Jan. 31st, 1820, to nearly 20,000 dollars, and the payments to about 15,732 dollars. In 1817, an auxiliary B. S. was formed, which has been the means of diffusing much light among the slaves. Many are anxious to receive the Scriptures, and many more are learning to read in order to possess them. In 1822, an auxiliary W. M. S. was formed.

BARRACKPORE, a town in Bengal, Hindoostan, on the E. side of the Hoogly R., 16 m. above Calcutta, and nearly opposite Serampore. It is the country seat of the governor-general, and a military station.

In 1814, the Baptist Missionaries at Serampore, in compliance with the earnest solicitations of several non-commissioned officers, introduced the Gospel here, by occasionally preaching at their houses. Though preaching has been irregularly maintained, yet their labours have been greatly blessed, and several of their countrymen and natives have been added to the church at Serampore. In 1821, the Marchioness of Hastings established a school here, with due provision for its support, and committed it to the care of the C. K. S., which has a depôt of books and tracts which are usefully distri

BAREILLY, a large, populous, and flourishing city in the province of Delhi, Hindoostan, ceded to the British in 1802, and is the seat of their judicial establishment for the district of Bareilly. Under the fostering hand of the British Government, in one year, 1820-1, more than 2270 houses were built in the city, and the country around is proportionably increasing in population and agriculture. The city is about 800 m. N.W. of Cal-buted.

нав

* BARRIPORE, a town of Ben- | Another, who had suffered much
gal, Hindoostan, 16 m. S. E. of by the gale, gave 25; and I
Calcutta.
doubt not but 2000 dollars will be
raised for the new building. His
excellency says that he will repre-
sent the loss we have sustained to
his majesty, the king of Sweden,
and doubts not but some grant will
be made to us."

For several years the C. K. S. has supported a large school here, for which a school-house has been recently erected.

BARTHOLOMEW, ST., one of the Caribbe islands, 24 m. in circuit, and 25 N. of St. Christopher: The French ceded it to the Swedes in 1785, and it is the only spot in the West Indies possessed by them. The chief exports are cotton, drugs, and lignum vitæ ; and it has a good harbour, called Gustavia. W. long. 63° 40′, N. lat. 17° 46'.

This was one of the first stations of the W. M. S. The Rev. Mr. Dace laboured here ten years, and was called to his reward in 1816. The governor, and most of the respectable persons on the island, at tended his funeral. In every place in which he was engaged in the West Indies, Mr. Dace was deservedly esteemed. A few days after his death, a dreadful hurricane completely destroyed the mission chapel and dwelling-house, a loss which, it was hoped, would in great part be repaired by the exertions of the friends of the mission there. The following is an extract of a letter from Mr. Hirst, who went over from St. Martin's to perform the funeral ceremony over Mr. Dace's remains.

In the following year it is stated, that though the congregation, since the destruction of the chapel, was without a convenient place to meet in, yet the people were attentive to religious services in private houses; and, by the exertions of the leaders, the society was kept together and was prospering. In 1823, the mission suffered materially from local and unavoidable circumstances, which were not only felt by the members of the society in particular, but by the community at large. The stagnation of trade obliged nearly 100 members to leave the island, to seek support for themselves and their owners elsewhere. Notwithstanding these difficulties, the society increased, until the alarms arising out of the affair at Demarara caused some restrictions to be imposed. Latterly, however, the cause of God has prospered. The number in the society, by the last report, was 255. And in the school were 152 children, whose progress was encouraging.

BASEL, the largest town in Switzerland, on the Rhine, favour"The morning after the gale I ably situated for commerce, conwaited on his excellency the go-taining about 15,000 inhabitants. vernor, who expressed his regret It has an university, founded by at our loss, but said, 'As your old Pope Pius II., about the year chapel was in a bad situation, if 1460. E. long. 7° 30′, N. lat. you find a vacant plot more eligibly 47° 35'. situated, belonging to the king, I will give it you. This we were not able to do, and have been obliged to purchase. The situation is in the centre of the town, and 1200 dollars have been already subscribed his excellency gave 30 "It was in the last calamitous' dollars, and 3 gentlemen 100 each. | war, in the year 1815, that the

A seminary was established here in 1815, for the education of miss sionaries to the heathen. Its origin and progress were thus described, in 1822, by the Rev. Mr. Blumhardt, the inspector :

braced, and also a systematic course of theology. The students enjoy privileges in the university. About 15 students may be annually admitted, and the hope is indulged, that the increasing liberality of its friends will provide for a much greater number. The government has approved of the design, and afforded the institution its favour and protection.

spirit of missions struck its first roots in the hearts of some Christian friends, at Basel, in Switzerland. In this eventful year, a Russian army encamped on one side of our town; and, on the other side, the fortress of Huningen began to pour out a dreadful torrent of bombs against our dwellings. In these sorrowful moments, the Lord of the elements sent a very violent E. wind, which had a wonderful effect on the fire of the enemy, The bombs were exhausted in the air before they could reach our homes, without injury to any life of the inhabitants. While the fire of the fortress was, in this remarkable manner, quenched by the wind of God, a holy flame of missionary zeal was kindled in the bearts of some Christian friends. They resolved to establish a missionary seminary, as a monument of this remarkable salvation of the town; and to train up a number of pious teachers for the instruction of the heathen Mahomedan tribes, who were sent from the interior of Asia to be our deliverers.

20

a

s

BASSEIN, a large town on the W. coast of Hindoostan, 30 m. N. of Bombay, on an island separated by a narrow strait from the island th of Salsette. It was taken by the British in 1780, but restored to the Mahrattas in 1783; and here, in 1802, was signed the celebrated treaty between the Peishwa and the British, which annihilated the Mahrattas as a federal empire. This town is ancient, and was a place of great importance when the Portuguese power was at its zenith. The fort, which is larger than that. The at Bombay, was formerly filledford with houses and inhabitants, and on the contains the splendid ruins of 12

et from

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and sta

churches. Many monuments of elogs a

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"In the 1st year, 1816, we had national wealth and power are still whole only a few rooms, inhabited by a remaining. The inside of St. lars; in the 6th year the blessing of is fallen in, was completely over- to 48,0 small number of missionary scho- Paul's church, the roof of which, God enabled our committee to build laid with gold. The idol, Huna- .608. a missionary college. In the 1st munt, set up in the gateway of year we had an income of little these churches by the Mahratta a missio more than 50.; in the 6th year power, reminds the beholder that of their ag In the 1st year seded Roman Catholic superstition. but he says

the blessing of our Lord increased absolute heathenism has long super- Hisperson

it to about 50007.

our society consisted only of a

The American missionaries, at

15th, 1815

small number of Christian friends, Tannah and Bombay, have fre- preache

at Basel; by the 6th year more than 40 auxiliary societies had

quently visited this place, and dis-
tributed books and tracts; and, in

I had abou reach in M

been established in Switzerland, in 1819, they opened a flourishing He men Germany, and among the Pro- school of about 30 boys, taught by sting instanc BATAVIA, a city and seaported the ro

testants of France."

The term of study is four years, during which time particular attention is given to philology, comprehending the English, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic languages; other sciences are em

atic co ents en

ty. Ab

qually

indulge lity of

a mud

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is faro

non

30 m.

to the

cross each other at right angles. | The public edifices consist of the great church, a Lutheran and Portuguese church, a mosque, a Chinese temple, the stadthouse, the spenhouse, the infirmary, and the chamber of orphans. The fort is built of coral rock, brought from some of the adjoining islands, and has a fortification of brick. A part of the town wall is built of dense lava, from the mountains in the centre of Java. No stone of any eparate kind is to be found for many miles beyond this city; but marble and granite are brought here from China. The harbour is excellent; and there are canals in the principal streets, planted on each side with trees. Batavia contains a proed the digious number of inhabitants, of mirvarious countries; and all the goods was brought from other parts of the East Indies are laid up here, till they are exported to their places of destination. The city surrendered to a British force in 1811. It is situate on the R. Jacatra, amid swamps and stagnant pools, which, with the fogs and climate, render the air unwholesome to Europeans. It once contained about 160,000 inhabitants, which do not now amount to 48,000. E. long. 1060 52', S. lat. 6o 8'.

ere,

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In 1813, the B. M. S. com18 menced a mission at Batavia, by means of their agent, Rev. Mr. Robinson. His personal afflictions were great; but he says, in a letter dated April 5th, 1815 Last Monday evening I preached in a new place, where I had about 60 hearers. now preach in Malay 4 times aweek." He mentions also a very interesting instance of usefulness. Towards the end of that year he had finished the rough copy of St. Matthew's Gospel, in the Malay language, and proceeded to revise it for the press. In July, 1816, he baptized 4 persons, viz. 2 soldiers, and 2 inhabitants of Batavia. In

1820, he says, "We have now 4 members who have been baptized in Java; and we have, besides them, 5 men of hopeful piety, who pray in turn at our prayer meetings. There are also a few women who seem to be pious; and 2 persons, if no more, appear to have died in the Lord; to say nothing of a Chinese, who says he will die at the feet of Jesus:' add these to gether, and you will find them more than 10-the number for which Sodom might have been saved." Mr. Robinson's labours were subsequently impeded, by restrictions which greatly diminished his hopes of future usefulness.

6

After an unsuccessful application for their removal, to the king of the Netherlands, and after a patient struggling with them, Mr. Robinson deemed it expedient to remove to Bencoolen. The sta tion was not, however, neglected. Mr. Diering, one of the persons alluded to as baptized, who was very useful to Mr. Robinson, was actively employed, after his departure, in doing good. Twice on the Sabbath, and once during the week, he engaged in expounding the Scriptures to his ignorant neighbours; and appeared desirous to employ every means in his power to promote the cause of the Gospel in that city; but in October, 1825, he was removed, after a short illness.

The Rev. Mr. Supper, of the L. M. S., arrived at Batavia on the 26th of May, 1814, and at the request of Dr. Ross, the venerable Dutch minister of the city, became his colleague. In a letter dated November, 1814, Mr. Supper speaks of an increase in his congregation, and states that several persons had appeared to be convinced of their sins under the ministry of the word, but they had encountered much opposition from their gay connexions; and many others were offended with the faithfulness of the dis

courses which had been delivered tongue, visits him three times ain the church. week, to converse about the docIn another letter, dated Augusttrines of Christianity; he seems to 12, 1816, and addressed to the love Jesus Christ better than ConRev. Dr. Steinkopff, Mr. Supper fucius, and expressed a wish for a says "The German, French, few more books in the Chinese Dutch, and English Bibles and Tes-language. He likewise turned his taments, as well as the Portuguese paper idols out of his house, and is New Testaments, which, through ardently desirous of becoming a your goodness, I carried out with Christian. me, or received from you afterwards, have almost all been expended; and I can assure you, that they have fallen into hands where they are daily made use of. The Chinese New Testament, which the zealous missionary, Mr. Milne, distributed among the Chinese, and those which I had the means of distributing, have been visibly attended with blessed effects. I mention only a few instances.-A member of my Portuguese congregation came to me last week, and said I am acquainted with some Chinese who generally come to me twice a-week, when the word of God is the theme of our conversation they have read the Chinese New Testament, and find the contents of it of far greater excellence than those of any other book they have ever read, but yet they do not understand every thing that is said in it, and consequently apply to me to explain and clear up some passages which they cannot comprebend; I then give them such illustrations on the subject as I have remembered from your discourses. This Portuguese is one of my pupils, and, thanks be to God! I may truly say, that he is my crown, and the first-fruit of my labours among the nominal Christians here. The Chinese have already turned their idols out of their houses, and are desirous of becoming Christians. "Another of my Portuguese pupils, a man of 58, came to me a few days ago, and told me that a certain Chinese, who had read the New Testament in his mother

"I was lately on a visit to a certain gentleman, where one of the richest Chinese in this country was also a guest. He spoke to me in Dutch, and said-'I have read Mr. Morrison's New Testament with pleasure. It is very fine, and it would be well if every one led such a life as Jesus Christ has taught people to lead.' I cannot describe to you, what effect these words, spoken by the mouth of a Chinese, had upon me. I commenced a discourse with him about his idols, and said "You believe, according to the doctrines of Confucius, that there is but one God, who made heaven, the earth, man, and every living creature.' 'Yes,' he replied; 'but God is so far above us, that we dare not address ourselves to him, without the intervention of the demi-gods.' I then said, 'As God is the Creator of mankind, should we not call him our common Father ?' 'Yes, certainly,' was his reply. 'Well; if this be admitted, are not children obliged to place confidence in their father?' 'Most assuredly.' 'In what consists this confidence and trust ?' answer. 'Are not you the father of five sons?' 'Yes.' 'Now, what would you think or do, if three of your sons took it in their heads to paint images upon paper, or carve them upon wood; and, when finished, pay them all the veneration, and put that confidence in them, which is justly due to you as their father? Would you quietly submit to such conduct in your sons ?' No, I would certainly

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