it is affirmed by those engaged in it, are encouraging, in all its branches of labour.

Such is а very brief statement of the present position of the Society's Missions in the East. In each of the seven languages, the Bengalee, Hindee, Hindostanee, Mahratta, Tamul, Malayalim, Teloogoo, and Singhalese, in which it is proclaiming the Gospel, it is encouraging to know that God has already borne testimony to the Word of his grace, and some first-fruits have been gathered in; but, alas! how few, compared with the multitudes of benighted idolaters, have been brought to saving knowledge of Christ! Our present efforts in their behalf are indeed so inadequate, that we cannot expect to accomplish great things. The population of India is computed at 145 millions of Hindoos and Mahomedans; while, even at the present day, only about seventy Missionaries of our own Church are labouring among them. Truly we may say, with respect to the work of God in this part of the world, "It is the day of small things."

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We must notice in conclusion, a few encouraging circumstances relative to our Indian Missions-and among the first, we must particularly notice the general diffusion of education. On this subject the testimony of the Bishop of Calcutta is very striking. He writes "Education has been making its rapid way for the last thirty or forty years, and has tended to dig up the foundations of Hindooism. Our Missionary schools have been also at work, and laid Christianity as the basis of instruction. The native mind is awakening to curiosity as to British character, learning, and religion. An outburst of inquiry is beginning. India is in a state of transition from a prostrate, timid, slavish apathy, to thought, activity, and enterprise."

Respecting the Missionary schools in Burdwan, Mr. Weitbretch writes,"In number and efficiency we have

fairly outrun the Government schools' -in which, through fear of offence, the Bible has not been taught. "The

Hindoos are not afraid now of Bible teaching, and give the preference to the school which affords the best education."

In Southern India, education has made more extensive progress than in the Northern provinces. There Normal schools have been founded for the education of masters and mistresses. And from among the natives educated in the Mission, there has been a most encouraging increase in the number of Missionary Clergymen. In March, 1848, the Bishop of Madras ordained six native candidates, and he hopes for further accession to the Missionary band. The elder natives are taking great pains that they may be able to read their own most difficult tonguethe Tamul;-and this solely from a desire to become acquainted with the Word of God. They have none other object for endeavouring to read their difficult language, containing no less than 247 characters, than to be enabled to read their Bibles. There is also a wide spread desire for Christian truth in the Mahratta country, near Bombay, where as yet no Missionary has ever been sent; the people nevertheless talk of Missionaries, and have declared the gladness with which they would receive them. Of the Brahminical superstitions, the natives declare they will no longer bear "the old nonsense," and could the power of the Brahmins there be somewhat shaken, there are many in that part of India who would gladly submit to Christian instruction, and in due time embrace the Gospel of Christ.

But this leads to notice secondly, the weakening of idolatrous superstitions in the country. The King of Siam lately sent an embassy to Ceylon, the reputed cradle of Buddhism, to seek elements for rekindling the flame of devotion in his own dominions, and there he learnt from the representatives of the ancient

line of Buddhist kings, that the cause is failing, and that even with the help of gold from Siam, it can scarcely survive another century. In Northern India, a few years ago, it was no uncommon thing to hear of the most violent persecution being raised against Christian converts. About four years ago, a boy fourteen years old, the only son of a wealthy Brahmin, embraced Christianity. His father came unexpectedly one day into the room where he was, and found him on his knees.

"Ah!" (said the father) "now I see how it is; you are a Christian. If you will not renounce your Christianity you shall inherit none of my property. I will clothe you with rags, and send you to the police station to work for a livelihood."

The boy nobly answered

Money and lands will not save my soul; I choose the rags, and will remain a Christian."

He was sent by his father to the police station, whence he found means to escape. He joined the nearest mission-station, was baptized, and subsequently became a catechist.

But a great change, as we hope, is now taking place, as the following incident will, in some measure, illustrate. The son of a wealthy Brahmin was lately sent on a religious pilgrimage in Northern India. In the course of his journey he heard a Christian Missionary preach. He attended to and believed the word spoken; we need not say he did not prosecute his pilgrimage; he had already found the peace of mind he sought, and returned to his parents. He told them he was a Christian, but nevertheless his parents allowed him to dwell in the same house with them, and eat at the same table. His mother said she, "did not understand what her son believed, but she was sure that he had become a better son than he was before;" and the father equally acknowledged that "Christianity made good and obedient children." Thus is the Gospel

quietly winning its way, and levelling in its progress, superstition and bigotry.

Mr. Leupolt, a Missionary at Benares, relates that as one day he was standing at a landing place on the river Ganges, surveying the ruins of an idol temple, which had been thrown down by an earthquake; he was observed by a Brahmin, who accosted him and said, "I know what you are thinking of; I can tell you what is passing in your mind." Mr. Leupolt bid him tell. He replied, “Just as that temple has been undermined and destroyed by the earthquake, so is our religion (you think) falling, under the influence of the preaching of Christianity." An idea which is held and acknowledged even in some of the strongholds of idolatry.

"Vendantism" is very commonly professed among the more intelligent of the natives; it is what we may call a kind of half-way house, between Christianity and idolatry. Its followers have rejected the worship of idols, and profess faith in one God alone,—not in the God of the Bible, for they reject the mediation of Christ; nevertheless, such a change of feeling and profession is a manifest token of the weakening of heathen superstition. The progress of religious light has also done much to expose the superstitions of the Syrian Church: it appears to be coming into a transition state; it cannot continue as it is, and both many of the priests and people long for better things.

But we must notice thirdly, the internal character of our native Churches. These never were in a more satisfactory state than at present. Notwithstanding many severe persecutions, the native Churches in Tinnevelly and Krishnaghur especially afford the highest encouragement. The former has been sorely tried by the opposition of the heathen, and the latter by the aggressions of popery, but though the rotten branches of the tree have been broken off, the tree of Christianity has

only been rooted and established in the ground by the fierce blasts it has had to encounter.

Mr. Peet's testimony to the character of the work in Mavelicare, where he has long laboured, is true generally of all the Missions, when he writes"Our object is not to be so anxious to increase our numbers as that our little flock should exhibit the power of true religion, and by their walk teach the numerous outside inquirers, what Christianity is in its details, as well as in its fundamentals. I have the gratification to state that I am not aware of anything in the practice of my people, that is in the least opposed to the Scriptures, or calculated to make false and injurious impressions on those who are without."

We must, however, not fail to notice some discouragements. These arise in the first place from the small number of recent converts, especially in Northern India On this subject it is well to remember the following excellent remarks by a Missionary friend, to a fellow-labourer in the field-"While we aim at great things for God-ever let us keep in mind the arithmetic of Heaven's exalted joy. There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. It is quite needful to remember this-lest our knees become faint, and our hands hang down. No! It will not do to be cast down. We must be content to wait the Lord's time. He is preparing the great event in his own way, and it will come. I hope we may live to see the day when the labourers in your district will bring in their sheaves by waggon loads, and sing a harvest song, which will rejoice the hearts of all friends in England. Meanwhile let us ever remember that the growth and ripening of a single ear of wheat is the work of Omnipotence." But how can we expect great things when our efforts are so feeble! Mr. Smith of Benares, speaks of a recent tour of more than 800 miles, during which, he distributed

about 3,000 books: "In the whole district I traversed (Mr. Smith writes), abounding with large cities, towns, and villages, there were only three Missionaries! one going home through ill health, one from age almost disabledso that only one remains. I assure you my heart is oppressed when I think on this subject." And in Southern India, though the number of Missionaries has been doubled in the last eight years, there is still but one Missionary to every three hundred thousand souls! Who can expect to hear of a great in-gathering, when we supply the field with so few labourers?

2. But I must also mention the discouragements arising from the seductions by Popery. Wherever our Missionaries go, with the exception of Western Africa, Popery tracks their steps. A well known gentleman recently made the following statement before a large assembly-"The last Missionary meeting I attended, was the meeting of the Propaganda at Rome. A Missionary was wanted to supply some promising opening on the borders of the great desert in Africa. For this desperate service, no less a person offered himself than the Head of the College of the Propaganda himself! and he has gone forth on this Mission, and is now (if his life has been spared) labouring in the heart of Africa, to convert the Heathen to Popery!" The case of Krishnaghur is also to the point; where amongst our Christian converts, a Jesuit Missionary settled himself down; and regardless of the one hnndred and thirty million of Heathen in India, concentrated his energies on the seduction of our Protestant native converts to the falsehood of Popery : we rejoice to add that he has signally failed in his attempt-he has been obliged to depart from Krishnaghur; and the natives he had seduced have now returned in penitence to their former Pastors. Nevertheless, our

encouragements