RANGOON. LETTER FROM DR. DAWSON. "An open door" set.-Visit to Dalla. Rangoon, Oct. 18, 1851.-In our relations with this heathen community and the government, nothing, I am happy to say, has occurred to mar the encouraging features of previous reports. Mr. Kincaid and myself (except during an illness of some twenty days in September,) have continued at our work of preaching, teaching, administering to the sick and visiting in different portions of the town, without meeting the slightest opposition or interference. The truth is being scattered in various directions, and, like seed planted in the ground, we commit it to God, praying that it may spring up and bear fruit to his own glory. In his hand are all the issues of life, and from him cometh down the rich gift of grace, "even life for evermore," to all them that believe. In the early part of last month, on account of a pressing invitation from the head of a large and influential family, I made a visit to Dalla, the town on the river opposite Rangoon. Some of the members of the family had previously called a few times at the mission house, seeking medical aid. A boat arrived, about 9 o'clock, to convey me across the stream, and at ten we started against the tide, which then swept rapidly down, occasioning the boatmen some hard pulling to reach the wharf. The sun was oppressively hot, the boat without thatch or shelter. Mr. Kincaid intended going, but was sent for that morning by the governor, to translate some papers filed in a suit then under trial in his court. The town stands on the southern bank of the river, and stretches eastward over a mile, when it forms a bend or shoulder and extends half a mile further, up a broad, deep creek. It contains, as estimated by some of the people, 400 houses, many of which have their posts set to the depth of three or four feet in the rippling waters below. Allowing five persons to a house, gives an aggregate of 2000 inhabitants. Of all the towns and villages in Burmah, Dalla is probably the worst situated. The ground is one great marsh, covered with rank grass and water, and infested with frogs. The streets are mere foot-paths of brick set vertically, raising the thoroughfare twelve | duties required by his Maker, without to fifteen inches above the general level. The houses communicate with the streets by planks laid across the intervening space. Karen Christians well reported of "Almost persuaded." A walk of five minutes brought me to the residence of Ko Tai. The family consists of the father, mother, one son and twelve daughters. The father, though a Burman, is "Karen Ouk," and has charge of a large and populous district of that interesting people. He says he endeavors to treat them kindly and offers no opposition to their being Christians. Although he has never for himself looked into the subject of "the new religion," he admits that there are many excellent results springing from it, as exemplified in the deportment of the Karens under his care. In his house I saw a tract in Burmese, that had been given to him by a Christian Karen. About five years ago his only son entered the priesthood, but the young man does not appear to have any strong attachment to it, nor to the religious system whose interests he then espoused. Clothed in his yellow robes the young priest, in company with several others, has lately made a number of visits to the mission the risk of being beaten for so doing. Visit to a monastery-"The crystal palace" After seeing several persons in Ko Tai's house who were sick, and partaking of some refreshments, I went to the monastery in which his son was domiciled, to see him and likewise another priest who was ill. On being introduced to the principal of the kyoung, he directed mats to be spread on the floor near his own seat, suspended school,-a number of boys being in attendance, receiving instruction, and invited me to sit down. The priest remarked that he had once lived in Maulmain, and came to Dalla about eighteen years ago. The kyoung he occupied was built expressly for him by a former governor of the dis house, and when the claims of the gospel on his affections were presented, seemed to be a very sincere and attentive list-trict, but it was now going to decay, that ener. Already in conversation, he confesses his willingness to cast away the priestly robes, but fear of ridicule, and the shame of being considered a deserter from the monastery, where he has a tolerable share of influence, deter him from taking such a step. If he could escape from the neighborhood, and from the storm that might be raised at his leaving the kyoung, he thinks it would be only acting wisely to renounce an office symbolic of their last deity, Gaudama, and to become an honest man in the plain garb of a Burman. After he had advanced so far on the road of improvement, he says, he could give his attention to the study of the Scriptures and the part of it, at least, which was exposed to the weather. Soon a small assembly began to collect and sit in a circle around us; for the presence of a white foreigner, in most of the towns and villages of Burmah Proper, will always gather a crowd in a few minutes. After a few desultory observations, the conversation turned to the "crystal palace." I attempted to describe the building to them, the object and character of the great exhibition, and the good that was likely to follow from it, in different departments of industry, to the civilized nations that participated in the undertaking. Astonishment was depicted in every countenance at the thought that so extensive a build ing could be made almost entirely of iron and glass, materials whose value in the arts they have scarcely begun to understand. All listened with much interest. Gradually the doctrines of Christianity were introduced, but as is the case with men in every land, such a topic was not as pleasant to their ears or hearts as matters pertaining to this world. It was evident that the priest did not wish the people to hear of "a more excellent way," and so contrived to send away several of them on some business. But all did not go. Some still lingered, and heard of the love of Christ to guilty men. "O king of mercy! grant them power Offering them all an invitation to the mission house, I turned my face toward home, where I arrived about dark. Religious festivals of the natives- Burmese "lent." to those who should seem, for their dexterity and skill, to be most deserving of them. But the most remarkable of these ceremonies was the illumination at night in some of the principal streets of the town. Shortly after sundown we had heard the report of several cannon and seen a number of rockets in the air. Not expecting such a scene in Burmah, we inquired what it all meant. It was the signal for the illumination to commence on both land and water. Thousands of little lamps were floated up the stream with the tide, forming one continuous chain of burning lights to a distance of over two miles. This was said to be an offering to the guardian "nat of the ocean," whom they call Shen-oo-booghoke, who dwells in a leaden palace at the bottom of the sea! Two or three evenings before this display, while standing with Mrs. Dawson at one of the wharfs, we noticed a young Burman putting a large turtle into the water and letting it go. To save the lives of any of the inferior animals, is always regarded by a Boodhist as a highly meritorious deed. In this instance a life was not only saved, With the last full moon came the season for celebrating different festivals among the various sects of this heathen people. There are three great classes of them, Burmese, Hindoos, and Moham--for the turtle was purchased for that medans, which last are grouped with the other two, though they denounce idolatry as much as Boodhists revere and cherish it. The Burmese lent has just closed, and its termination was the occasion of a sort of religious rejoicing. It continues for ninety days, but by far the greatest portion of the time it is only nominally a fast. At its close the annual boat races are held in all the towns and cities of the kingdom, and in every place it appears to be a prerogative of the government to conduct them. The monopoly, however, is expensive to the treasury. eral days beforehand, the principal part of the inhabitants turn out upon the river to practise. On the day appointed, the governor, in his state barge with a few of his retinue, occupied a prominent point, so as to view the proceedings of the whole day, for it is kept up from morning till night, and to award head dresses For sev purpose-but was dedicated as an offering to the "nat of the river." As the young man was on the eve of starting on a long journey by water, he hoped to avoid all accidents by thus propitiating the "nat" who had power to aid or to harm him. Verily, how gross is the darkness that rules in the minds of thesemillions! Hindoo "dussera"-"Backreed" of the While the Burman population were thus engaged, the Hindoo residents of Rangoon, who number between three and four hundred, celebrated a feast called the Dussera, the exact object of which a brahmin at the temple was unable to explain. There was no copy of the shasters in the country that he could refer to, and the only reasonable account he could give of its observance, was, that it was "Hindoo custom." The circumstance shows how little even the priests and leaders of Hindoo society are acquainted with the tenets of the delusive system to which they cling. It reminds one of the allusion made by the Saviour to the pharisees: "They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." A festival called Buckreed was held during a period of three days by the Mohammedans. In Hindûstani buckree signifies a sheep, and implies a season of feasting. As no man here, of whatever nation, dares to kill a sheep, goat, or ox, without special permission from the highest functionary in the province, the Mussulmans, a day previous to their indulgence, went in a body to the governor to obtain his sanction to kill sheep. Permission was given, though such favors are only procured by presents or fees of office. This portion of the community have in their hands nearly the whole import trade of the place, and seem enterprising, thrifty, and generally honest. Some of them come occasionally to the mission house, to read the Scriptures in their own language and converse about religion. Karens and Burmans; "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." Last Sunday afternoon I had the happiness for the first time since our arrival, to witness a baptism in Rangoon. Five candidates, two Burmans and three Karens, were baptized in the Khan-danghyee or royal tank, by br. Kincaid. There were four Karen applicants for the ordinance, one of whom was unexpectedly taken ill and felt himself unable to walk the distance (about a mile and a half) to the tank. He came in from the jungle the evening before, in company with three other disciples, partly for this object, and partly to get medicine for their sick families. A meeting was convened early in the afternoon for the examination of the candidates. Their statements were very satisfactory. One of the Burmese converts is the poor blind man referred to in a former *This was not, however, the first baptism, as appears by Mr Kincaid's.letter post. letter, (p. 415, last volume,) who came in The work of grace seems to be advanc- LETTERS FROM MR. KINCAID. The preceding letter was accompanied by communications from Mr. Kincaid of later date. The first is of Nov. 13. A Jesuit trick. When I last wrote to you, I mentioned that our Burman and Karen books were 1 all gone, and that we were looking anxiously for a small supply. With reference to the Karens this was especially desirable. Many were com ng to us from all the surrounding regions, ranging from twenty-five to 150 miles. At length I received a letter from Mr. Ranney, saying that he had delayed sending any books on account of an article in the Maulmain Times, which stated that we were broken up,- not only forbidden to go up to Ava, but that we were to be expelled from the country. The whole thing was untrue,-not a shade of a shadow on which to found such a state ment. It was the work, undoubtedly, of a Jesuit. As soon as Mr. Ranney learned the false and designing character of the article, he shipped two boxes of Burman and Karen books. Mr. Vinton and his sister came to Rangoon in the same ship. Books detained at the custom house "Christ's books" interdicted. I On opening the boxes in the custom house, the officers said the books and tracts must all be counted and a record made. This cost some two hours' labor, in a close place thronged with people. felt much annoyed at this useless labor, but did not complain. I repacked all the books. The officers then expressed an unwillingness that I should take them away without the governor's order. I remonstrated, though in mild language; it was of no avail. “Very well,” I said, "keep them two or three days, and do you get the governor's order." There was a small handful of tracts not in the boxes. These I took to carry home and was refused. I felt exceedingly indignant, and so expressed myself in a conversation of considerable length. I did not, however, so much blame the officers as the system of interference and oppression, practised upon all classes of people. The governor came to the custom house a few days after. I went and spoke to him about my books. The place was thronged with people. The governor was mild in manner, but said he could not allow me to give "Christ's that books" to Burmans and Karens, he was afraid of hell and durst not do it. All the books except Christ's books I might take, also all the bound volumes of whatever kind. He then added, that since our arrival in Rangoon, 500 Karens had been at our house; that one had been found with a book; and that he would be under the necessity of shooting every Karen who came, except the lame, the sick and the blind. This was said as coolly as he would speak about his dinner. "We do not know," I replied, "how many come to our house. All sorts of people come, Burmans, Karens, Mussulmans, Hindoos, Chinese, Armenians, Malabarians, Shans and English. We give medicine to all the sick, and we in struct all." "I can 66 But then," said the governor, not permit you to give books to Burmans and Karens. I should destroy Gaudama's religion, and then go to hell.” "Your excellency must be aware that the Karens did not worship Gaudama, and had no books till we gave them a written language; that they were a nation of drunkards and made offerings to evil spirits; but now, those who have got Christ's books have left off all drunkenness and demon worship, and are now the best people in the kingdom." The governor turned away his head toward the crowd and laughed heartily. More trouble about the books gained. The object Some three or four days after this I went to the custom house to get the books, according to the governor's order. The two boxes were opened and I divided them. I claimed all the bound volumes, Psalms of David, Extracts from the Old Testament, and all that pertained to science;-my pile was about four-fifths. I told the officers I had made the division according to my view of the subject. They then called for one of each kind, and after a long examination said, These books on science all lead to Christ and the overthrow of Gaudama." "You may say the same," I replied, |