The establishment is placed at Manepy. The press at Nellore, under the Rev. Mr. Knight, Church missionary, has been much employed by our mission in printing books and tracts for the use of the schools and for general distribution. trusted to the care of the missionaries. The confidence of the people in the missionaries gradually increased, and more boys, and even a few girls were placed in the schools. The prejudices of caste were gradually overcome in the children, until they cheerfully consented to prepare and eat their food on the mission-The territory occupied by the mission premises. In the year 1823, the schools of the five stations contained more than 4. USE OF THE SOCIAL PRINCIPLE. is not so large, but that the members can 30 girls and 120 boys. The High School, social worship, and for fraternal intermeet often together, for business, for or Seminary, at Batticotta, commenced in 1823, with 48 of the more forward for business; together observe the monthcourse. They hold frequent meetings boys in the boarding schools. Soon after this, the girls were collected from the ly concert, and the monthly prayerdifferent boarding-schools into one school meeting for the young men preparing for at Oodooville. This was the origin of stated times; meet for communion at the the ministry; meet in consociation at the female central school. In 1825, the Lord's table quarterly; occasionally asother boys in the boarding-schools were all received into one school at Tillipally, tion that God would revive his work; and semble for special prayer and supplicawhich was called the preparatory school, often unite their labors in each other's as sustaining that relation to the semi-churches, or in the school-bungalow, or nary. In September, 1832, this school in itinerant tours among the natives. was transferred to Batticotta, and united to the seminary as an introductory class. Some of the advantages of the boarding-school system are these:—(1.) It renoves the children of heathen parents from the direct influence of idolatry, and brings them under constant Christian instruction. (2.) It secures regular and prompt application to study. (3.) The course of instruction may be continued so long as fully to answer the end designed. But the boarding and village schools should be carried on together. The number of village schools, connected with the several stations, is 87, containing 2,893 males, 642 females, 53 English pupils: Total, 3,583: Female Central School, 50: Seminary, 175: theological class, 25. Such are the studies of the Seminary, and such is the degree of Christian influence exerted upon the students, that almost without exception they are early convinced of the truth and divine origin of the Bible. In this sense they are all nominal Christians. Of 142 now pursuing the regular course of study in the institution, 53 have been baptised and received to Christian communion. The importance of a thorough education to those natives who are preparing to be preachers of the gospel to their countrymen, is so great, that the mission proposed to extend the course of preparatory, collegiate, and professional studies through ten years-the collegiate studies Occupying six years instead of four. 3. THE PRESS.-There are now two presses belonging to the mission, with founts of type in Tamul and English. The social principle is also employed among the native converts. 5. ARRANGEMENT TO SECURE NATIVE AGENCY.-From the first, this has been a prominent object of the mission, as is shown under the head of Education. Through the blessing of God, there are already three native preachers, about 35 pious catechists, readers, and Bible and tract distributors, about 40 pious schoolmasters, and more than 50 pious members of the seminary training for future usefulness; and provision has been made for doubling the number of pupils in the seminary. The admissions to the church during the year 1833, have not been reported to the Committee. The whole number of native church members now living, is probably about 230. Mr. Meigs remarks respecting the progress of the mission— "When I went there," [Batticotta] "the buildsupposed habitation of innumerable evil spirits. ings were uncovered, and partly in ruins-the At certain times in the day, the people could by no means be persuaded to walk near the old ruins, so great was their fear of the evil spirits. Now, they are supposed to have fled, as it is said they will not remain where missionaries take up their abode. Now, there are comfortable accommodations for two families, appropriate buildings for a large literary seminary, and the old church so far repaired that it may be used for the public worship of God. Sixteen years ago, there were no native free schools; now, there are twenty. Then, there were no church mem bers; now, there are fifty-five connected with the station." PROPOSED MISSION IN SOUTHERN INDIA. After conferring with Mr. Winslow, the Committee adopted the following resolutions; viz. "1. Whereas Providence indicates that the time has come when the proposed mission among the Tamul people on the Coromandel coast should be commenced,- "Resolved, That the mission in Ceylon be instructed to send two of their own number to the coast opposite to Jaffna, for the purpose of commencing the mission. "2. And whereas it is of importance to facilitate the printing of Bibles and tracts for the benefit of the Tamul people in southern India, and whereas Jaffna is comparatively difficult of access from this country, on account of its insular position, while Madras is conveniently situated for the operations of a Tamul printing establishment, "Resolved, That while it is expedient to maintain a printing establishment in Jaffna for the immediate use of the mission in that district, it is proper, should Providence permit, that another establishment be placed in Madras; and that such an establishment be attempted on the return of Mr. Winslow to India." SIAM. Charles Robinson and Stephen Johnson, Missiona rics; Dan B. Bradley, M. D., Physician; and their wives. David Abeel, Missionary; on a visit to the United States. Mr. Abeel, owing to ill health, late in the autumn of 1833, took passage in an English vessel bound to London. After spending some time in France and Holland, conferring with the directors of the Netherlands Missionary Society, on the 6th of September he arrived in NewYork, but with health not entirely restored. The Committee hope, however, that he will be able to perform an agency in the Reformed Dutch Church, of which he is a member, and to make arrangements for commencing a new mission, with the aid of associates from the same church and under the direction of the Board, somewhere in southeastern Asia, or the neighboring archipelago. He is now preparing an account of his researches in China and the neighboring countries for publication. guage. They hoped to reach Siam in the spring of the present year. CHINA. Elijah C. Bridgman and Peter Parker, M. D., Missionaries; S. Wells Williams, Printer. Mr. Tracy and Mr. Williams arrived at Canton on the 26th of October 1833. Mr. Tracy has since been authorized to remove to Singapore. Mr. Parker embarked the 3d of June last. The principal labor of conducting the Chinese Repository devolves on Mr. Bridgman; but valuable assistance has been received from Dr. Morrison and others. The work is growing in favor among the readers of the English language in the East where it is published, and is one of the chief causes, under God, of the increasing interest felt by the churches in the millions of the Chinese empire. We ought to avoid cherishing anticipations concerning the progress of our work in China, beyond what the Lord authorizes in his providence. Nor should we infer that other missionaries can of course do what Mr. Gutzlaff has done. Still, enough has been proved to show that the church may easily attempt great things in China, and ought by all means to do so immediately. Nor ought we to conclude that there are insuperable barriers any where to the progress of the church throughout the world. Prayer and perseverance and faith will certainly find a way into all nations. But the patrons of missions ought to feel, that their faith may yet be severely tried, before the gates of China are thrown open to the free entrance of Christian missionaries and the word of God. Mr. Bridgman, though much interrupted 1. ACQUISITION OF THE LANGUAGE.— by other duties, is making gradual progress in a knowledge of that difficult tongue. Mr. Stevens, seaman's chaplain the Chinese language with the expectaat the port of Canton, is also attending to tion of entering the service of the Board in the autumn of next year. 2. COLLECTING AND DIFFUSING INFORMATION CONCERNING CHINA.-The Messrs. Robinson and Johnson arrived most valuable sources of information at Batavia September 30th. From thence have been the personal researches of Mr. they proceeded to Singapore. On the Gutzlaff. Other sources are the writ14th of November Mr. Johnson and wife ings of Jesuit missionaries and other old embarked in a ship bound to Siam, but writers on China, as reviewed and corcalms, head winds, and strong opposing rected in the Repository. Another currents, compelled them to return to source is found in Chinese authors, from Singapore where they enjoyed good ad- whom much valuable information convantages for acquiring the Chinese lan-cerning the empire has already been drawn, and placed within the reach of the churches. PREPARATION OF BOOKS IN CHINESE, AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION AMONG THE PEOPLE. The greater part of the tracts which have yet been distributed, are parts, or compilations of the word of God. It is found that at Canton, there is no lack of disposition to receive our books, though there is great need of caution, owing to peculiar circumstances. In October, a year ago, Leang Afa and his fellow disciple Achang, went forth into the streets of Canton, and distributed more than 2,500 volumes of Scripture tracts and his own "Good Words to admonish the Age," among the 24,000 literary graduates, who had assembled in that city for public examination. He says the books were received with gladness. In March of the present year, he distributed 1,500 copies of the Scripture Lessons, some testaments and other books, in one of the northern districts of the province of Canton, where literary examinations were then in progress. Mr. Gutzlaff thought that he himself distributed not less than 30,000 books during his fifth voyage. The books which have been distributed hitherto, were all printed from wooden blocks. Mr. Dyer, of the London Missionary Society, has succeeded, it is said, in casting Chinese metalic moveable types at a moderate expense. Each character in the Chinese written language, however, is the sign of an idea; and, though the radical characters do not exceed 212, and 1,200 characters will be sufficient to print a considerable part of the language, a complete fount must contain from 25,000 to 30,000 characters. During the past year the Committee have obtained from Canton the wooden blocks for the Sermon on the Mount; and from them have had stereotype plates cast, with which, as an experiment, they have printed that tract, on the Chinese paper and in the style of that countryprobably the first Chinese tract ever printed in the United States. Should the expectations which are cherished on this subject be realized, the common printing-press may at once be employed in printing the Chinese Scriptures and tracts, without the enormous labor and expense of procuring metalic types. INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. SINGAPORE.-Ira Tracy, Missionary. EXPLORING MISSION.-Samuel Munson and Henry Lyman, Missionaries; and their wives. VOL. XXXI. Miss Adeline White embarked for this mission, with Dr. and Mrs. Bradley in July. In respect to climate, security, and frequent intercourse with all the ports of the neighboring countries and islands, Singapore presents peculiar advantages for a large printing establishment. For the last three or four months of the year 1833, it is estimated that not less than 140 native craft arrived each month, from as many as 40 different ports. as When the Committee were prepared to resolve upon having their principal manufactory and depot for books and tracts at Singapore, an extensive establishment for printing and casting types at that place was offered for sale to the missionaries of the Board on such terms, were conditionally accepted. The Committee have since approved of the purchase, and have authorized Mr. Tracy to remove from Canton, and take the superintendence of the establishment. There are two presses, a fount of Roman type, two founts of Malay, one of Arabic, two of Javanese, one of Siamese, and one of Bugis; and apparatus for casting types for all these languages, and for bookbinding. Messrs. Munson and Lyman arrived at Batavia on the 30th of September, 1833. Mr. Munson devoted his attention primarily to the Chinese language, and Mr. Lyman to the Malay. In the healing art and as religious teachers, they also did good to the people as they found opportunity. Early in the present year they received permission from the government of Netherlands India to visit the island of Niyas, the Batta country in the northwestern part of Sumatra, and the interior of Borneo, for missionary purposes. Owing to restrictions imposed by the Dutch government on missionary labors among the natives of Java, the brethren are decidedly of opinion that Java affords a much less eligible field for us, than Sumatra, Niyas, Borneo, Celebes, etc.-On the 7th of April, Messrs. Munson and Lyman were to embark on their tour to Niyas, and the country of the Battas. Meanwhile it is important that missionaries should be in readiness to enter the fields they may recommend for immediate occupation in the name of the Lord Jesus. SANDWICH ISLANDS. ISLAND OF HAWAII. Kailua.-Asa Thurston and Artemas Bishop, Missionaries; and their wives. Kaawaloa.-Cochran Forbes, Missionary, and wife. 3 Hilo.-Joseph Goodrich, Shelden Dibble, and Da- Waimea-Dwight Baldwin, M. D., and Lorenzo ISLAND OF MAUI. Lahaina.-William Richards, Lorrin Andrews, and Ephraim Spaulding, Missionaries; Alonzo Chanin, Missionaries; and their wives. ISLAND OF MOLOKAI. Kalunaha.-Harvey R. Hitchcock and Lowell Smith, Missionaries; and their wives. ISLAND OF OAHU. Honolulu.-Hiram Bingham and Ephraim W. Clark, Missionaries; Gerret P. Judd, M. D., Physician; Levi Chamberlain, Superintendent of the Secular Concerns of the Mission; Andrew Johnstone, Teacher of Oahu Charity School for Children of Foreign Residents; Stephen Shepard and Edmund H. Rogers, Waialua.-John S. Emerson, Missionary, and wife. Printers; and their wives. ISLAND OF KAUAI. influence of the divine Spirit, by which the supreme power, in a government thus peculiarly constituted, became so wonderfully united with piety in the persons of the rulers. Happily for the Sandwich Islands, perhaps, this union is likely to be dissolved before the government has begun to use it for secular and unhallowed purposes. None of the pious chiefs had influence enough to succeed to the high place, which Kaahumanu occupied. Early in the year 1833, the young king assumed the government, and by his example virtually abrogated some of the most salutary laws to which he had previously given his assent. He then publicly declared that he took the reins of government into his own hands, and that with him was the power of making laws, and the power of life and death. He then published laws prohibiting only murder, adultery, and theft; from which the inference was drawn that these were the principal laws of the Waimea. Samuel Whitney and Peter J. Gulick, land. Yet he still recognized Kinau as Missionaries; and their wives. William P. Alexander, Richard Armstrong, and Benjamin W. Parker Missionaries, and their wives; -Stations assigned them on their return from the Washington Islands, not yet known. Titus Coan, Missionary, Edwin O. Hall, Printer, and Henry Dimond, Bookbinder, with their wives, and Miss Lydia Brown and Miss Elizabeth M. Hitchcock, Assistants, embarked at Boston, Dec. 5th, destined to reinforce this mission. Messrs. Smith and Parker, missionaries, and Mr. Fuller, printer, arrived at Honolulu on the 1st of May 1833. Mr. Fuller's health was such on his arrival that he found it necessary soon to return to his native land. Mr. and Mrs. Ruggles, in consequence of the protracted illness of Mr. Ruggles, reached this country in June, bringing with them their children, and one of Mr. Bingham's and one of Mr. Whitney's. The death of Kaahumanu formed a crisis in the religious history of the Sandwich Islands. Endowed with a rare capacity to govern, this chief ruler of the people threw the whole weight of her influence and authority into the scale of Christian morals and piety. From the peculiar structure of the government, and the fact that the heads of it were members of the church and zealous for the newly adopted religion, it came to pass that church and state were actually, for a time, united. The churches, schools, teachers, and the whole system of religious order and influence leaned, in no small degree, upon the government. The mission is not to be blamed for this. It grew out of that sovereign his agent for transacting business; nor has he ever conducted towards the missionaries otherwise than in the most friendly manner. It soon became known every where that the highest chief had relaxed the reins of moral duty, and every where the effect was such as might have been expected. There was a falling off in the schools, and in the congregations. The Sabbath began to be profaned by sinful recreations. Not a few resumed their old habits of intemperance. Some of the members of the church fell, and the love of others waxed cold. In short, it became painfully obvious that there had been a lamentable change in the moral influences, which has for years been operating upon the nation. As it regards the mission, the events that have been referred to are undoubtedly favorable in the following respects, viz: 1. In checking the tendency to rely on human power, and promoting a dependence upon God, and of course a spirit of prayer, in the missionaries and their patrons. 2. In counteracting the strong tendency to hypocrisy, which there is found to be among the common people. And, 3. By directing the attention of the missionaries more to the necessity of laying deep and permanent foundations for the religious institutions of the islands. PREACHING. At each of the stations preaching has been continued at stated A comparison with the numbers accustomed to attend meeting in previous years, will show that there has been a decrease in the congregations. The attendance is also more variable. A new, well built church was completed by the natives at Waialua capable of seating 1,500 people in the native manner. The natives purchased a bell for it, at an expense of 144 dollars. EDUCATION. The returns of the various stations for June, 1833, give the numbers of the natives in the schools of their respective districts, who were able to read with more or less facility. sionaries have also had female schools. Miss Ogden had a flourishing school at Lahaina in November, containing 160 children. Sabbath schools are continued as usual, and perhaps it is well that the number of pupils in them is diminished, as those who do attend will derive the greater benefit. Greater expenses must be incurred by the Board than heretofore in the department of education. Model school-houses and model-schools are needed at every station. The first session of the High School at Lahaina commenced July 2, 1832. In the course of the year, there were 91 scholars in the school. The principal, who is Mr. Andrews, has experienced books. Could a small manual and gramgreat embarrassment from the want of mar of the Greek language be prepared, it would give the pupils of the school access to a large field for intellectual effort in the study of language, and esIpecially the original language of the New Testament. The Committee have determined to afford the necessary helps for making this experiment. A thousand dollars were appropriated to the school, the last year; and apparatus, etc., will be provided as fast as shall be desirable. The schools on the island of Kauai have kept pace with those on the other islands, and have suffered less from the recent changes in the government. OF PREPARATION AND PRINTING Books. The amount of printing during the year ending June 1833, was as follows, viz: Child's Arithmetic, (Fowle's,) First Book of Elements, Acts of the Apostles, Catechism on the book of Genesis, a great diminution in the number of Scripture History. (reprint,) Part of the book of Numbers, Romans and I and 2 Corinthians, (reprint,) 72 Intellectual Arithmetic, (Colburn's,) First Book for Children, (reprint,) scholars, since the annual meeting of the Schools have been formed at most of the stations, called select or station schools, for the better instructing of the teachers. These are taught by the missionaries themselves. Wives of mis Gamut and Music, engraved, Total, Also, various small works. 36 20,000 48 10,000 12 10,000 64 10,000 76 10,000 36 10,000 8 10,000 8 10,000 24 4,000 About 368 pages of new matter have been added, the past year, to the Sandwich islander's library of books;-making the whole number of pages 1,988. The pages printed during the year were 9,436,000. The copies of books printed from the beginning, have been 766,000, and the pages 33,501,800. |