day amounted generally to about 20 or 25. He also instructed some Children. At his own house in the city he used continually to receive persons who came to converse with him about Religion, of whom there were not a few: some fruit of their discussions has certainly appeared, in the earnest inquiries of three or four Mahomedans, and in the many respectable Hindoos, who follow him even to the distance at which he now resides from the city, and are not afraid to enter an European Clergyman's house for the sake of conversing with him.

Early in the month of September last, I made arrangements for Yusuf Bakir to leave his hired house in the city, and to come and reside with me in the Fort. He had hardly lived three weeks under my roof, before it pleased God to visit him with an extremely violent sickness, which brought him almost to the gates of death; so that, for several days and nights in succession, I imagined that every hour would be his last. I am delighted in being enabled to bear my testimony to the excellency of his Religion at that trying time. The state of his mind was truly heavenly; and, even when the excessive fever caused delirium, his very wanderings betrayed nothing but delight in his God.

After his recovery, which was in the beginning of November, 1828, he immediately told me that he must set about preaching the Gospel publicly;-for which work, Allahabad, during all the cold season, affords the most ample opportunity.

For rather more than a month, there is a great Melah and Bathing at Balloo Ghaut, a place quite close to the City of Allahabad. Thither I used to convey Yusuf every morning, accompanied by David Batavia, who at that time joined us from Chunar: we all went to the spot where the Rev. L. Mackintosh, an excellent Missionary of the Serampore Connexion, also preached; and we found, generally speaking, a numerous and attentive audience. Yusuf was at first, indeed, weak from recent illness, and also rather timid; but he very soon gained strength; and, although pressed by the whole weight of the Mahomedans of the city, who crowded to hear and dispute with him, some with good, some with ill will, allowing no one else to reply, but attacking him alone, yet he answered with patience, and meekness, and great wisdom, confounding them all, and

proving that Jesus was the only Prophet anointed to save mankind.

From the beginning of December almost to the end of February there is, throughout the whole day, an immense assemblage of all sorts of persons, both Hindoos and Mahomedans, to be found on the sands where the two rivers, Jumna and Ganges, meet; on which spot the Grand Melah is held, and the Holy Bathing performed. Here a small Preaching House was constructed; and during the above-mentioned period we were engaged, about half the day, in reading the Scriptures, Tracts, &c. &c., and preaching the Gospel, both in Oordoo and Hindee. In describing the effect of this labour, I must, with pain, acknowledge that the greater part of our audience heard the Word with much indifference; some laughed, and ridiculed it; others, especially Brahmins, became very angry, and poured out all sorts of reproachful terms against the Preachers of Christianity, and even against the Lord Jesus Himself; while others heard for an instant, and then passed by in contempt: yet multitudes did hear with earnest attention, took the pains to inquire concerning the Christians, and became regular listeners day after day: multitudes openly confessed, that they disbelieved the whole of the Hindoo Religion; and only followed its forms for fear of losing Caste, if they did not conform: they openly laughed at the bathing for Religion's sake, as mere folly: and multitudes not only accepted Religious Books, but entreated for them, saying, that they would willingly pay something for them. Not a few said, that if, upon becoming Christians, they could be assured of finding an employment by which they could earn as much as they now possessed, they would become Christians. Several persons used to accompany us home, and beg us to instruct them privately in the Catechisms and Tracts which we read aloud in public.

During all this time, Yusuf Bakir behaved admirably. He had the hardest part to perform, in the midst of his unbelieving brethren. They tried all they could to provoke, to frighten, and to confound him; but in vain. He shewed himself more deeply imbued with a knowledge of the Scriptures than I had anticipated. He so delighted some, and so confounded others, by his wise Scriptural answers, that many of the Mahomedans exclaimed aloud, "What a pity such a

fine man has thrown himself away, by turning Infidel!" Others said," Is there no Molwee here, who can answer this man?" One day a large party of them brought, almost by force, a very learned Molwee to dispute with Yusuf; but he was soon silenced, and glad to make his retreat on any pretence: he declared, that he could not bear to hear any more of the Infidel's blasphemy.

When the weather began to grow warm, being fearful of the consequences of heat and over-exertion to Yusuf's frame since he suffered so recently from a violent illness, and is besides an elderly man-I would no longer allow him to go out and preach in the day-time; but have confined him more to home-work, which I shall now proceed to describe.

He reads the Scriptures, as before, with me and David Batavia, and instructs us both in the Hindoostanee Language; in which, by the bye, David is making a very creditable proficiency. Afterwards, he retires to his own studies, and engages himself in composition. An interesting Tract, which he is now writing, I hope soon to send down to the Committee; and, I feel almost assured that it will meet your approbation; in which case I trust it may be printed. Generally, some person calls on him in the course of the day, to converse with him on Religion: to all such inquirers he pays the most earnest attention. He has two or three Pupils, whom he instructs, in reading the Scriptures, and in Catechisms. Twice in the week he goes out to the Invalid Lines and the other Cantonments, to examine the Scholars of two small Schools, and to read with the Teachers; who, in their turn, come to him every Saturday, and without hesitation receive Scripture Instruction. Lastly, every evening during the week, and twice on Sundays, he performs Divine Service to a Congregation varying from 20 to 30 persons.

Character and Proceedings of David
Batavia.

I now proceed to give an account of David Batavia, the Society's Second Catechist at this Station. He arrived at Allahabad the second week in November, 1828, and immediately commenced active Missionary Work; attending, throughout the whole of the cold weather, the places where the crowds were assembled, distributing among them, and reading to them, Tracts, &c.; and now and then, when opportunity offered, acquitting himself very creditably in actual preaching. He is indeed astonishingly improved

since the year 1827, when saw him in Calcutta; and if he were not so continually impeded by repeated attacks of very violently painful and wearing sickness, his progress in learning would be very rapid, for he is truly diligent, and studies night and day. Indeed, he is a very sincere, humble, self-denying Christian; and, I am truly delighted to say, he is united heart and soul with Yusuf, who loves to teach and to converse with him; so that, if it please the Lord of All to spare his life and give him strength, I have no doubt of his being made very useful: indeed he has already done much.

Many persons used to attend him daily, during the cold weather, for Christian Instruction; four or five of whom we had good hopes would have become true Converts: it pleased God, however, to disappoint those hopes, for they all gradually fell away. Among this number, I grieve to say, must be placed that Lallah, the Native of Oude, of whom I once spoke to you in such high terms, when I mentioned that he had taken a copy of the Scriptures to his Native Village, and, by reading it with other persons, had been the means of exciting the attention of many to Christianity, insomuch that he had even begun to suffer persecution for his Religious Sentiments. The Lord alone knows the reason of this poor man's departure from us; for we gave him no just cause of offence, but, on the contrary, heaped every mark of affection on him, that it was safe to give. I imagine it possible that he may have been offended or frightened at a rebuke that David most properly gave him, for some lies and other hypocritical words of flattery which he was induced to speak to me, with the hope, as we feared, of some worldly gain. Soon after being thus reproved, poor Thakoor Rushad begged leave of me to go to his Native Village; for the purpose, as he said, of fetching his family thence; and promising to return in a specified time. But, since the day of his departure, we have never again seen his face, or heard any news of him: this is very afflicting. David, however, did not despond at the loss of his Catechumens ; but immediately began to look out for other work; which he has now found, and which gives him full employment.

He has established, as I before intimated, two small Schools; viz. one in the Invalid Lines, the other in the Native Infantry Cantonments; which, thank God! are beginning to fill with Scholars. These he visits; and hears the Children's les

sons, and also reads Scripture with some Native Men who attend there, every day. Every evening, his health permitting him, he conducts Divine Worship at the Society's Bungalow near the Sipâhee Lines; at which about 10 persons, including the Drummers of the 48th Regiment, attend. Among the Native part of his Congregation I would particularly remark a Young Man named Bhalloo, a son of a Hindoo Physician, as one of whom I have the greatest hopes. He is altogether the most excellent Native Youth that I have ever seen: he is very meek, patient, diligent, and thirsting after instruction in the Principles of the Christian Religion. This, David imparts to him; while Yusuf teaches him the knowledge of Oordoo. I do indeed anticipate the gratification of receiving him into the fold of Christ, and that without much delay. During the day-time, David studies English with me, when I am well and have leisure to hear him; and Oordoo with Yoosuf: he also goes to converse with the Hindoostanee Persons in the Fort; of whom there are a great number bearing the Christian Name, but whose conduct, I grieve to say, is no more creditable to their Profession of Christianity than that of the majority of Europeans: however, induced by David's constantly visiting them, they do at least attend Worship.

These are David Batavia's labours, with which I feel assured the Committee will be satisfied. They may rest assured, that, among all their Catechists, they have not one whose heart is more set on his labours, or who works more simply and faithfully, than this man.

Mr. Craufurd adds some remarks on the

Advantages of Allahabad as a Missionary

Station.

Having described to the Committee the work undertaken by their two Catechists at Allahabad, I may be permitted, I trust, to make a few observations upon Missionary matters at this Station, arising from my own experience. I believe that a spot fitter for the purpose of Preach

ing the Gospel to the Heathen could not be pointed out. The City of Allahabad and the Fort, with all the circumjacent Villages lying between the Ganges and the Jumna, present a vast field, easily accessible, and teeming with population of every Caste and Tribe. Nor should it be forgotten, that, during five months of the year, Allahabad is the general resort of an innumerable company of Pilgrims; who flock hither, either on their way to other Holy Places, or to remain here for the purpose of their ablutions. That such a place presents a fine field for Missionary Exertions is self evident.

From the lively spirit of inquiry which has been found to prevail, and the marked attention with which Missionaries, especially such as are known to the people, are heard by multitudes, a conviction is well warranted, that your Society would pursue a justifiable course were it to send, as the Serampore Baptists have done, an acknowledged Ordained Labourer to dwell among the Natives of Allahabad, to offer to them, and to the Stranger Pilgrims, the unsearchable riches of Christ. Even in the existing state of things, there are individuals to be found here, who, we may hope, are the firstfruits of a spiritual harvest: we only need that Labourers abound, and due means be applied with requisite perseverance.

I now conclude, trusting that you will perceive, by the above statement, that the Society's work has at least begun to prosper in Allahabad: and I do trust, that the seed sown here may be watered abundantly by the prayers of all our religious friends, and may be further nurtured by the tender care and judicious patronage of the Committee. Let us all pray fervently that the Lord would make His face to shine upon us; and cause every work that is undertaken by our Society, in common with other Christians, to flourish under His blessing. May that beloved Saviour, in whose name we would begin, continue and end them; and turn them all to His glory and honour, and the everlasting good of our souls, which he has redeemed by His most precious blood!