ment, as well as the New, should be placed in the hands of the Oriental Christians. It is requisite that the minds of them all, high and low, rich and poor, should be fully instructed in those historical parts of the Old Testament which so copiously expose the proneness of the most highly-favoured nations to depart, idolatrously, from the Living God; while at the same time their hearts may be impressed with just alarm, on perusing in the Prophetic Writings, those especially of Isaiah and Jeremiah, the denunciations of God's heavy judgments against this great iniquity.

There is the greater necessity for our looking to this important measure; namely, that of giving the entire Bible to the Oriental Christians as well as to all our fellow-creatures throughout the world; because, in the present state of Greece, the Church Missionary Society and its Agents are placed in a situation exceedingly painful to every lover of peace and order. The recent unexpected introduction of the doctrines and usages of Image Worship into the plans of Education appears to have the express sanction of the new Greek Government; and this at a moment in which the bulk of that people are still under a high degree of political excitement. It is a matter of satisfaction to reflect, that, situated in the midst of such trying circumstances, the Missionaries have

in no respect appealed to any feelings but such as are in accordance with Truth and Peace. They remonstrated, as long as they were able so to do, on grounds of Reason and Scripture; and, when overruled by the influence of the Local Authority, they did not compromise in any thing the purity of the Gospel. But will not the Christians of this favoured land be stirred up to a more fervent desire that the Translation of the Old Testament into the Modern Greek may be, with all practicable speed, effected? The difficul

ties of this work are well known to those friends of the Bible Society who have been most interested in it. We are happy to know, however, that a new edition of the Modern-Greek Psalter-conformed to the Hebrew Original, not the Septuagint Version-has already been prepared, and is in a course of printing in this country. When this work, leading the way to the translation of the Old Testament from the Hebrew into Modern Greek, shall have reached Greece, we trust that it will be the commencement of a new era for all those regions; introducing the knowledge of Scripture according to its purest interpretation, and with the highest authority; and, consequently, strengthening the foundations of their happiness, both personal and civil, present and eternal.

In further illustration of these views, we refer our Readers to the chapter upon Image Worship and the Invocation of Saints in the Rev. W. Jowett's "Christian Researches in Syria and the Holy Land," pp. 425-443; as exhibiting a comprehensive view of the practices and principles of the Papal and Oriental Churches in these respects.

Removal of Dr. Korck to Corfu. In consequence of the painful interruption of Dr. Korck's plans, above detailed, the Committee have judged it necessary that he should remove his residence and labours

from Syra to Corfu. It is intended that, for the present, Messrs. Hildner and Jetter should continue at Syra, in order to ascertain whether it may be practicable for them to prosecute the objects of the Mission consistently with Scriptural principles.

The Rev. J. Hildner's Infant School.

Soon after Mr. Hildner's arrival at Syra he established an Infant School, which at the beginning of June, last year, contained 50 Child

ren.

Under date of September, the 29th, Mr. Hildner writes:

I will only add one word on my little

nursery, the Infant School. You would rejoice at the new, fine, and spacious room that has been granted to me by the Catholic Priest. Upwards of 120 young children are now on my heart; for which burden I heartily praise God, and beseech Him that He may not for a long, long time, yea never, suffer them to be removed from my heart; but leave them for future cultivation. The Teachers are still the same; and as long as I cannot find more Teachers and Mistresses according to my conscience, I think it better so to proceed, and I myself to educate when necessary. May the Lord grant His Spirit and His power! Of these 120 children, 50 are destined for the proper Infant School, and 70 for a higher School. It would be easy, indeed, to increase their number, and the room also would allow it; but it would not be well for the present. The School must gain considerably,

and may be carried on with better success; as the outward disturbances have subsided. During the whole time of building it we have not for one day intermitted the School, though it was sometimes kept with difficulty. The Mistress I consider as a gift of God, and she becomes daily more fit for the work. I am now the more glad that the condition of the School is as it is, namely, independent. It will not cost our Society too much to maintain and to strengthen the work, and I think it well worth bestowing at least 51. per month on it. Mine is not a mean, though tranquil, hope.

This School is independent of the Government. The object is important; and we trust that, by the Divine Blessing, the Missionaries will be allowed to prosecute it without interruption: but the present aspect of affairs is calculated to make a very painful impression with regard to the prospects of the new State.

CORFU.

In Corfu, whither, as we have already stated, Dr. Korck is to remove, we rejoice to be able to report that the cause of Scriptural Education firmly advances. The Rev. Henry Leeves, the Agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society for Greece and the surrounding Regions, in a Letter to Mr. Jowett, dated Corfu, November 3, 1830, observes :

I am happy to say, that the New Tes

tament is now fairly introduced into the Schools of these Islands, as a School-book. I have put about 700 copies into the hands of the Commission for Public Education, which are in the course of distribution; and I expect to be called on for more.

The favourable result of Mr. Hildner's labours, while he was stationed at Corfu, encourages the hope that Dr. Korck and Mrs. Korck will find at this Station an important sphere of usefulness. We earnestly commend the Society's labours in Greece to the prayers of our Christian Friends.

Egypt.

Various notices of the proceedings of the Society's Missionaries in Egypt are given in our last Volume, PP. 14, 15, 63–70, 320—331.

The continued indisposition of the Rev. W. Krusé and Mrs. Krusé has much impeded their labours. On the 5th of October Mr. Krusé wrote to the Rev. W. Jowett as follows:

Though I can say, to the praise of our gracious Lord, that I am better at present, yet still I am far from strong; which must be expected, having never before suffered so much as I did last summer, while we were in Egypt. You mentioned, in your kind Letter of August 13th, that we might have sought a summer retreat at Rosetta: this, in fact, we once resolved to do; but not knowing whether we should obtain the same benefit which we were almost sure to obtain by going to Alexandria, we gave up

Rosetta. To Alexandria we could not go: we therefore took a small house in Old Caïro; which I preferred, because I could attend to my work in town, and at the same time to my family. We remained there about two months and a half; but finding that my wife and

family had no benefit from it, but rather became worse, I took them to town again. About five months ago, Mrs. Krusé was obliged to take a nurse for our little boy, and then we thought to have gained all; but in the month of August the child was so much reduced, that I did not expect him to live another day: however, the Lord the whooping-cough, which both the childspared him he is better now; though ren caught in Old, Caïro, is not yet quite over; but there is no more danger. The

Ministry of the Word. Mr. Krusé remarks, that he preaches on Sundays in Arabic, the Rev. J. R. T. Lieder in German, and the Rev. T. Müller in English. In reference to this branch of his labours, he says

I think there has been no Lord's Day in which I have not declared to some the glad tidings of the Gospel. He who has the coming of Christ's Kingdom at heart cannot remain inactive in such times of trial; but will in his solitary closet, constrained by the Spirit of God, pray that the Word which is spread near and far may fall on good ground, raise many a sinner, strengthen many weak, and bring forth rich fruits to everlasting life.

Distribution of the Scriptures. The Missionaries find many opportunities of distributing portions of the Scriptures. Gross darkness, indeed, covers the people; but there are, we trust, some who, through the blessing of God on His Word and on the Ministry of His Servants, are made wise unto salvation through faith in the Redeemer. After noticing that the Greek Patriarch has prohibited his people from receiving Books from the Missionaries, he adds:

With the greater joy I am permitted to say, that the Coptic Patriarch becomes more and more friendly and confidential towards us, and often sends his Monks to us to receive Scriptures. One came to-day requesting a Bible: he was a young cheerful-looking, agreeable man, whose serene, sincere look confirmed the truth of

the words which he uttered when receiving the Bible-"A greater treasure than this I do not desire on earth; for whosoever lives according to its contents, is happy and safe for ever.'

Having explained the state of the Monks in the Convents of Egypt, Mr. Krusé proceeds:—

A Monk who lately returned to his Convent in Upper Egypt, on leaving, requested me to give him some employment, being tired of a Monastic life; because in the Convent he could not live according to the Gospel, but must live according to the dictates of men. I advised him to employ his time in the Convent in reading and writing, especially in reading the Holy Scriptures, with supplica

tion for the Spirit and for a new heart; and if he then should come again to Caïro, I would see whether I could employ him. This he promised to do; adding, that he was willing to learn any trade, and to do any thing to which he might be put, only to get free from the Convent. He took, for 100 piastres, Books and Tracts from me, in order to circulate them among the people whom he was to pass. It is a great advantage, that we can, not only without hindrance disperse the Word of God among the Copts, but that it is frequently asked for. Therefore we must not give up hope, although no visible fruit yet appears it is impossible that all should fall on the way, or in stony places, or among thorns. Only let us have patience and faith till the winter is past and the Lord sends His early and latter rains, and the seed will spring up, grow and prosper; for the Lord has promised, void, but it shall accomplish that which He pleases. (Isaiah lv. 11.)

that His Word shall not return to Him

Rev. T. Müeller's Visit to Upper Egypt. "My sphere of labour," Mr. Müller remarks, " is, to visit people, and preach to them by way of conversation, and travel about with the Word of God."

Mr. Müller left Caïro, on a visit to Upper Egypt, on the 27th of September; and reached the same place, on his return, on the 21st of November.

The following extracts are made from Mr. Müller's Journal:

Oct. 3, 1830-Arrived at Minie, where two years ago I had taken the charge of the School. The children came imme

diately to me on board, welcomed me, and asked why I had delayed so long to come again. The state of the School delightfully surpassed my expectation. They have built a new School-room; and another Teacher, whom I had not known before, and who is better than the one I formerly saw, has united with them, and they now labour together. There are more than 50 Children in the School, who have now two Masters. I provided them with the Christian Spelling-book; and, on my return, I exhorted the Masters to reflect earnestly on the importance of their office; giving them a small premium.

Oct. 8-Arrived at Siout, the Capital of Upper Egypt. The Bishop received me with kindness. There are four Schools in Siout, which I provided with Spelling

books, for which the Bishop was very thankful. As to Schools in the Villages near Siout, he said that the people did not yet understand the object of such Free-Schools. They are afraid the English will educate their children in order to carry them afterwards to England as slaves. Besides, the country-people are so extremely poor, that their children, as soon as they are able to do something, must help their parents by earning their bread. The best plan for the present, according to my view, is, to improve the existing Schools as far as possible, and to support the best Schoolmasters by a small remuneration, to encourage them. I have witnessed the good effect of this plan, in the trial made with the School at Minie.

Oct. 10, 1830: Katiah-A Turkish Effendi, with his son, came to me on board, and purchased the Bible, the Psalms, and some Tracts. He also asked me what was the difference between the Coptic Church and the Frank, i. e. the RomanCatholic. He wished me also to explain to him the Divine Trinity. These questions were not brought forward with mockery, but seemed to proceed from an earnest, modest, and inquiring mind. He promised to compare the Koran with the Gospel.

Oct. 14-Arrived at Ashmim. Visited the Church, an old Gothic Building, which has happily escaped the destroying hands of the Turks. I delivered a short address to the people who were present, who were all surprised, and said, "Our Kumus never tells us such things." In the evening, after sun-set, I had a conversation with a Mahomedan. He, as most of them, believes that Christ will soon appear. They say he will make his first appearance in Damascus ; where every Friday they keep a horse ready for Him, on which he is to ride into the Mosque, as a Moslem.

Oct. 19: Billialy-Yesterday evening, as soon as I had arrived, two Coptic Clerks called on me, probably with the intention of drinking brandy with me, as they asked my servant whether When I noticed it, and

I had any.

they began to complain of the tyranny of the Turks, I told them that it was their own guilt; because, instead of calling on God in their distress, they come together to drink; and that, in this respect, the Priests are worst of all. It not unfrequently happened that the Priest of the place came to me intoxiMarch, 1831.

cated, yet asking brandy from me. These two Clerks willingly received my exhortation, and, kissing my hands, commended themselves to my prayers. In the morning they came again, with some of their friends, and bought books. In the afternoon I called on the Kumus, and visited the School. The Kumus asked me, "For what reason do the English take so much pains, and spend so much money on account of these books? Do they think we are so ignorant as to need these books?" "Yes," said I, "the Christians in England know that people in Egypt die for lack of knowledge; as Hosea says, (iv. 6.) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." This he would not admit: but, on telling him that I knew whole Villages in which neither the Priests nor the people can read, except what they have learned by heart, he held his peace. When returned to my boat, a Mahomedan Woman came to me, with a dried fish in her hand, requesting me to write her some magical words on the head of her fish; which she would then cast into the river, in order to regain the lost affection of her Husband. The Captain immediately sent her away, ashamed of the superstition of his associate in faith."

Oct. 23-Had a blessed Lord's Day in Gene; partly alone, partly in society with some Syrians who called on me. Oct. 28 Arrived in Esne, the last place in Egypt in which there are Christians. The Kumus here made me a present of a lamb. There are also some Roman Catholics in Esne. One of them came, begging images of the Saints, and requesting me to say mass and hear confession. I told him that this was not my business: upon which he left me.

-

Oct. 30 Left Esne, and reached Thebes on the 1st of November. Here I called on Mr. , who stays here, with his Wife, on account of the antiquities. He received me kindly, with English hospitality; and I spent a pleasant evening with them. Our conversation was chiefly on religious topics, with a Greek who was present.

Nov. 7- Arrived at Girge, where I discussed with a Roman-Catholic Friar. "Tu es Petrus" was his Alpha and his Omega: he knew nothing else to argue for the errors of their Church. At last, however, he received a New Testament from my hand. There is a Roman-Catholic Convent here.

In looking back on the accomplished journey, I find it a very comfortable

U