was baptized by Mr. Jones near the close of the year. Three other Chinese were at the same time looking to a connection with the church.

On the 12th of January, 1835, Mr. Dean, who, in company with Mrs. Dean, sailed in the Cashmere, as stated in our last Report, arrived at Singapore. Early in the following March, while waiting for a passage to Bankok, he was called to follow his companion to the grave. In attempting to convey a box of letters to the Cashmere, a few weeks afterwards, accompanied by Mr. Jones, he narrowly escaped with life, from an assault of Malay pirates, who threw Mr. Jones into the sea, and pierced Mr. Dean with several barbed spears. He recovered from his wounds, however, without sustaining any permanent injury, and shortly after renewed the study of the Tay-chew dialect of the Chinese language, to which he had applied himself, at the suggestion of Mr. Jones, on his arrival at Singapore. This dialect was never learned by a foreigner, and is consequently the more difficult of acquisition, but, being very prevalent at Bankok, and altogether used by the members of the church there, the expediency of Mr. Dean's attending to it is obvious. In July, Mr. Dean accompanied Mr. Jones to his appointed field of labor among the Chinese population of Bankok. His first attempt to preach in Chinese, was on the last Sabbath in August. The meeting was opened by prayer in English, as usual. Bunti next read and explained several passages of Scripture, closing with prayer in Chinese, and singing a psalm. Mr. Dean then announced to them, though in brief terms, the coming of Jesus Christ from heaven to earth to save men, and the eternal consequences of receiving or rejecting his salvation. The number present was thirty-four. In September and October the congregation had increased to fifty.

Messrs. Reed and Shuck, and their wives, on reaching Bankok, will devote the ensuing summer, it is expected, to the study of Chinese, and be preparing to enter on such stations as Divine Providence shall designate. Meanwhile the