pany gone before. This religion, which is after God's own heart, will prosper. When we look upon this vast continent, and think of the thousands of souls which are living in gross darkness and idolatry, or are blind followers of the prophet Mahomet; we have great reason to lament; yet we must not despair. The interests of Christ will prosper. O Emmanuel, why tarry the wheels of thy chariot? But in this glorious work we must be co-workers; for how can they hear without a preacher, and how can they preach unless they be sent ?" I have it in contemplation, when the dry season sets in, to visit the country, the towns and villages in the neighbourhood of Free-Town. Carrying on a mission in this place is expensive, as all things are excessively dear, and the society but small, though faithful. Were it not for the great expense, I would have certainly petitioned the Committee for another preacher; with whom, were we favoured, one could be in the town, and the other could visit the neighbourhood. But this I must leave at present, hoping to see better days in every respect. We meet with every encouragement from his excellency the Governor, Col. Macarthy. When Mr. Hirst went to Hogbrook, there was no one to superintend the colonial school; I offered my service for a time, which was accepted, and when his excellency got Mr. Sutherland to engage in the school, he wrote to me, by his Secretary, as follows: "Sir, His excellency, the Lt.-Governor, begs to return you his sincerest thanks for the very handsome manner in which you came forward to perform the duty of first schoolmaster of this colony. His excellency feels highly sensible of your services on the occasion, and requests me to inform you that he has accepted of your resignation. Mr. D. Sutherland, who is appointed to succeed you, will enter upon the situation to-morrow. I am, Sir, your humble Servant, T. Willford, Secretary." When Mrs. Grant, who had a salary of £100 per annum, was going to resign the girls' school, as there was no person capable of superintending it, I sent word to his excellency, that Mrs. Davies would take the school for a time, not for the sake of any emolument, but for the sake of doing good; and that she would take it until his Excellency could get a fit person for the situation. The next day, I saw the following printed notice posted up. "NOTICE.-Mrs. Grant having expressed a wish to resign the situation of school-mistress, Notice is hereby given, that the children who now attend her school, will in future be instructed by Mrs. Davies, who has voluntarily and gratuitously offered to superintend their education, until some other arrangements take place. Such persons as have children under their care, of an age to receive instruction, are requested to send them to Mrs. Davies, at such hours as she may point out. By command, T. Willford, Sec." But as Mrs. G. has not yet resigned, the affair is not quite settled. The Church Missionary Society are going to erect a large settlement on a hill called Leicester-Mountain, about four miles from this place; which, in my opinion, is a good plan for this country: they will then have the children more immediately under their care. I have established a Missionary prayer meeting here, on the first Tuesday in every month. Mr. Butscher unites with me: he is very friendly, and is ready to preach or exhort in the chapel at any time, if I cannot attend. Wishing you every happiness, I am, dear Sir, Your's, &c. WILLIAM DAVIES. Extract of a Letter from Mr. Shipman, te the late Mr. RODDA. Kingston, Jamaica, Oct. 5, 1815. REV. AND DEAR SIR, MAY the God of all grace be your strength and everlasting portion. Amen. Since I had the happiness of your company, and listened to your fatherly advice, I have had my mind variously exercised; but throngh the mercy of God, I have been kept to the present day. I apprehend, that long before this, you know that the chapel in Kingston has been shut since the death of our late brother Davis; and that we have exerted ourselves as much as possible to get it reopened, but in vain. By the last packet I wrote to Mr. Edmondson, to inform the Committee that I had made another application to the Court of Quarter Session, which failed as before. Since the death of brother Davis, the chapel at Morant Bay was also closed against us. But brother Burgar applied at the Sessions this week, and obtained licence to preach in it, so that the chapel there is to be reopened next Sunday. This is a favourable circumstance, and, I hope, a prelude of greater good. Since our arrival, I and my dear wife have enjoyed good health, till a few weeks since, when she had a smart fever, but which has been happily removed: I am just recovering from one myself. Praise the Lord, for his abundant love and mercy towards us. I am, Rev. and dear Sir, Your's, &c. JOHN SHIPMAN. CEYLON. Letter from Mr. HARVARD, to the MIS SIONARY COMMITTEE. Columbo, Island of Ceylon, April 1, 1815. I am thankful to be able to inform you of my safe arrival, with my little family, in this place, where the brethren had appointed me to labour: and am happy to add, that my dear wife and child, with myself, are well. Since leaving Bombay, we have been exposed to perils of no common kind, and to which, persons situated as we were, generally fall a prey. Death stared us in the face, under the form of starvation and shipwreck; but God, in a most signal manner, delivered us, and brought us to we might have been shipwrecked on them, as it frequently happens to vessels which are unfortunately beaten off to the south westward of Ceylon. But our God was with us, aud answered our wishes, with a wind contrary to that for which we prayed. I trust this mercy will cause us to be more than ever alive to the glory of God, and to lay ourselves out for the conversion of the heathen. How exceedingly has God blessed this mission with his peculiar providential interference! Not being settled in our house, I am unable to send you my accounts; but I will endeavour to forward them by the very next conveyance. I have the pleasure to remain, reverend Fathers, your's, &c. W. M. HARVARD. Mr. EDMONDSON. " this isiand, by what we supposed an ad- Extract of a Letter from Mr. ARMOUR, to verse wind, in an unexpected moment, and even when, by the calculations of our captain, we imagined ourselves at least two or three degrees from land. We coasted it down as far as Cape Comoria, very well; but when we had to go out of sight of land, in order to cross the Gulf of Manaar, we completely lost our way: and though it is frequently only a course of a few hours, yet we beat about upwards of four weeks, without seeing land. At the end of that time, the captain magined we were to the eastward of Ceylon, and as high as 7 deg. 44 min. north latitude in the Bay of Bengal. Being by the wind obliged to steer a north-east course, according to the calculation of our commander, we were going all that way from the place of our destination and his intention was to go as high north as he could, and then tack about, and drop down on some part of the eastern coast of thus island. When we made land, the captain was anxiously waiting a small change in the wind, in order to turn back; but God knew which wind was best for s, and brought us by a north-east course to Point-de-Galle. : By referring to the map you will easily perceive where we must have been, in we order to make Point-de-Galle, as did: and our great deliverance will be meen, in our making the land at the very moment the captain was looking for a change of wind, and just before the change took place. Had it been the case twelve hours earlier, he would have tacked about, and gone out to sea again. In this case, our water and provisions would have been expended in two or three days; and if we had lingered out an existence so far as the Maldive Islands, the captain not knowing where we were, . Columbo, April 1, 1815. My dear Brother, Glory be to God, that a door to preach is open here: the fields are white already to the harvest, but the labourers are few. The labours of your youngest missionary, Mr. Clough, have hitherto been attended with the greatest success. According to a letter from him a few days ago, no less than three conversions took place last week. Praise the Lord, O my soul! Mr! Harvard arrived from Bombay ten days ago, entered on his labours on Sunday evening last, in the Baptist meeting-house; Monday last, being Easter-Monand on day, he preached to nearly 300 children, assembled from different schools, in the Dutch church in this place, and the Lord For my own part, I am was with us. labouring according to my ability. I have two meeting-houses in Columbo, in which I preach on Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays, besides visiting schools out of town. Besides the superintendence of the seminary, I preach four or five times every week. My congregations seem to be getting lively; and, I trust that, in concert with your Missionaries, I shall yet see the work of the Lord prospering in this island. May the Lord bless you, my dear brother, and all the connexion to which you belong, and make it to the end of time, a praise in the earth. Excuse, my dear brother, this intrusion of a stranger. When you pray for the peace of Jerusalem, remember Ceylon, and your brethren, who are labouring there; and, among the rest, a friend who highly esteems you in the bonds of a pure Gospel. * K2* A. ARMOUR. Point-de-Galle, April 27, 1815. I see and feel the awful responsibility of my present situation, and tremble lest I should prove unfaithful in doing the work of God; I rejoice, however, to be engaged in this work; it is the delight of my soul to publish among the heathen the unsearchable riches of Christ. There seems to be a great and effectual door open for the spread of the Gospel in this island. Before this arrives, you will have heard that the Candian territory is now in the possession of the English; the king and all his family have been taken prisoners, and all the inhabitants have yielded themselves subjects to the British government; this has given a dreadful blow to Budhism, (the religion of the country,) for it was a principle of the Budhist religion, that the King of Candy was protected by Budhu, and that, consequently, he could never be dethroned, therefore many begin to stagger; their last subterfuge is, that the king is still in the interior, and that he whom we have taken has passed for the king, but is some other person: could we but follow up the stroke by preaching to them the glorious gospel of the blessed God, I have no doubt that it would be attended with glorious effects. But there is an obstacle, which is not, and for some time will not be sur mounted-viz. the language. Many difficulties attend the acquirement of the Cingalese language; there is no Grammar or Dictionary, and but few who teach the language understand English. I am, your's, &c. T. H. SQUANCE, immediately after their arrival, you will probably suppose that I have been a little neglectful in not attending to that injunction; but you will be satisfied when you know that nothing would have prevented my writing but a severe affliction through which I have had to pass. I have had an attack of what is, in this country, called the jungle fever, by which I was brought down to the gates of death; none who saw me entertained any hopes of my recovery; and two eminent medical men (one of them having been called in to assist the other) said at one time, that three hours would terminate my existence! Besides this attack of fever, I was also reduced to the last stage of a consumption, so that ny recovery was concluded to be impossible: however, contrary to all human expectation, when my friends were waiting to see my eyes closed in death, my complaint took a favourable turn; I began to recover rapidly, and was soon able to resume my former labours; and, by the mercy of God, I now hope to experience as good health as ever 1 enjoyed in my life. Glory be to God, that, during my affliction, I experienced the most divine consolations; my soul exulted in hope of the glory of God; for I knew that "for me to die would be gain,"-immense and everlasting gain: but as God has spared my life, I feel I can say, "For me to live is Christ-and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Relative to my affliction, I can adopt the language of the Psalmist, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted." It has been the means of my learning many importaut lessons; of giving me a more abundant discovery of the vanity of all sublunary objects, and of stimulating me to seek, with greater diligence than ever, a full conformity to him in whom was no siu. I trust I shall now be able to enter on my labours with an abundant increase of zeal, and with my soul enflamed with the love of God, and burning with the most ardent desires to promote the present and eternal happiness of those who at present sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. May the Spirit of Light dispel the gloom of hellish darkness, and may the glory of our God shine with greater splendour than the sun in all bis meridian brightness! Before I began this letter, I felt gratified at the idea of having to communicate intelligence of a pleasing nature; but I am sorry to remark, that that pleasure is lessened by the arrival of a letter containing the distressing account of the death of our dear brother Ault, We could not help exclaiming, "How searchable are thy judgments, O Lord, and thy ways are past finding out" Perhaps this is one of the mysteries of Divine Providence, which will remain to be unravelled till the day that will declare all things. Our dear brother was taken away in the vigour of his days, and in the midst of his usefulness. ministers of the gospel be intimidated, when they have the prospect before them. of saving souls from death? I fear that reasoning on the difficulties attending a missionary life has deterred many from entering on the blessed work, who have thereby grieved the Spirit of God; I pray that it may be so no more. We have lately commenced preaching to the natives in the Bazars, or public markets, through the medium of our interpreter. Many flock to hear, and hear with great attention; and we have reason to believe, that some little good has already been done; but we hope soon to see more evident fruit of our labours. The Cingalese seem to possess fewer prejudices against Christianity than the Malabars; but I think this arises chiefly from their great indifference about all religion. It is extremely difficult to ascertain what are their religious principles. Out of about 1500 priests, who are on the island, there are scarcely two to be found who agree in their sentiments. They say that Nahabrachmea is their great god; and that he dwells in the highest heaven, but does not trouble himself with the affairs of this world. Besides him, they have gods, whose names they can mention, to the number of thirty thousand! They deny the existence of a Creator, and maintain that the world owes its existence to chance! They hold the doc trine of the transmigration of souls for a certain term, and then total annihilation. Brother Erskine and myself have received letters from S. Sawers, Esq. Collector, at Batticaloe, in which be speaks in the highest terms of our bro ther, and requests that his place may Our dear immediately be supplied. brother seemed to possess a presage of his approaching dissolution, long before he was taken ill: I often heard him remark, “I shall soon follow my dear partner and our venerable father, Dr. Coke, and join with them in singing the load praises of God to all eternity.”— May those of us who yet remain, partake of a double portion of his spirit, and follow him as he followed Christ. The condition of the poor inhabitants of India is such as loudly calls on all zealous Ministers of the Gospel to come over and help us. Who can behold them falling down to stocks and stones, The Malabars, who inhabit the northern and worshipping the works of their own hands, offering sacrifices to dumb idols, part of the Island, are a more industrious and enslaved to vice and immorality of and intelligent, but not less a depraved every kind, without feeling their bowels people. They speak the Tamul language, of compassion yearn towards them, and and are worshippers of Vishnou, according to the principles of the Brahminical, or earnestly praying that they may soon know the joyful sound, and feel the Hindoo, religion. The Brahmins are a most deceitful and treacherous set of men; benigo influences of the Gospel upon their depraved hearts? And who, that is and, by their art, they succeed in imposing on the minds of the people the an Ambassador for God, can reflect on most absurd tenets possible. The most their deplorable condition, without learned amongst them are, in general, inlonging to be employed in publishing to fidels! To reflect on the ignorance and them the word of reconciliation? superstition, both of the Cingalese and Malabars, must be truly distressing to a Christian mind; but if we reflect on their moral conduct, our hearts will be more deeply affected. Crimes of the most glaring nature, are considered perfectly innocent; hence, incest, adultery, fornication, perjury, and many other sins, equally glaring, are committed without any compunction or shame whatever; indeed, they contend that it is impossible for men to live without committing them! And yet our modern infidels do not blush to recommend the morality of the heathens. They even dare to assert, that their But there there are many obstacles in the way who come out to amass riches? How are MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE. condition would not be meliorated, but rendered worse, by their receiving the Gospel! I fear that such persons are partakers with them in their sins, or they would not speak thus. The Dutch and Portuguese are very numerous. They all speak a kind of corrupt Portuguese, which language I have succeded in acquiring some knowledge of, and preached my first sermon in it last Wednesday evening. I intend to preach in it from this time regularly;-it is expected that large congregations will attend. I hope, in a few months more, to preach in Malabar; I should have done so before now, had it not been for my late afflictions. The ship which takes this is just going to sail. I must conclude myself your's, &c. T. H. SQUANCE. Extract of a Letter from Mr. JAMES LYNCH, At present, as far as I can judge, our brethren are pretty well; and as to myself, I never had better health. I preach twice a week, once in English and ouce in Malabar, by an interpreter. I first write, and my interpreter, who is also my assistant in the school, and Malabar tutor, then translates, and reads the sermon in Malabar to the people. I hope in about four months to be able to read the sermons myself. I intend, in the course of a few months, to visit several places in this and the neighbouring districts; and talk and preach to the people by an interpreter; which I believe will be the way of usefulness to the people, and of improvement to myself in the language. We are very anxious to know how the work of God is prospering in Great Bri fain and Ireland. Brothers Erskine and Squance are now at Galle, and brothers Harvard and Clough are at Columbo: at the latter place a blessed field of usefulness seems to open; and the Providence of God has provided interpreters both in the Cingalese and Malabar tongues. The bonourable Sir Alexander Johnson is so warm a friend to the spread of the gospel amongst the Cingalese, that be allows his own interpreter to accompany the brethren, and interpret for them; which circumstance is of very great use in opening their way into several places. The honourable and Rev. Mr. Twisleton's Malabar interpreter interprets once a week to a good Malabar congregation; and there are several young men at the seminary under Mr. Armour, who are both able and willing to accompany the brethren, from two to eight, or in the Cingalese: and the brethren have ten miles into the country, and interpret great hopes of some of these becoming useful ministers of the gospel. ac lumbo, in the beginning of last month, Before my return from Jaffna to Cocellency, to request Mr. Harvard to dethe Rev. Mr. Bissett was sent by his Exthings which were out of order in the vote a little of his time to rectify several Printing-Office; (as he had previously understood that Mr. Haryard was quainted with the printing business ;) and offered him 100 rix dollars per month, if he would give his time to it. Brother Harvard very prudently, I think, refused to give more than one hour or two each for his doing so would not receive any day to that business, for some time, and salary. I understand that the brethren at Cothis, I believe, was absolutely necessary. lumbo have made a purchase of a place; house, chapel, printing-office, &c. could No place that would suit for a dwellingbe got in any eligible situation for less than from 60 to 100 dollars per month, equal to from 60 to 1001. sterling per year. The place which they have purchased is in a very good situation. I believe the purchase is about 3000 dollars; and about 2500 more laid out upon it will make it sufficiently large and comfortable for every intended purpose. Indeed, in every place where a Missionary resides, he must have a place of his own in order to be useful, and save a weighty expense to the Con nexion. I still remain with my most warm friend To the Editor of the Methodist Magazine. Moravian Missionaries have manifested |