Evangelical Magazine and Missionary Chronicle

the boys were re-admitted, and a hymn and a translation of God Save the King was sung by the whole; after which, Radama addressed the children, saying, that what he had this day witnessed, put him in possession of the present state of the Schools, and from the observations he had made he would, on a future occasion, be enabled to judge of any improvement the scholars shall have made; he therefore called the attention of all to emulation, declaring that those who made most progress in learning would find most favour with him; and, ordering those who had come from the country a present of twelve bullocks and some fruit for their suppers, he told them that they might return to their homes at their own convenience, bearing in mind that it was his desire they should pay attention to the instruction afforded them. The few words permitting their return were received with loud and long reiterated acclamations of joy,* and but a little time elapsed when the parents sent to the King a tribute of uncut money in token of their acquiescence with his orders for the promotion of knowledge amongst their children.

It was noticed, that in the month of May last year ten Schools were established, and thirteen villages subsequently supplied with Teachers from the Parent Seminary, which still labours under much difficulty for want

In 1820, when a treaty was entered into by Sir R. T. Farquhar, M.P., late Governor of the Mauritius, &c. on the part of His Britannic Majesty, with King Radama, for the purpose of putting a stop to the slave traffic in Madagascar, some of the persons interested in the traffic falsely affirmed, that the object of the Governor, in the treaty, was to bring the people of Ovah under British influence, in order that their country might more easily fall a prey to British power; insinuating, at the same time, to the people, that their children would, in that case, be taken away from them, and, with the consent of King Radama, be reduced to slavery.-ED.

of a printing-press, to enable the Missionaries to publish lessons, the bymns which they have composed, and such of the many parts of the Scriptures which they have translated.*

Of the boys under instruction, and those sent out as Teachers, eighteen have lately been selected for military service by the orders of the King, who finding his best endeavours for the good government of the country cramped, and sometimes paralyzed for want of agents capable of communicating with him in writing, is now well convinced that it is necessary that he should use every means in his power to forward the instruction of his people, and advance in his service those who acquit themselves to his satisfaction. It may, therefore, reasonably be expected, that the prejudices of the people, and the evil effects of the malicious tales which have been related to them, will yield to the perseverance of the King, and that, at no distant period, missionary instruction will be more eagerly sought after.

Of the artizans, Mr. Chick, the smith has most constant employ, and has found it expedient, now his apprentices have become useful, to extend his establishment, that he may be enabled to have an opportunity of giving the natives that instruction in his trade which he purposed on his embarking for this country.

Mr. Canham, though not without some employ in his trade, might undertake much more work than he has orders for, and the want of lime still prevents him from introducing the art of tanning; he has for some time been superintending a School at a little distance from the capital.

It has been found advisable that Mr. Rowland should also devote his time to schoolinstruction, as the demand for native growth and manufacture, which is sold at a price materially lower than the purchaser of the raw article can afford, does not permit of his attempting a competition.

A printing-press has been sent out for the use of the Madagascar mission.

FETTER LANE AUXILIARY MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

ON Wednesday evening, April 5, the annual meeting of this Society was held in Fetterlane chapel; the Rev. G. Burder, pastor of the congregation, was called to the chair; the Rev. J. Morison, of Brompton, supplicated the blessing of God. After the chairman had explained the object of the meeting, and read extracts of letters from Mr. Blossom, missionary artizan at Eimeo, who was sent out by the congregation in Fetter-lane; the Secretary, Mr. Baugh read the report of the Committee for the year, and the Rev. Dr. Mor. rison, H. F. Burder, J. Arundel, Home Secretary of the Parent Society, Rev. W. Reeve, and S. Curwen, successively addressed the meeting.

It is probable that many of our readers may have seen a report of the above meeting which appeared in The Times newspaper of the 7th of April. As that report contains several inaccuracies, some of them contradictory to common sense, and as it has been copied verbatim into several other public journals, we consider it proper to afford our friends the means of correct

ing the mis-statements alluded to, by laying before them, in two opposite columns, the statements made at the public meeting, and those made in The Times newspaper.

Statements as in The Times Newspaper. that in the island of Ceylon the exertions of the Missionary Societies have been so successful, that a college has been built on that island, where no less than 10,000 persons are at present in progress of education, not only in religion, but in the arts and sciences, and in general literature.

In Hindostan, not less than 100,000 persons have embraced Christianity; and at Calcutta, five Indian chiefs and their attendants have undergone the Christian ceremony of baptism.

That some time ago a number of, or at least several, missionaries were sent to New Zealand, on a converting expedition. [such is the language employed, in a country called Christian, to describe a Christian mission to the heathen.] Having arrived on the coast of that savage country, they disembarked, but had not proceeded but a very short distance up the country, when they were attacked by an army of cannibals, who, after putting the whole party of missionaries and their attendants to the most cruel and horrid deaths, made a feast of their bodies, every one of which they devoured, except one; and in this one the well-known cannibal chief, Chingoo, cut a large circular hole in the centre, through which he put his own head, and thus, carrying the dead body on his shoulders, marched triumphantly at the head of his devouring army.

Actual Statements.

That the American Board of Missions has formed a plan for the establishment, in Ceylon, of a native college for both Oriental and European literature.-It was also stated, that 10,000 native children are receiving Christian instruction in that island.

That not less than 100,000 children have been already brought under religious instruction in the various missionary institutions throughout the heathen world; and that a letter has been recently received containing an interesting account of the baptism, at Calcutta, of five Hindoos (together with their children) on a public avowal of their abandonment of idolatry, and their faith in the gospel of Christ.

That some natives on the eastern part of the island of New Zealand, some time ago seized an English boat's crew, whom they killed and devoured.

We are happy on being enabled to assure our readers, that the above statements in The Times, so far as they relate to missionaries in New Zealand, are entirely without foundation, not one missionary having lost his life while endeavouring to benefit the natives of that barbarous country. Such instances, however, of wanton barbarity as that erroneously ascribed at the meeting to the New Zealand chief, however apparently incredible, have formerly happened in a neighbouring groupe of Islands, and, as well as the above-mentioned statement as to the seizure, by natives of New Zealand, of an English boat's crew, rest on the authority of individuals whom the speaker regarded as worthy of implicit confidence.

On the appearance of the report in The Times to which this article relates, a corrected statement was immediately sent to that paper for insertion, but was refused.

NOTICES.

SOUTH BUCKS.

THE Annual Meeting of this Auxiliary will be held at High Wycombe on Tuesday, 23d inst., at which the Rev. William Orme, and Rev. J. Arundel, London, with the Rev. W. Ellis, Missionary, are engaged to attend,

CAMBRIDGESHIRE.

THE Fourteenth Anniversary of the Cambridgeshire Auxiliary Missionary Society will be held on Tuesday, the 30th inst., at the Rev. T. Hopkin's Meeting-house, when two sermons will be preached; that in the morning by Rev. Richard Elliot, Eversden; and that in the evening by Rev. Henry Townley, from Calcutta. The Meeting for business in the afternoon.

MISSIONARY CONTRIBUTIONS.

The Officers of Auxiliary Societies are respectfully and earnestly requested to accompany their Remittances with correct Lists, having the Names of Places and Persons alphabetically arranged, as they appear in the Society's Annual Report.

[Collections, Anonymous Donations, and all other Donations of 51. or upwards, received from 16 March, to 18 April, 1826.]