the Testament, and to turn down for him the passages that had been just referred to. The Fourth Dialogue.-The Bishop, on being admitted into the presence of his Holiness, is informed that the money received from a certain Diocese, for saying Mass for the souls in Purgatory, remains yet untouched; and that he is at liberty to take what he requires, and be gone. He replies, that having been convinced from the Scriptures, by one of his Priests, that these Masses were a vain labour and expense, he hesitated to take any money. The Pope, upon this, begins to talk of his supreme authority in the Church, and of the terrible effects of his malediction. The Bishop, not at all dreading these effects, brings Scripture to bear on this fort of the Pope; and so sorely batters it, that his Holiness is obliged to surrender; and, after freely acknowledging that it was not in ignorance that former Popes appointed the Masses, fires of Purgatory, Venthinga, &c., but that they might promote their own interest thereby, he gives it in charge to the Bishop to hinder as much as possible the people from reading the Scriptures, and to keep them in fear of him and the terrible effects of his displeasure; and gives him leave to depart. The Tract is, upon the whole, well written; the Scriptures are referred to throughout; and though passages more to the point might have been selected, and arguments more powerful made use of, yet the whole is quite in a popular style, and calculated to do much more good than if written in a more grave and serious style. Nov. 24, 1830-The Tract written by Philippos, Catanar, having been printed, made its appearance to-day; and every one was desirous to get a copy. Two thousand copies have been printed; one half of which will be taken off our hands, immediately, by the Brethren at other Stations; and the other thousand left will be almost nothing among the Syrians. I have great hopes that this Tract will be followed by others; and that the controversy, now happily commenced between the Romanists and Syrians, will tend to open the eyes of both. Summaries of Various Stations. CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Or the Twelfth Annual Meeting of the Missionaries labouring at the Society's Four Stations in Ceylon, which was held at Cotta in the early part of September, Mr. Lambrick remarks It is a renewed cause for our thankfulness, that we were kept all of one accord and of one mind in all things; and that, as we trust, brotherly love was increased by our coming together. Notices relative to the Ministry, Cotta-Though, in this department of our labours, we find not much to give us encouragement, or to cause us to expect that the time when Christ shall come and reign in the hearts of these people is very near, yet what we see is sufficient to keep alive hope in us; and we would look upon the present glimmering as the harbinger of that great light which shall illuminate the world. Kandy-The Services on Sundays in Portuguese and Cingalese are attended by a few, pretty constantly: the number is never large. No instance of real conversion has appeared in the last year; but some Members of the Congregations, especially three or four of the Communicants, give me much comfort, by the correctness of their moral conduct, and their attention to religious duties. Three of the Communicants have removed from Kandy during the year: 15 now remain. The average number of persons attending Public Worship is as follows: Portuguese Congregation, 20; Cingalese, 30; Service at the Jail, 20; at Kaligalle School, 30: Wednesday Catechetical Lecture, 80 Children: Thursday Evening Exposition of Scripture in English, 12. Baddagame Our Congregation at the Church continues good: it consists chiefly of the School Children and their Masters; who, upon the whole, conduct themselves very orderly: the average attendance is about 250. We continue to preach, as opportunity is afforded, at the Country Schools: where we sometimes meet a tolerably good Congregation of Adults, but sometimes are grieved at finding scarcely any. From the attention with which some appear to hear the Word, whether at the Church or in the Schools, we should hope that it was entering deep into their hearts, did not their after conduct lead us to another conclusion. In some instances we still hope it does; and one in particular has been afforded us, in the case of an aged man, a servant of our Modeliar: we judged him to be a fit subject for Baptism, and received him into the Church on Easter-Day. Nellore Two have been recently added to the number of Communicants from the Youths formerly mentioned as Candidates for Baptism and the Lord's Supper : they were baptized on the 15th of August, by the names of Henry Gloucester and Henry Martyn. The other Communicants generally continue steadily to persevere in their Christian Course. Notices relative to the Schools. Cotta-Of the number of Children in the Cingalese Schools, Girls and Boys, one is repeating, monthly, portions out of Genesis; 174 out of Matthew; 26 out of Mark; 2 out of Luke; 5 out of Acts; 16 from Abridgment of the New Testament, and Catechism of Scripture; 65, Church Catechism; 31, Small Catechism, chiefly on the Scripture Proper Names; 26, Watts's First Catechism, and the Ten Commandments; and 16, Principles of Religion. Though the number of Schools is not increased, there is an increase in Children of 74 and in average attendance of 23. The number of Lessons repeated at the Monthly Examination in August, together with the Answers given, was, 3834 Lessons, 3402 Answers: and when we call to mind, that what is here denominated a Lesson, in Scripture, consists, on an average, of two-and-a-half verses, and in the Ten Commandments, or Catechism, of five lines, it cannot but be a matter of thankfulness that we are able, by means of our Schoolmasters, to instil into the minds of the larger Children so many verses of Scripture, and, of the younger, so great a portion of our Catechisms, Principles of Religion, Ten Commandments, &c. It is a great comfort to us now, to think that they have so large a portion of the New Testament in an intelligible Version, as it has been ascertained ours is; since we are sure, that as they become acquainted with different portions of our Holy Books, they cannot, if they reflect at all on what they read and hear, but be struck with the great variety as well as the immense importance of those things which they will read therein concerning the Saviour of Sinners. Kandy-In all the Schools, the Children learn Lessons from the Scriptures. The Masters assemble on Saturdays, to give an account of their Schools, to read, and to receive any admonition or direction that it may be thought proper to give them. The payment of most of them is regulated upon the following scale: For every Child who has made improvement in Reading, during the month, one fanam; in Writing, one fanam; and one pice for every Lesson, and for every correct Answer given to a question asked upon the meaning of the lesson, provided the number of lessons be not less than four, or more than thirty, and that the number of questions does not exceed that of the lessons. The most industrious and attentive of the Children are rewarded once in six months, by receiving a handkerchief or piece of cloth. Religious Tracts and Portions of Scripture are also given as rewards, and appear to be prized by some. Baddagame-The progress of the Children in Bible Knowledge is so very encouraging, that our most flattering anticipations are far exceeded: nearly all are well acquainted with the way of salvation through Jesus Christ. It was a source of great grief and trouble to Br. Faught, to meet two of his most promising Boys invested with the yellow robe the Youths, apparently conscience-smitten for having become Buddhist Priests, endeavoured to elude his eye: he spoke to them, and reminded them of the danger of losing their immortal souls. Many of the elder Girls in the School have much grieved us, by staying from Church on the Lord's Day, during harvest, either to reap in the fields, or to stay at home that their mothers might go to work: such decided profanation of the Sabbath Day, by those who have long heard the Word of God and who are daily instructed in His ways, is grievous and discouraging to us: but we hope for better times. Nellore-No marked instances of good are known to have resulted from these Schools, yet great quantities of Scripture, Catechisms, &c. are committed to memory, and thus the minds of the Youths stored with Truth-able, by the influences of the Holy Spirit, to make them wise unto salvation. The following remarks have reference more directly to the Cotta Schools, but seem applicable, for the most part, to those at the other Stations, and convey a painful though faithful Estimate of the present Results of the Schools. This Mission has been established, and Schools have been in operation here, for nearly eight years. As might be expected, very few, if any, of the Children who were our first Scholars now remain: and, in order to ascertain in what manner the instruction received has been applied by such as, on account of their age or attainments, or from other causes, have left our Schools, we have bestowed some pains, latterly, in endeavouring to trace out their course hitherto. But the accounts which we have received of the conduct of such Children, or rather Young Men, have, in general, been by no means such as we should have looked for, from those who had attained such a portion of light and knowledge as many of them undoubtedly possess. Few of them ever attend Divine Service, or read the books which they were accustomed to learn while at school; and they shew little desire to keep up the degree of knowledge at which they had arrived at the period of their leaving the school: and thus, though, for a few years while at school, they were elevated, as it were, above others, and might have continued so by rightly using the learning which they had acquired, they are now again fallen back into the mass of their coun trymen, and, it is to be feared, follow their ways. We would not, however, have you infer from this, that we consider the pains, which have been taken in thus educating them, as bestowed upon them nion that all the good things which to no purpose, or that it is our opithey have learned will be for ever totally effaced from their memories: on the contrary, we confidently believe that they never will; as it has been said by Holy Ghost - Train up a child in the one, who wrote as he was moved by the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. The soil in which the seed has been cast may have been unfriendly; and, after it has sprung up it may have become choked by the thorns and briers that are in their hearts: but it has been cast in; and we cannot but believe that some portion of it will, though we may not see or know when, or how, or where, produce fruit, to the praise and glory of God. As many of the Children who are at present in the Schools have been there only a short time, they cannot be supposed, as yet, to have obtained much benefit. Others, who have attended some years, make such proficiency in their learning as it is not only satisfactory, but extremely delightful to us to witness; and when, at the Monthly Examinations, we find the lessons well said, and the answers given in such a manner as to convince us that the Children understand the subjects which they thus commit to memory, we are sometimes induced to hope that a principle of Divine Grace has been implanted in the hearts of some of these little-ones, and that they, when grown up, will be as burning and shining lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. The examples that are set before the Children, at their houses, are, however, so pernicious, they see so many things that are wrong, and they hear so many words that are bad, that it is not much to be wondered at if the effect which at the time is produced on their minds, by hearing the Scriptures read and Sermons preached in the Schools either on week-days or at the time of Divine Service on Sundays, and by repeating portions of the Scriptures at the Monthly Examinations, is soon effaced. Nevertheless, when we find that, in spite of all these disadvantages, they learn by heart and understand many parts of the Bible, it surely is a cause of gratitude to our Heavenly Father. Some encouraging indications appear, indeed, in the Schools at NelMissionaries lore, of which the Some pleasing facts have lately come to our notice, encouraging the hope that many of the Young, in the Daily OutSchools, will not pass through the season of instruction without obtaining a blessing from the Lord. We have learned that many of the Elder Youths in the Reading Classes have occasionally had their minds seriously impressed by the Sermons which they have heard, or by the other means of Religious Instruction which they are accustomed to attend, and for two or three years past have been in the habit of private prayer. Characters of Eleven Students in the Chris tian Institution at Cotta. One of the Boys on the foundation of the Christian Institution, Elias Andrews, has been discontinued, and taken on the establishment of the Cotta Station, as InJune, 1831. spector of Schools and Probationary Catechist, The other eight continue to give us much satisfaction, by their general behaviour and attention to their studies. All these have begun to study Latin on the Hamiltonian plan, and their progress has quite equalled our expectation: they have acquired a stock of words, and are now beginning to enter upon parsing. They labour under a very considerable disadvantage, in that the study of one language is carried on through the medium of another with which they are far from being perfectly acquainted. English Boys, of equal capacity and application, would probably have made nearly twice the progress in the same time. For this reason, we do not think of continuing to include the study of Latin in the regular course. They, as well as three who are probation, have begun to study Pali, under the instructions of Don Abraham de Thomas, the Modeliar, who assists Conin translating the Scriptures. ceiving that the Committee may be desirous of knowing their characters more intimately, we here annex the more prominent features in that of each of them. They have all acquired a pretty good knowledge of the way of salvation, and of the Bible History. 1. on He -Twenty-two years old. has a capacity rather beyond mediocrity, and is diligent and docile. His knowledge of English is superior to the rest; so that he can interpret with some readiness, though not with critical accuracy. We are not without hopes that the Truth may have taken hold on him: but we do not see those decisive marks of it which we long and pray to be permitted to see in them all. 2. Twenty-two years old. He was brought up among Buddhist Priests, and has imbibed some of their craftiness. His manners are coarse, and his natural disposition unamiable. His capacity is not below mediocrity; but he has no fondness for his studies, and would, if permitted, be slack in application. His conduct, however, is orderly: he has been long under Christian instruction, and may, we would hope, be made a subject of that Divine Grace which purifies and softens the heart and makes all things new. 3. Twenty-one years old: is a simple honest youth. We do not know among the Natives one so free from the prevailHis ing faults of the native character. capacity is pretty good. He applies 2 P well, and gives us hopes that he may be come a blessing to his countrymen. Note The preceding three were admitted to the Lord's Supper by our Baddagame friends who are now in England; and they have been continued by us. 4. Seventeen years old; is gentle and tractable, with a pretty good capacity and suitable application. 5. Sixteen years old; is of a sickly constitution: he is gentle and docile. As to his abilities, he has lately risen in our estimation: though kept back from his studies now and then by sickness, he has kept up with his class. 6. Twenty-one years old; has made greater progress than any one, in the same space of time. He is superior in abilities to them all; and evinces much earnestness about Religion, as a personal concern. 7. Seventeen years old; has pleasing manners, and makes good progress. His capacity is good, and his application praiseworthy. 8. Sixteen years old; had, at his first coming among us, a self-conceited manner, shewing that he had high thoughts of himself: he is now much improved in this respect, in appearance, and we hope in reality. He has pretty good abilities, and is diligent. 9. Fifteen years of age; on probation; is a very promising boy indeed, of superior abilities and unwearied application. He is gentle and docile, and will, we hope, prove eminently useful in the Mission. This Boy has, by dint of the exertion of his natural abilities, placed himself, in Grammar and Geography, on a par with the eight preceding. 10. -Thirteen years old; on probation; has a tolerable share of abilities, but is of a phlegmatic temperament, and inclined to be indolent. 11.- Thirteen years of age; on probation; is very like No. 10, in disposition and character. Notices relative to the Seminaries. Besides the Institution at Cotta, the elder Boys at the other Stations are collected into Seminaries, and the more promising of them are, from time to time, drafted into the Institution. Of two of these Seminaries we subjoin some notices. Baddagame Day-School have been taken in the room of the two that have left the Seminary: the total number now is 14. With the exception of three of them, their conduct has been generally good; but, though there is something hopeful in most of them, we lament that none give decisive evidence that they have chosen the Lord for their portion. The Nellore-The Youths, 30 in number, are divided into Three Classes. The first contains 7: the second, 10; and the third, 9. Of the remaining 4 Boys, three have but lately commenced the study of English; and one is not yet able to do So. The week previous to our departing for Colombo they underwent a first Public Examination; at which the Commandant of Jaffna, Major Smith, and a few other friends, were present. Third Class was examined in Reading, Spelling, Tamul and English Phrases, and the simple ground Rules of Arithmetic; the Second, in Reading, Spelling, Phrases, Murray's Grammar, the Compound Rules of Arithmetic, and Marsh's Questions on the Collects, which book forms a part of their Sabbath Exercises; and the First Class, in the exercises of Lennie's Grammar, in Vulgar Fractions, Cumming's First Lessons in Geography, Keith on the Globes to problem 40, and Woodd's Explanation of the Church Catechism, which forms a part of their Sabbath Exercises four of them, at the close, recited pieces selected for the occasion. It is not, we think, too much to add, that they passed their examination with much credit to themselves, and satisfaction to those who witnessed it. We have, at present, more than usual encouragement to labour in their behalf. Philip, our Catechist, others of the Communicants, and several of the Youths, are much more than ordinarily alive to eternal things. Four have been added within the last fortnight to the number, who have before been mentioned as at tending an Inquiry Meeting held after the Sabbath-Morning Service; and the whole give evidence of more seriousness and concern for their souls than we have lately witnessed. Translations into Familiar Cingalese. The Four Gospels, the Acts, the Epistle to the Romans, and the Book of Genesis, have been carried through the Press. The Book of Psalms has been revised, for the last time, nearly as far as the 100th Psalm; and will be ready, with the help of the Lord, to be printed, in its proper place, in the revised |