up, the Sahibs returned to the bungalow. The other person was a youth about sixteen years' old, from Mr. Brookes's school. He came to learn farming with one of our people, and had not been with us long before he came to tell Mr. Taylor how anxious he was about his soul, and how desirous he was of deciding for Christ. When enquiries were made of his master respecting his general behaviour, the old man gave him a most excellent character. On the first Sabbath in August, Mr. Taylor baptized him, and the same day he was added to the church; and up to the present time his conduct has been all that we could wish. Last May, a man, with his wife and two children, came out from heathenism, and joined our Nominal Christian Community. The woman is the daughter of the old gooroo, who came out about five years ago. Never shall I forget how pleased the dear old people were to have their children join them-an event they had long prayed that they might realize. How true it is that praying breath is never spent in vain. The conduct of the man and his wife has been very good. They are industrious, and willing to do anything we have for them to do. They are yet only Nominal Christians, but attend very regularly all the means of grace. The poor man is very ignorant, but he is learning to read, and hope will soon be able to improve himself. His elder child is a boy about five years' old, and he, of course, goes to school; the younger is almost two years' old. Within the last three months a young man and his wife have been restored to the church, who had for three or four years been in a state of exclusion for improper conduct. For sometime past their behaviour has shown a decided change of | mind; and on visiting them from time to time we have been much pleased with their conversation. A short time before the poor woman was re-admitted into the church I called to see her, and found her in great distress on account of not being restored at a former church meeting, and said, for the last twelve months how anxious she had been about her state-how she hated her former sin, and that she daily sought forgiveness from her offended God, &c., &c. I trust, in future, that they may be preserved from all evil, and that their path may be as that of the "just which shineth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day." In July one of our members, a man about thirty years of age, was removed by death. For sometime before his illness his conduct had not been what we could have wished, but during his affliction, which was very severe, he again and again expressed his confidence in Christ as his Redeemer and Saviour. I trust he "has found the rest we toil to find." All being well the conference is to commence on the 24th of October, and as soon as possible after that our beloved brother and sister Stubbins, with their little boy, are to leave Orissa for a short visit to our "father land," where, I trust, they may be much benefitted by the change, and in due time return to their sphere of labour with renewed health and strength. I am thankful to say that we are all quite well. I need not say anything about Mr. Goadby as he is writing to you himself by this mail. With kind Christian regards to yourself and Mrs. Goadby, also your dear family, in which Mr. Taylor unites. Yours affectionately, LETTER FROM REV. J. O. GOADBY. MY OWN DEAREST PARENTS.-As the mail leaves in a very short time, and I have not yet commenced writing to you, it is high time a line or two were penned. The weather at the present time is very trying; the rains are breaking up, and the air consequently is overcharged with moisture. Notwithstanding, I am in perfect health, having suffered nothing, or very little, during this unhealthy season. Fever is raging now in every direction. The natives are more susceptible of this complaint than Europeans. A little extra exertion on their part brings it immediately. I have not had REBECCA TAYLOR, Piplee, October 3d, 1858. it yet either in England or India. The Hindoo is constitutionally a very weak person. Internal diseases will either soon leave Hindoos or they the diseases. Long afflictions are nearly unknown to them. Sometimes a person attacked by some affliction or other will drag out a long weary existence; but the malady an English constitution would either seldom have,_or throw off very quickly when it came. while the Asiatic, as seen in India, is weak under internal diseases, his stoical capabilities are of an amazingly powerful nature. Some will groan and moan under an ant But bite, and be as though their last day was became so deranged in consequence thereof near; but the generality of them bear that he hung himself. These are customs wounds, bruises and sores in a manner quite and feelings which native christians retain admirable. The other day a little boy after their profession of the religion of Jesus, was brought to our bungalow who, the and I think rightly so. Christianity, while night previous, while watching a drove of changing the heart, and influencing the cows, had been seized by a young tiger. lives and actions of its possessors, does not The lad was not more than twelve or thir- trample under foot customs native to the teen years' old. The little brute sprung country in which those possessors live, only out of a mangoe grove while the lad was in so far as they hinder the workings of a passing, and placing one paw on the chest truly regenerated heart. Now I am dwelling of his victim, griped him behind the neck on this subject, I may as well give you a and shoulder. The lacerations were long few instances in which I have seen passages and deep, and so painful as to prevent the of scripture illustrated by manners and turning or raising of the head. The boy customs common to Orissa. Six weeks was brought in a dhooley, a kind of palkey, back I was in Cuttack, and the wedding of and being placed in the verandah, brother a daughter of one of our most respectable T. and myself commenced making a bag and natives taking place, I, with all the mission poultice for the wounds. The little sufferer circle, were invited to the marriage supper, bore all with a stoicism I could not refrain or rather dinner. The father of the bride from admiring; grinding his teeth when is now an assistant magistrate in Cuttack. the sharp twinges came, and biting his lips I found, on going, that all the natives who when the hot poultice was placed upon his had been invited, were presented with a sores. There was an utter absence of moan- new luger or cloth, and were wearing ing, crying, or anything approaching to them at the supper, I did not, at first, take them. On being raised from the dhooley any notice of the circumstance; but, on bed to have his wounds dressed, a large thinking over it a short time afterwards, cloth had become fast by the congealed recollected the parable of the " King's son's blood to the sides of the places, and on being marriage, and the 'wedding garment."" removed threatened to tear the flesh to a Here then was an illustration of that paragreater extent; notwithstanding the lad ble true to life; indeed, one of the customs pulled the cloth away with his own hands, of the country in which I was living. I giving his countenance at the time a sharp afterwards enquired of one who was able to twitching motion. This ability to endure give me a correct idea of the marriage cereexternal bruises may be accounted for no mony in the East, my own pundit, doubt by the fact that their bodies are daily if coming without this garment would be exposed to the action of sun and air, and right? The reply was "not at all; but an are constantly being besmeared with fat or insult to the father of the bride. The man oil. Another phase of the Hindoo charac- would be turned out of doors at once as a ter was seen during our operations with this wicked person." I have seen day after day lad. While Mr. Taylor was putting on a the "two women grinding at the mill" in poultice one of his servants, speaking to our verandah. At this moment, within a the father of the child, said "How is it you couple of hundred yards of me, two oxen are have been at all this trouble and brought treading out the corn, carried from the field the child so far to be doctored?" They a few days ago; and it is thought a strange had come six miles or more. The father action to "muzzle" the beasts previous to very significantly answered "It is a boy-tying them to the poll in the centre of the it is a boy." Had the wounded child been a girl no one would have been at such an expense of time or trouble, although the value of the former is not known to have saved its life. Such is their view of things. Their love for their sons far exceeds that they exercise towards their daughters. When a man has more daughters than sons in his family, he concludes at once that his god is displeased with him; and should he have no sons among his offspring, the circumstance will often drive him mad. This feeling is very strong among our native christians. Some years back a very industrious man living at one of our out stations, having married, and his wife bearing him four or five daughters and no sons, his mind thrashing floor. The two oxen I refer to are not hindered from picking up a piece of corn and munching it as they make their circuitious journeys. When in Calcutta I saw a flock of sheep numbering 300 or 400 following their shepherd, who was dressed in the manner of the countrymen, with a thick blanket thrown over his shoulders, and a long staff in his hand. He walked in front threading his way through crowds of people and a large drove of oxen, and down narrow lanes, but his sheep followed; and when any of them lingered, the shepherd made a very peculiar noise, and the sheep hearing his voice "knew it and followed him." How beautiful this, when remembering the 10th chapter in John's Gospel. Another instance-in the evening, in this country, and especially in the rainy season, there is a certain insect of the grasshopper species, that makes a noise very much like the "shee" of a stockingframe," rickety, rackety shee." This noise has a very peculiar effect upon any one's nerves, when they are a little unstrung, because it is so shrill and loud. 'Tis then the "grasshopper becomes a burden." There is no doubt but in that passage the above insect is referred to. The full force of the passage cannot be seen unless the noisy creature is heard in its native freedom. I shall send for one of these as a specimen. The creature is at this moment crying out with all its might, Shee-e-e-e, &c., &c., to the dawn of morning. All, that is, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, send much love. One of their little ones died a fortnight back. Conference commences on the 24th. Love to all. Remember me to any enquiring friends. Good bye, the post goes in five minutes. JOHN. N.B.-I am quite well. Remember me at the best of all places, the Mercy Seat. Foreign Letters Received. BERHAMPORE-W. Bailey, Sept. 16th. -W. Hill, Sept. 2nd, 16th. CUTTACK-J. Buckley, Sept. 3rd, Oct. 2nd. CUTTACK-I. Stubbins, Oct. 1st. Contributions RECEIVED ON ACCOUNT OF THE GENERAL BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY. From October 20th, to November 20th, 1858. 3 5 6 Subscriptions and Donations in aid of the General Baptist Missionary Society will be thankfully received by Robert Pegg, Esq., Derby, Treasurer; by the Rev. J. C. Pike, Quorndon, near Loughborough, Secretary; and by the Revs. H. Wilkinson, and W. Miller, engaged, during their sojourn, in England, as Travelling Agents to the Society. |