WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Malta: 1823-John Keeling - Mr. Bartholomew, on occasion of touching at Malta, writes: "The congregation might be about 80. The Mission wears a promising aspect. There is a loud call for another Missionary; and there are a good House and a Chapel on the other side of the Island, in a very healthy situation, where a Second Missionary might reside." The Committee state: "Malta contains 30 Towns and Villages; and the population, exclusive of Gozo, is 95,650. There are 16,000 Priests and Friars"-P. 17. world. The School of Arab Boys continues in operation; and no obstruction exists to the preaching of Christ, if direct controversy be avoided"-P. 17. Zante: 1826-Walter Oke Croggon"Mr. Croggon," the Committee say, "has sustained the loss of his Wife; an excellent woman, and, in every respect, a help meet for a Minister and a Missionary": she died on the 5th of August. The Committee add: "Mr. Croggon, in addition to his Missionary Work, is much engaged in tuition in private Greek Families, and in the Seminary established, under the auspices and direction of the British Government, for the education of Greek Youths; and thus, from house to house, as well as publicly, to the young as well as to those of mature. age, he has opportunity of declaring the Gospel of the grace of God. Some of the Youths instructed by him are now occupying important situations in the Islands or in the Morea." He has lately opened a Girls' School, supported by subscription, and hopes to collect 50 scholars. who took up the vessel for that purpose, and accompanied him on the voyage. They arrived on the 22d of June, and on the 27th the two Gentlemen set out on their return in the Osprey. Some notices occur at p. 360 of the State of Mahomedanism at Shirâz. Siberia. STATIONS-LABOURERS-NOTITIA. LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY: Khodon: Out-station, 190 miles N E of Selenginsk: 1828-Edw. Stallybrass. Ona: another Out-station: 1828W. Swan. Selenginsk: 160 miles S E of Irkutsk : inhab. 3000: in the centre of the Buriats east of Lake Baikal: 1819-Robert Yuille-P. 17. The Directors have received no specific or detailed information from this distant quarter, in the course of the past year. The fallow ground, which the Society's faithful and laborious Missionaries here have to break up, is hard and cold as the ice, which, for so long a period of their year, seals the face of nature, and renders it impervious to the efforts of man; but they still persevere, in the confident hope that their labour will not be in vain in the Lord. As their time has been greatly occupied with the translation of the Scriptures, and the preparation of a Grammar, Dictionary, and other Elementary Books, it has not hitherto been in their power to devote their undivided attention to direct Missionary Labour; but, these works having been completed, they are now at liberty to prosecute regular itineracies among the people, with whom they are thus brought into more immediate contact, and are furnished with more favourable opportunities of becoming acquainted with their peculiar prejudices and superstitions, and of testifying to them the Gospel of the grace of God. (Report.) L China. LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Canton: 1807-Robert Morrison, D.D., Leangafa, Nat As.-Pp. 17, 18; and see 361, 493, 494, for a Letter from Leang afa, and some account of Agong another Chinese Convert. The Directors have not received any detailed account of the affairs of this Mission, during the past year. They learn, however, from a Letter of recent date, that, notwithstanding the resistance made to the Gospel in this part of the world, Dr. Morrison still cherishes the hope of the eventual success of the labours in which he and his coadjutor are engaged. In a Letter to the Society, he writes, "Leangafa has lately written several useful Essays, intended to explain the Christian System, and from thence to expose the vain superstitions which delude the minds of the inhabitants of China: the latter part of the design is executed in a manner which no European now living, with whom I am acquainted, could equal." The Directors have determined to afford Dr. Morrison assistance in the printing and circulation of Chinese Tracts, more especially as it appears that this is almost the only means to be employed, at, present, in addition to the dispersion of the Scriptures, of gaining access to the inhabitants of this vast empire, over which an almost impenetrable darkness reigns. (Report.) AMERICAN BOARD OF MISSIONS, AND AMERICAN SEAMEN'S FRIEND SOCIETY. Canton: 1830-Elijah C. Bridgman, from the Board; David Abeel, from the Society: who arrived on the coast on the 19th of February, and at Canton on the 25th; having sailed from New York on the 14th of October, not on the 10th of June as stated by mistake at pp. 18 and 429 of our last Volume-" Dr. Morrison," Mr. Bridgman writes, "received us with the warmest feelings of a Father, and bade us a most hearty welcome to our new scene of labour." He adds: "My residence is with the American Consular-Agent: Mr. Abeel has his residence in the same Factory; and I find in him a warm friend, with whom I can take sweet counsel; but without, all is dark as midnight. The whole city is given to idolatry. Everywhere are the temples, and altars, and offerings, and votaries of strange gods”—P. 18. Endia beyond the Ganges. BIBLE, TRACT, AND EDUCATION SOCIETIES. BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY: AN entire new field has been opened for the distribution of the Scriptures among the Chinese who work in the tin mines in the interior of Malacca: the Press at Malacca is employed very extensively for the supply of several other Chinese Colonies, including Singapore, Rhio, Batavia, and Pinang; and, as far as practicable, China itself. Mr. Tomlin is studying Siamese very closely; "with a view," the Rev. Robert Burn writes, "if God permit, to furnish materials for the translation of the Scriptures into that hitherto-unblessed tongue: he has been favoured in meeting with remark. ably clever and intelligent teachers. His companion, Mr. Gutzlaff, has the most remarkable ability for the acquirement of languages which I ever met with." In August, 1829, Mr. Thomsen, of Malacca, states, that these Missionaries had nearly completed a Translation of the New Testament into Siamese, and that it was hoped to have the whole revised for the Press in the course of a year. "Your Committee need not say," it is remarked in the last Report, "with how much pleasure the Society will look forward to assisting so goodly an undertaking." The Scriptures in Malay have been latterly in demand by the Malays themselves—a circumstance never before known, the Scriptures having been hitherto rather forced upon them than freely accepted: measures are in progress at Calcutta to meet this unexpected demand. RELIGIOUS-TRACT SOCIETY. The Works distributed by the Missionaries in Siam have excited great attention; several persons have been deeply impressed with the truths contained in them. The Committee have assured the Missionaries who visit Siam of their continued aid. The Education Committee at Singapore propose to print short and easy Tracts to precede the cir Religious-Tract Society — culation of the Scriptures in Siam, and the Committee is disposed to co-operate liberally in this object: the Missionaries stationed at Singapore widely circulate Chinese and other Tracts among the sailors on board the junks which come from Canton, Onam, Siam, Pinang, Malacca, Batavia, and other places: they are received with readiness, and are carried away to their respective Countries. Assistance is rendered by the Society to the active labours of the Mission Press at Malacca; and Tracts are forwarded for distribution both at that Station and at Pinang. The Press of the American Baptist Mission in Burmah has also been aided by a grant of printing paper for Burmese Tracts: the Committee intend to correspond with Dr. Judson, of this Mission, on the subject of Tracts for the Burmans and Karens, for whom they feel a deep interest. EDUCATION SOCIETIES. At the close of 1829, there were 157 boys in the Free School of Malacca; but, owing to various causes of irregular attendance, the greatest number ever present was 134: not a few of these promise well, in respect of both intellectual and moral improvement: there are among them several Slave Boys, educating at the expense of their Masters, preparatory to their being made free, and to the total Abolition of Slavery in the Colony. In the Female Department, under Miss Wallace, there are 69 girls, with an average attendance of between 50 and 60: under the great care paid to the girls, there is much encouragement to proceed: 20 can read the New Testament, and many shew an increasing understanding of the English Language, and improve in knowledge and behaviour. Mr. and Mrs. Collond, who, like Miss Wallace, were trained under the British and Foreign School Society, left England in July, to take charge of this School. On their arrival, Miss Wallace would devote herself more entirely to her ulterior object—the establishment of Schools for Chinese Girls: the Malacca Committee having rendered every assistance to this design, two Schools had been opened in November 1829 with 17 girls: these afterward increased to five Schools, with nearly 60 scholars: the Malays also seem more willing than formerly to have their children instructed; several having come forward, and proposed the establishment among them of two Girls' Schools; one party offering a Teacher and a House. "To all those," say the Malacca Committee, "who have marked the slow progress which Scriptural Instruction has hitherto made among the Chinese, owing to their inveterate prejudices, these accounts will be peculiarly gratifying: they seem to indicate an impor tant opening in Providence, and bring with them increased responsibility for their improvement?-See at pp. 99, 100 a statement of difficulties in Native Education. At p. 184, appear some painful details relative to the state of the Singapore Institution. STATIONS, LABOURERS, & NOTITIA OF MISSIONARY SOCIETIES. LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. whole are Malays and Chinese: 1819Claudius H. Thomsen, Jacob TomlinNo Report has been received. At pp. 183, 184 of our last Volume, we stated the Effect of Visits paid to the People. Mr. Tomlin's health has been greatly restored-P. 18. Ma'acca: inhab. in April 1828 were 33,806; including 229 Europeans and their descendants: 1815-S. Kidd, Josiah Hughes. Mr. Humphreys and Mr. Smith have both returned to England on account of ill health. Mr. Hughes has been appointed to the Malay Department of the Mission, and sailed in April. In that month Mrs. Kidd arrived at home; having been obliged, by the state of her health, to leave her husband -Mr. Kidd has charge of the Chinese Services: the Malay Preaching has been suspended since Mr. Humphrey's departure from Malacca: there are three Services on Sundays; and, on most evenings of the week, visits are paid from house to house, or Public Service is held. A Chinese Youth, educated in the College, has been baptized, and assists in the Mission-In Six Chinese Schools there are from 150 to 200 scholars The Students in the Anglo-Chinese College are 33, of whom 25 are on the foundation-Mr. Kidd, besides his engagements in the College and in the Mission, gives much attention to the publishing of useful books; and is editor of a Periodical Work in Chinese. Besides other Works, there have been printed 18,700 Chinese Tracts and 5500 Sheet Tracts, and most of them have been put in circulation. It is the intention of the Missionaries to continue the Sheet Tracts until they comprise extracts from Scripture on all the most important topics: they are found useful for putting up in temples, shops, and other public places to which the Chinese resort. The Missionaries discern, with much pleasure, that the publications formerly distributed have been carefully preserved Of the want of assistance in this Mission, Mr. Kidd says: "Teaching the Youths in the College, superintending the schools and the printing-presses, going among the people, preaching, and preparing Tracts, when devolving on one person, are duties which cannot be satis factorily discharged. No conscientious man will wish to impose a burden on himself which he feels unable to bear, merely for the sake of making his labours appear abundant and important in the eyes of the public; yet I cannot make up my mind totally to neglect any one of the branches of labour to which I have just alluded. I could wish that two Missionaries, at least, were appointed to this station; one for the Chinese, and the other for the Malays. A judicious, laborious, intelligent Missionary would find a large sphere for exertions among the Malays: a late census, taken by the Government, estimates the number of them residing here at 15,000-Pp. 18, 19, 72, 199, 285. Pinang: an island off the coast of the Malay Peninsula: 55,000 inhabitants: 1819 T. Beighton, S. Dyer. Mr. Beighton has charge of the Malay De 66 partment of the Mission, and Mr. Dyer of the Chinese-The habits and prejudices of the Chinese prove formidable obstacles to the introduction among them of stated preaching: Mr. Dyer's expectation of benefiting them is by constant intercourse: he visits them in their own houses five evenings of the week; and, sometimes, has attentive audiences, though never large: he converses with the people, almost daily, in the places of public resort; and has purchased a small house in the midst of the Chinese Bazaar, where he spends much time; sitting in a room which opens toward the street, where there is a crowded thoroughfare: he distributes Tracts and the Scriptures to such as wish to read and examine for themselves : " on most occasions, the soil," he says, is rocky, and consequently the work of ploughing and sowing very hard; and then we water it with our tears, and pray, and wait, that it may yet prove a fruitful land: and, if the Lord permit, and enable us by His grace, we hope to spend our days in labours, prayers, and tears, until He shall be entreated of His servants, and pour out His Spirit from on high." Mr. Beighton continues to preach to the Malays in the Mission Chapel, and to labour among them as his enfeebled health will allow; during a tour on the western coast of the peninsula in company of Mr. Dyer, they were gratified to find an eager demand among the Malays for books, and that so many of them could read: in other parts of the island he had found the Malays extremely ignorant: in 1829, he distributed 850 copies of the Scriptures and 1085 Tracts-A Chinese Boys' School on the British System affords increasing satisfaction: a Girls' School, under Mrs. Dyer, has been suspended, every effort to obtain scholars having failed. The Malay Schools have been reduced to 5, in consequence of a general reduction in the Government Establishment, which has been extended to the allowances made in support of Native Schools in the island: it is, however, gratifying to know, that education is beginning to be viewed as important by the people themselves; in proof of which it may be mentioned, that Mr. Beighton has lately had four applications for Malay Schools. Mrs. Beighton has succeeded in gaining the confidence of a number of Malay Females, who are under her immediate London Missionary Society— and constant instruction: she teaches them to read the Scriptures and other Christian Books: some of her pupils can read well, and most of them have made progress in needle-work: as, how ever, they cannot be persuaded to leave their own compounds, Mrs. Beighton is BURMAH. would not be performed-From a set of obliged to go to them, or the good work wooden blocks, prepared at Pinang under the direction of Mr. Dyer, a small fount of Chinese moveable metal types has been cast in London, by our Printer, Mr. Richard Watts-Pp. 18, 19. AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSIONS. The Rev. Eugenio Kincaid and the Rev. Francis Mason sailed in May, and the Rev. John Taylor Jones in August, with their Wives, to reinforce this enlarging Mission. Maullaming (or Maulmein, as the Missionaries now write), a new town on the Martaban River, 25 miles from its mouth, ES E from Rangoon : 1827; the Mission having been first established at Rangoon in 1813-Adoniram Judson, D.D. Jonathan Wade; Cephas Bennet, Printer; 7 Native Assistants, including a Female Teacher. "It could scarcely be said," the Committee remark, "that preaching commenced until January 1828; yet within that year, a Church was organized, and 30 converts from among the Heathen added to it. The work of reformation, which began in the Boarding School, soon spread into the town; subduing, in its progress, the hearts of old and young, and swelling the num ber of joyful disciples, on the 1st of September 1829, to 49! a measure of success, in view of which all the Churches should unite in devout thanks giving to God. The methods of instruction, so signally blessed, have been varied by the Missionaries according to circumstances: for a time, the Brethren confined themselves principally to their zayats, receiving and counselling all that called upon them; but afterward conceived the plan of carrying the Word to the dwellings of the people-The Female Boarding-School has been reduced in numbers; with the expectation, however, of its being enlarged when the Mission shall have been reinforced. A Day School for Boys has been formed. One for Girls, also, had been opened by Mrs. Wade, on an excellent plan; but was broken up through the influence of the Priests: five of the Girls had made a profession of Christianity, before many witnesses-The entire New Testament has been translated and repeatedly revised, and progress has been made in parts of the Old Testament: the printing is expected to be commenced without great delay. Several Tracts on important subjects have been prepared and printed: of two there have been second editions. Some of the numbers have been translated into the Siamese; and all into the Taling Language, which is the vernacular tongue of British Pegu, in which the Mission is established, and is generally understood by most of the population better than the Burmese. : The Tavoy a town of 9000 inhabitants, among whom are 200 Priests of Gaudama: far to the south of Maullaming ; on the Tavoy River, 35 miles from its mouth nine days' journey overland from Bankok, the capital of Siam: 1828— G. D. Boardman; two Native As., one of whom is a Female Teacher-A similar course of Preaching and Conversation has been pursued to that at Maullaming, and with encouraging success. Karens about Tavoy, and even in re mote parts, have manifested interest in the "New Religion:" the Native Assistant, Ko Thah-byoo, is of their Nation, and is most faithfully devoted to their instruction-Boys' Boarding and Day Schools contain a few Karens, and Portuguese, with 8 or 10 Indo-Chinese, and a few others: 5 are hopefully pious. A Girls' School has 21 scholars. Two Native Converts have been ap pointed to labour at what may, for the present, be considered Out-Stations. At Rangoon, where the Mission was first established, Moung Thaha labours, and Moung Ing at Amherst. Of Rangoon it is said "On the close of the war, Moung Thana, an old disciple of the place, returned to it; and, in the absence of the American Teachers, did what he could to raise again the standard of the Cross. He went from village to village, preaching Christ; which drew round him numbers who before had heard the Gospel, but suppressed the convictions excited by it: at length, in a settled reliance upon Christ, they asked for baptism, and he consented. The work of conversion continued and increased; and others applied for the same privilege, when he declined. It occurred |