John Leighton Wilson, Missionary, and wife. On the evening of the Sabbath which followed the last meeting of the Board, Mr. Wilson received his instructions from the Prudential Committee. The next day he proceeded to Baltimore, to make arrangements for sailing in a vessel about to be despatched by the Colonization Society of the State of Maryland to Cape Palmas. He was accompanied by Mr. Stephen R. Wyncoop, who offered to assist in the somewhat perilous enterprise of exploring the ground. These brethren embarked at Baltimore on the 28th of November; touched at Monrovia about the last of January; thence proceeded to Cape Palmas; left the coast on the 9th of March, and arrived in New York on the 13th of April; having experienced much of the goodness of the Lord, both on their Voyages, and while on the coast of Africa. They represent the desire for schools as being general and strong among the people. The maritime tribes are all pagans, and on the lowest grade of superstition. The spot determined upon for the commencement of our mission in western Africa, is Cape Palmas, which promises to be more healthful than Liberia. long coast of western Africa, has the Upon two points, and only two, of the church made an effort to enter that part of the continent; and at these two points the climate has proved fatal to an unuhave heard from travellers, that other sual proportion of her missionaries. We parts of the coast are dangerous to the European constitution, and no doubt this is true; but what traveller, it may be asked, of all who have attempted to enter Africa from the west, ever died upon the coast? And in respect to how large a portion of those who have lost their lives in western Africa, may their death be traced to rash exposure, or to the hand of violence! The Committee enter upon this mission with the hope and expectation of extending it both along the coast and into the inland countries; and with a view to such an extension, the mission is authorized to commence a boarding-school, in addition to common schools, with the design to educate colored youth for helpers to the mission in the work of publishing the gospel to the native population. Mr. Wilson and his wife, and a colored teacher, re-embarked for Cape Palmas at New York Nov. 7th. MISSION TO SOUTHEASTERN AFRICA. The Committee have made arrangements for commencing a mission among the Zoolahs of southeastern Africa, and for commencing it simultaneously in the two separate communities, into which that people is at present divided. The part which is destined for the maritime community, situated between Port Natal and Delagoa Bay, will probably be landed at Port Natal. The other, destined to the interior, must go by the way of Cape Town. The Zoolahs all speak the same language, and till recently were under the same head. Their inquiries extended from Grand Cape Mount, which is northward of Liberia, to Cape Palmas, a distance of about 300 miles. The principal places visited were Cape Mount, Monrovia, Caldwell, Grand Bassa, Grand Sesters, E. Wilson, M. D., Missionary and Physician; Rev. Rock Town, and Cape Palmas. Besides, they had an opportunity for personal in Rev. Daniel Lindley, Micsionary: Rev. Alexander Henry I. Venable, Missionary; with their wives; who are to occupy one of the posts named above: and Rev. Aldin Grout, Missionary; Rev. George Cham terviews with the chief men of all the pion, Missionary; and Doct. Newton Adams, Physi more important intermediate towns. cian; with their wives; who are to occupy the other, embarked at Boston, Dec. 3, 1834. GREECE. ATHENS.-Jonas King, D. D., Missionary, and wife. ARGOS.-Elias Riggs, Missionary, and wife. Copies of the laws respecting religion and common schools, and also the press, have been received. The Greek church within the kingdom of Greece is made independent of the patriarch of Constantinople, and is closely connected with the state, as the established religion of the kingdom. The highest ecclesiastical authority is vested, under the king, in a permanent council, bearing the name of the "Holy Council of the kingdom of Greece." The laws concerning common schools in Greece were published in February of the present year, and are embraced in eighty-three articles. They evince a laudable disposition on the part of the government to extend the benefits of a common education to all the people; and the means by which it aims to do this, appear to be wisely adapted, in general, to the present circumstances and character of the Greeks. Mr. Riggs left Athens, with his family, in May last, intending to remove to Argos in the Peloponnesus. One of the objects he has in view at Argos, is to open a school for females. Within the ten months which this report includes, Messrs. King and Riggs sold or distributed gratuitously 8,251 school-books and tracts in modern Greek, 326 New Testaments and Psalters, 19 copies of the Pentateuch and book of Joshua, and one Turkish Bible and one Turkish New Testament. The supply of New Testaments has been limited; but the mission will soon be in possession of an ample store from the new edition printed by the American Bible Society. Our schools in Athens (which city has been made the seat of government,) are less in number than in former years, but have assumed a higher character and more systematic form. Our schoolbooks, too, of which great numbers are now in use in the Greek schools, are generally approved by the people who use them. The female school, which had a regular attendance of from 40 to 50 scholars, appears to have been suspended in May 1833. The two schools which have been continued in existence, are designed for the other sex. The higher school is called the Evangelical Gymnasium, and|| the other the Elementary School. scholars, and the preparatory school seventy-six. The number in the latter school was afterwards still greater. Mr. Riggs completed a course of lessons on the evidences of Christianity with the first class in the gymnasium, on the last day of December. He also went through with an epitome of the Old Testament history in the first three months of the present year; and had, besides, a Sabbath school composed of members of the preparatory school. Mr. King gave lessons in the gymnasium twice a weekonce on the historical parts of the Old Testament, and once on the doctrinal parts of the New. In April, during the absence of Mr. Riggs, he gave lessons, historical, exegetical, and didactic, six times a week in the Scriptures. His Greek preaching on the Sabbath, in his own house, he has continued as usual. The Committee have received information of the enactment of a law by the Greek government, in which the Scriptures and the most important publications of all the missionary presses are prescribed as among the books to be used in the schools throughout the country. On the whole, our brethren in Greece see many things to encourage them, but still are obliged to walk more by faith than by sight. So it is, indeed, in respect to the evangelical labors of the church in every part of the earth. Most that the eye sees is discouraging, but all that faith receives is in the highest degree animating; and faith is our appropriate guide in the missionary enterprise. CONSTANTINOPLE. Willian Goodell, H. G. O. Dwight, and William G. Schautler, Missionaries; and their wives. Mr. Goodell's intercourse with the people is chiefly through the medium of the Turkish language, which, however, gives him access to Greeks and Armenians, not less than to the Turks. Mr. Dwight devotes his time more especially to the Armenians, among whom he is preparing to exert a salutary influence by the acquisition of the Armenian language, which is their favorite national tongue. Mr. Schauffler is a missionary to the Jews. The proceedings of the past year will be briefly related under the heads of Greeks-Armenians-Turks-Jews-and Tours for observation. GREEKS. The schools have been conA month after the publication of the tinued on nearly the same scale as durplan, the gymnasium contained sixty-sixing the past year. A school has been society of young men in Constantinople. And even Peshtimaljan, mentioned above, has commenced the same practice every evening with a class of his own students. opened for girls at Pera, the principal suburb of Constantinople, and in April last contained more than fifty pupils. It was the only school for girls known to exist in the city or its vicinity. Mr. Paspati, one of the Greek young men TURKS. Our brethren have been honeducated by the Board at Amherst col-ored as the means, in the hands of God, lege, is highly valued as an assistant. of introducing a new and valuable sysARMENIANS.-The Armenians have tem of education among them. Distinmany schools of their own in Constanti-guished Mussulmans had repeatedly visitnople and its neighborhood. A great ed some of the Greek schools, and exand good work will be achieved, if new pressed high approbation of them. By and approved methods of instruction can direction of Ahmed Pasha, one of the be substituted for the old, which impart Sultan's ministers, a room was then fitted few ideas of any kind, and have scarcely up for the purpose of making trial of the any tendency to awaken the power of Lancasterian system upon some of the thought. In order to this it was necesyoung soldiers in the barracks, and apsary that the Lancasterian system should plication was made to our missionaries be translated, and appropriate cards pro- for assistance in preparing the necessary vided. An entire set of cards for spel- cards, books, etc. This assistance was ling and reading has been completed, of course most cheerfully rendered. amounting to 127 in all. Mr. Dwight Paniyotes, already mentioned, prepared has also commenced the preparation of lessons for them, consisting chiefly of a school geography in the vulgar Ar-proverbs, and short remarks. A learned menian. In spelling-books, reading-books, arithmetics, and grammars, in the modern language, the Armenians are found to be already well supplied. They have also works in geometry, trigonometry, etc.; so that the necessary preparatory work devolving upon us in respect to schools, is much less than was expected. It is in contemplation to prepare a version of the Psalms into modern Armenian. A Lancasterian school has been com menced among the Armenians of Pera, which contained twenty-seven scholars in December, two of whom were priests. It is instructed by an Armenian, who gives much evidence of possessing piety. There is a strong disposition among the more affluent and influential Armenians of Constantinople to have their clergy better educated. Several years ago the synod determined, that no candidate for the office of priesthood should receive ordination until he had finished a course of study with Peshtimaljan, who is at the head of the Armenian academy at Constantinople. At the close of last year fifteen comparatively well educated men were inducted into the sacred office. Two young Armenian teachers appear to be humble followers of the Lord Jesus. One of them is teaching the Lancasterian school among his countrymen in Pera; the other is employed in translating the Psalms into the modern Armenian. Both spend some time daily with a select class in reading and expounding the Scriptures. They do the same several times a week with a select Turk translated two of the Arabic schoolbooks into Turkish. Mr. Dwight immediately addressed himself to the work of preparing a geography. On the third of last March, Mr. Goodell wrote that the Lancasterian schools in the barracks were seven in number, in which not less than 2,000 Mussulman youth were enjoying the advantages of education. latter part of summer, 1833, Messrs. Goodell and Dwight sailed round the Sea of Marmora, chiefly for the purpose of gaining information as to the population of the different towns and villages on the coast, and ascertaining the number of Armenians and Greeks, and what opportunities there are for doing good to the people. About mid-summer of the present year, Messrs. Dwight and Schauffler made a tour in European Turkey, which they extended to Salonica, (anciently known by the name of Thessalonica,) and Adrianople. Their impressions were very favorable; and they recom mend exploring Moldavia, Wallachia, || no-Turkish New Testament, in modern and especially Servia. ASIA MINOR. SMYRNA. Daniel Temple and John B. Adger, Missionaries; Homan Hallock, Printer; and their wives. BROOSA.-Benjamin Schneider, Missionary, and wife. Scro. Samuel R. Houston, Missionary, and wife. TREBIZOND.-Thomas P. Johnston, Missionary, and wife. Rev, Philander O. Powers and wife have recently embarked for Broosa. SMYRNA. In accordance with an arrangement reported to the Board last year, Mr. Temple and Mr. Hallock left Malta, with their families and the printing establishinent, on the 7th of December, and arrived at Smyrna on the 23d. They were accompanied by the Armenian bishop Dionysius, or Carabet, as he is usually called, and his family. At the time of their arrival, great excitement prevailed among a certain portion of the Christian inhabitants of the city. Strong representations being made to the pasha, by the different sects, he, with totally mistaken views of the case, sent an order to Mr. Temple, through the American consul, to leave Sinyrna in ten days, on pain of being sent a prisoner to Constantinople. But no sooner was he made acquainted with the facts, by the kind interference of Mr. Offley, the consul, than he declared himself satisfied, and left Mr. Temple at liberty to make his arrangements at pleasure; nor have our missionaries or the press suffered any molestation since that time. The pasha would not consent, however, that Carabet should remain at Smyrna, and he sailed for Beyroot, with his family, in a Greek vessel, on the 19th of February, in company with Mr. and Mrs. Whiting, then on their return to Syria. Greek. Armeno-Turkish New Testament, Selections from the Old Testament, Life of Abraham, Life of Moses, Lives of Elijah and Elisha, Abridgment of the Old Testament, Abridgment of the New Testament, History of the Sandwich Islands, History of the Middle Ages, Child's Assistant, The l'ecoy, Priest and Catechumen, Peter Parley's Geography, Lessons for Children, by Niketoplos, The amount is about 66,000 copies, and about 10,000,000 pages. The whole amount of printing, while the press was at Malta, was not far from 350,000 copies, and 21,000,000 of pages. During Mr. Temple's residence in Malta, he almost invariably preached twice in English on the Sabbath, and once, and sometime twice, during the week. In the last three years of his residence there, he had a Sabbath school in his house in the afternoon, consisting of from ten to twenty children. Mrs. Hallock was very usefully employed in a school of young children. Mr. Petrokokino is at Smyrna, assisting in translating into the modern Greek; and there is no reason to fear that the demand for books will not suffice to give employment to the press. Mr. and Mrs. Smith proceeded from Malta to Syria, by way of Alexandria, and soon after their arrival, the Arabic portion of the printing establishment was, at the request of the brethren in Syria, forwarded from Smyrna to Bey-nia, at the western base of Olympus, and root. The printing establishment had been in operation at Malta about eleven years, having commenced in July, 1822. Up to the close of the year 1829, the printing in the modern Greek, Italian, Armeno-Turkish, and Greco-Turkish languages, amounted to 287,150 copies, and to 10,795,400 pages. A statement has recently been forwarded by Mr. Temple of the printing from the beginning of 1830 to July 1833-all, except the Arme BROOSA.-Broosa was mentioned in the last Report. It is situated in Bythy was the capital of the Turkish empire. Scro. Scio is the unfortunate Greek island, destroyed by the Turks in the year 1822. Its population before that event was reckoned at about 100,000. The Sultan has recently invited the surviving and scattered inhabitants to return and claim their property, and it is supposed that not far from 35,000 are to be found resident upon the island. The Committee regarded themselves as called by divine Providence to extend help to this people; and accordingly in- || most entirely into cities and villages. structed the Rev. Samuel Rutherford Damascus, Aleppo and Jerusalem-Houston, who embarked at Boston, with containing respectively about 100,000 his wife, for Smyrna, on the 20th of Au- 80,000, and 20,000 inhabitants-deserve gust, to make his residence, for a time at the name of cities. The number of souls least, on that island. This mission nat- within the territorial limits of Syria and urally connects itself with that in Asia Palestine, is estimated by the missionaMinor, the island being separated only ries, in a late communication, at not far by a narrow channel from the opposite from 1,000,000. coast. Possibly the seminary for the education of helpers in the Greek language, which the Board may find it expedient to establish somewhere in the Levant, may most advantageously be established on the island of Scio. TREBIZOND. This place, situated on the southeastern shores of the Black Sea, was mentioned in the 23d Report as one which ought soon to be occupied. It contains a population of about 15,000 Moslems, Greeks, Armenians, and Armenian Papists. GENERAL REMARKS UPON ASIA MINOR.-Asia Minor presents an interesting field of labor to the view of the Christian philanthropist. Here, in ancient times, were Phrygia, Cappadocia, Galatia, and Lycaonia, countries with the names of which we are familiarized by the New Testament. There, also, were the cities of Iconium, Derbe, Lystra, and the Antioch of Pisidia. Around were the countries of Cilicia, Pamphylia, Lycia and Caria, on the south; Lydia, My sia and Troas, on the west; and Bithynia, Paphlagonia and Pontus, on the north; with nearly twenty cities mentioned in the sacred Scriptures. Our printing establishment for the Asia Minor, Constantinople, and Greek missions, is expected to operate at Smyrna, from whence there is frequent communication, by water and caravans, with most parts of the Levantine countries. The Committee look to Cilicia, with the hope of occupying a post there. Kaisarea, in Cappadocia, may perhaps furnish another post. And still another may possibly be at Ancyra, in Galatia. SYRIA AND THE HOLY LAND. Lorenzo W. Pease, Missionary, and wife; conditionally appointed to a station in the island of CYPRUS -to connect itself with the Syrian mission. Beyroot is the principal port of commerce. Our printing-press will be there, at least for the present, and perhaps also the school for educating our native teachers.-Jerusalem was formerly numbered among the stations of the Board; the station was resumed by Mr. and Mrs. Thomson in April last. Mr. Thomson had previously made two visits to the city. The population of Jerusalem is thought to be increasing. Pilgrims are there in great numbers for about seven months in the year, and there doubtless will be the chief mart for our books.The Rev. Lorenzo Warriner Pease and wife are instructed to proceed to the island of Cyprus; unless the brethren of the unite in the Syrian mission should opinion that they had better remain in Syria. The Committee expect, with the divine permission, to occupy Damascus, as soon as they can procure missionaries for the purpose. The ground has been surveyed. Mr. Smith visited Damascus early in March, in company with Dr. Dodge. The survey occupied about two Damascus, they proceeded into the Hoomonths. After spending a few days in ran, eastward of the Jordan, never before explored by protestant missionaries. limit of their travels southeastward. The Bozrah of the Scriptures was the ed and traversed the region of Bashan, Thence travelling westward they entergoing southward as far as the river Jabok, now called Zerka. Mr. Smith ties for preaching the truths of the gossays, "We found abundant opportunipel, and the word of God was sought after with an avidity I have never before witnessed. Often did we spend evenings conversing with companies which filled our room upon the great truths of the gospel, and in some places we were followed from village to village for a copy of the Scriptures." Beyroot is becoming progressively more interesting as a missionary station, From 20 to 30 Franks attend the preachSyria and the Holy Land embrace the ing in English at the English consulate. four pashalics of Aleppo, Tripoli, Damas- At the mission-house, there are two sercus, and Acre, all of which are now un-vices in Arabic on the Sabbath, for the der the government of the viceroy of benefit of the native population;-one for Egypt. The population is gathered al-preaching, the other for reading the VOL. XXXI. 2 |