Last Easter-week I was in one of their churches all the men were sitting on the ground, and a Priest was reading the Gospel, and another constantly correcting him. I looked in vain for the women; and, when I asked where they were, I was led outside, into another separate and dark place, where they sat, making such a noise by talking, that it was impossible to hear what was read in church. We see here that they are not inclined to know something better, nor desire to be instructed. We trust, how ever, that the time will come, when it will please the Lord to gather His flock, that they shall come and ask, What shall we do to be saved?

The following extracts from Mr. Mueller's communications are dated at Caïro in September.

-My visits become more and more encouraging. A few months ago, I was sometimes desired to go away when I came; but now they send for me, if they cannot or dare not come themselves to visit me. To one who thus sent for me to-day, and began to complain of the Pacha's oppression of the Christians, I said, "So long as the Christians do not repent and cry to God, as the Children of Israel did during their captivity, you will never be helped; for we have the promise, that If two of you shall agree on earth, as touching any thing which they

shall ask, it shall be done for them by my Father which is in heaven. But you can never agree in prayer; because one chooses to pray particularly to the Vir. gin, and another to St. Antonius, and so on. And if even it should happen that two could agree to pray to the Virgin or to St. Girgis, such a prayer would be an abomination before God."

-I called on my old friend Nicolaus, the Inspector of the Printing Establish ment of the Pacha. We have it in contemplation to print there, if possible, Mr. King's "Farewell Letter;" which is fully adapted to the wants of the Roman Catholics in this country. Mr. Nicolaus told me, when I was with him the last time, that he had read it to more than twenty Roman-Catholic Christians, in whom it had excited much interest.

-An Arabic Doctor, and another person, called. We talked on the subject of a Girls' School. They said, "The Christians will not send their girls to the school, because they are afraid that their daughters, if once they can read or write, will do nothing but write and re

ceive Letters. Further, the Christians keep themselves at a distance from us because we do not revere the Virgin and the Saints." But the matter is not exactly as they think; for we have some boys in our Schools of very respectable families: and Mrs. Dussap, a very intelligent African Lady, is of opinion, that if we would erect a Girls' School, in which the girls were also taught needle-work and knitting, many Arabs would send their girls. The beginning, undoubtedly, would be difficult; as they cannot conceive that the Christians in England should do all this only for the glory of God: they believe that the English must have some worldly designs. An incident, which Mrs. Dussap related to me, may serve as an instance of the evil suspicions of these poor people. Dr. Dussap and another French Physician, in going about in Caïro, found a poor man lying in the street, who was very sick. They had compassion on him, and Dr. Dussap directed him to be carried to his house: but the wretched man had scarcely enjoyed for a few days the benevolent assistance and care of the Physician, but he rose and went off, saying to the servants of the house,

"This man must needs have some bad

design against me, for it is not for nothing that he does so much good to

me.

In reference to the School established for the children of the Copts, Mr Krusé writes, at the end of October

As to our School, it is much better now since Joseph has returned from Syria. The former teacher (whom we then dismissed) kept the children in a slavish fear: they did not love him, and several left the school. I indeed re

proved him of his unchristian treatment of the children, but he always found some apology for his conduct. He was not able to convey to the children any thing like religion, nor to pray with them; and what Br. Kluge and myself had done in this respect, he destroyed again, if we happened to be absent from the school from indisposition or other circumstances. Joseph manages the matter in quite a different way: he has much improved since he was first here: I am very content with him indeed. He prays with the children at the beginning of the school, and treats them in an affectionate manner; and so the children

:

love him before he dismisses them, he reads the Gospel with them, then explains it, and at the close prays again. This is a principal matter in a Missionary School, that the children be won to Christ. Religious instruction, indeed, is my own business; but there is little suc cess to be expected from all exertions, if the Schoolmaster, who continues all day with the children, has not the same mind, but by his actions annihilates what others have worked out. If, on the contrary, the Schoolmaster is a real Christian, then all the good is supported by his word and conduct; and so the School will be a Missionary School, in which the children are trained up for the kingdom of God. The children also attend regularly every Sunday the reading of the Gospel, which is explained to them by the teacher. With respect to most of the boys, whose number is now 26, we can cherish good hopes that our work in the Lord will not be in vain.

Mr. Gobat adds

He

Dr. Kluge manages the School. is truly a father, a guide, and a teacher to the children.

We shall close this account of proceedings at Caïro with some further extracts from Mr. Gobat's Letters. Soon after his return from Alexandria, he writes

Br. Mueller and our Joseph from Syria have received many visits from Arab Christians; and I also have had two or three, of late, every day. The conversations are nearly always the same. In Europe we may purpose to preach Christ without offence; but, if we speak with Arab Christians, we have but to mention the Pope to the Catholics, or the Saints to the others.

The Catholic Priests warn, not only the Greek, Copts, and Armenians, but even the Turks, against the danger into which they say that we are trying to precipitate their religion. A learned Mussulman has for some time been giving lessons to Mr. Mueller and Dr. Kluge. They had often spoken to him on the subject of religion; and the Sheikh began, perhaps, to doubt the truth of the Korân; and accepted a New Testament, which he promised to read with attention. When he came, the day before yesterday, he was again the old Moslem; and began to reproach Br. Mueller with having given him a forged Gospel. He quoted several Catholic Christians, and especially one Priest, who had told him, that it was

a dangerous book, which the English had made in order to seduce people thereby: then they brought him a book, of which they asserted that it was the right Gospel; and compared them both, upon which it was found that ours was deficient and corrupted: they also exhorted him to have nothing to do with us. The consequence of all this was, that the Sheikh fell back again into the old prejudices of the Moslems; viz. that neither we nor the Catholics have the right Gospel, but that it is lost.

The Patriarch is a very kind and affable man. His Vakeel lately heard the truth from Br. Krusé in such a manner as he probably never heard it before; but he grew quite angry, and said, on departing-" Now I know what you are!"

We are, in general, reported here to have fellowship with the devil; and that he appears amidst us in our private meetings, or in company with those connected with us. Hence people say, that whoever comes to us is bewitched, so that he cannot keep from us. On this account we have already had visits of persons who wanted to view the whole of our house: they probably are persons not so utterly superstitious but that they would ascertain whether we are indeed necromancers or not. However none, as yet, have asked that question when alone.

About the middle of November, Mr. Gobat thus speaks of the state of his health and of his proceedings

To have for six months in the space of a year weak and blind eyes, so as to be almost unable to write and to read, and by intervals to be sickly and usually unwell, such is my lot in the land of Egypt. After I had left Alexandria on the 11th of September, my eyes remained red, weak, and half-blind till the beginning of October: since my arrival here I have been able to read every day a little in the Bible. On the 3d of October, when Br. Mueller departed for Upper Egypt, I accompanied him to a distance of halfan-hour, and returned home with a fever, which stretched me on my bed for twelve days; but, by this, my eyes have been nearly restored. All comes from the Lord! and so the most gloomy hours both of the body and the soul must tend to bring me nearer to His eternal light. However, I find it, sometimes, a great trial to sit for months in a dark room without employment, whilst our friends in Europe think that I am scattering abroad the Word of Life; but even this

I would not lament so much, if I did not feel, at the same time, that inactivity makes the soul languid and the heart cold. When health permits, I go every morning to Dr. Dussap's, to give lessons to Mrs. Dussap, especially in reading; of which I expect happy results, with re

gard to herself and others. At first, the

Arab Females laughed at her; but now there are several, particularly of the higher class, who would gladly learn to read. If we had proper Teachers, a numerous Girls' School might immediately be collected. This is one reason, among others, for my giving regular lessons to Mrs. Dussap: she is able already to relate narratives from the Gospel to those women who call on her, and who other wise would remain quite ignorant; and, in a short time, she will be capable to read to them plainly the Word of God: several times she has been invited to do

this; and, as there is no other way in which to announce the Gospel to the females, this circumstance may be of more consequence than at first sight may appear. The lessons which I give to Mrs. · Dussap are, at the same time, good exercises in Arabic for myself. The chief reason, however, of my daily visits is,

because there is no other house in which

I could have so much opportunity to preach the Gospel, as almost every day people of all nations and tongues meet there together: all these men, I perceive, may be divided into two classesone, confessing no belief at all-the other, who form the greater portion, are the su

perstitious: all, however, are spiritually dead! Dr. Dussap rejoices that the Gospel is preached in his house: he is very beneficent; yet he finds that his good works are not sufficient so save him: he wishes to go with us, or to follow us, to Abyssinia, with his family; and there to pass the rest of his days.

Occasionally, I visit such persons as I am acquainted with, to tell them of the Word of Life; but I usually spend the afternoons at home, to receive such as call on me. Seldom a day passes with out some visiter; and I have made it my duty not to dismiss any one, without his having heard the Gospel. five or six meet together.

Sometimes

A few weeks since I began to preach in Arabic every Sunday; imperfectly indeed, because I must preach extempore, on account of my eyes: but all my audi

tors say that they understood it perfectly well. I am glad, in this respect, that I have remained here till now; and I hope that if we continue a few months longer,

one of the Brethren will be able to proceed: from 20 to 25 individuals generally attend this Service.

Of their Syrian Assistant, Joseph, and of the state of things in Syria, Mr. Gobat says—

Joseph, whom we brought with us from Syria, last Summer visited his home, and has now returned. He is a very beloved Brother indeed: he daily increases in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Had I been in Jerusalem for three months, even for his sake alone, I should not regret the time. He is a true Missionary, who is very likely to effect more among the Arabs than we all together: he is no literary man indeed, but he understands his Bible; and speaks with power, and love, and faithfulness to all who meet him.

Joseph gives us many details of his stay with his relatives. He was afraid of being imprisoned, but was agreeably surprised by a kind reception. The Patriarch sent a Letter of Indulgence to him, as he was formerly excommunicated. The bearer of the Letter, a Priest, invited him to auricular confession; observing to him, that he himself might fix the most convenient time for it: Joseph's

reply to this was, that he would confess

to God and to a Brother in Christ, but not to him even this sharp answer was not taken amiss. His wife would have

accompanied him to Caïro; but the present state of political affairs induced him to leave her there till things are more

settled. There is more liberty in thinking and speaking on Mount Lebanon,

since the American Missionaries left Beyrout. Asaad is also treated with more mildness than he was before: the Patriarch permits him to walk about in the Convent, and he now again receives sufficient food.

Of Abyssinia he says

We hear little from Abyssinia. Imam, the new King, is dead; and the people from the interior have applied to Sebagadis to settle their affairs. There is great probability that Sebagadis is made King of Abyssinia. Several districts of Samen

are said to have embraced Islamism.

Visit by Mr Mueller to Upper Egypt.

Mr. Mueller left Caïro on the 2d of October, and reached Luxor on the 29th: the next day he turned his boat homeward, and arrived at Caïro about the middle of November. He was accompanied in this voyage by Stephan, a Roman-Ca

tholic Priest and Monk from Mount Lebanon; whose mind seems to have received some light from reading the Scriptures.

The chief places mentioned by Mr. Lieder, in his Journal given in our last Number, were again visited by Mr. Mueller; and at several of them, where books had been purchased six months before, they were still in demand and there is reason to hope that regular visits of this nature will both excite and foster a desire for knowledge. There is some prospect, also, of promoting Education, as will appear from the following brief extracts of Mr. Mueller's Journal :

-In Siout I sold a great many books. I have also some hopes of a School: just before my departure, two respectable Copts came to me, to speak with me on that subject: I declared to them the object of the Christians in England, with which they were greatly satisfied.

-At Negade I sold many Tracts; though Mr. Jowett and Mr. Lieder had already, in their visits, abundantly provided the Christians of this place with the Word of Life. The children who had no money brought fowls to exchange for Tracts.

-At the request of several Copts of Minnie, I took their School under our charge. The children are mostly very poor, and cannot pay any thing to their Schoolmaster, and therefore are neglected. The Schoolmaster is not blind, yet his eyes are not perfectly good; nevertheless, he is considered as the best Schoolmaster in the neighbourhood. I promised him four dollars per month, if he fulfils well his duty in instructing the children: the people will now again send their children to the School, as they have nothing to pay for it: the Schoolroom belongs to the Church, and is light and spacious. This manner of proceed ing is but a trial, to ascertain how far the established Schools of the Copts may be improved, till we shall be enabled to promote Education in a more direct way. The Bishops do not like to see new Schools erected beside the old : this I had occasion to observe in several places. If, by the introduction of good books, by more frequent visits and a longer stay among them, the Coptic Schools should prove at all efficient, much would be gained

-Most of the School-rooms in Egypt are nothing better than our cow-sheds. In Akmim, for instance, the children, with their blind Schoolmaster, sat in one

partition, and in the other was a cow fastened. Often, indeed, my heart bled on viewing these poor children, for they are as sheep that have no shepherd. There must be somewhere established an Institution for the education of Teachers; and Schools must be erected, from the first to the last corner of Egypt. The obstacles are by no means invincible: faith and perseverance; and He who : nothing is wanting, but great grants both, for such an undertaking will also provide money and support.

Polynesia.

Harvey Islands.

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

AN American Vessel touching at Aitutake, one of the Islands of this groupe, some of the passengers landed: one of them, an Englishman, has transmitted the following

Description of a Native Congregation.

We were soon visited, on board, by the Native Missionary Mataitai, who invited me to go on shore with him. This invitation I readily complied with; and, in the evening, I accompanied him in the trading-boat, which was constantly employed in conveying hogs, yams, cocoanuts, &c. from the shore to the ship. We landed on a very excellent stone wharf, about 200 yards in length, which had been built by the natives for the convenience of their canoes and such boats as might be sent thither. The wharf I supposed to be about 18 feet in breadth, and 8 feet in depth. The Natives, at the time we landed, were repairing to the Church, to their FridayEvening Worship. Mataitai conducted me to a seat near the pulpit. I was overwhelmed at the surrounding prospect: the roof of the building, supported all along by neat pillars of suitable dimensions, was beautifully ornamented and well finished above me: a good boarded floor was covered with seats of plank, decently made, and regularly arranged on each side of the Church, from one end of it to the other: a good pulpit and reading-desk stood on one side, at an equal distance from each end of the building; and there were not less than One Thousand or Twelve Hundred Native Worshippers, clothed from head