ing those that are near to you. You will, also, ever aim at preaching by example; thus shewing the people what you choose, and what you shun. Everywhere preach peace by Jesus Christ-all that this implies-nothing else; exhibiting this grand doctrine, both by clear instructions, and by its visible influence on all your conversation and conduct. On this simple plan, you may expect a blessing from on High, to rest eventually on your labours. Should it, in process of time, appear eligible to attempt something in the way of Schools, this, it must be borne in mind, is a course which will require, from those who engage in it, much patience, the continual stopping in one place long together, and unwearied perseverance. From these considerations we are led to infer, that while your number is so small in Abyssinia, the establishment of Schools to any considerable extent will not be the first or most immediate call on the employment of your time. It is, however, an excellent planourselves to learn by teaching others: on this principle it would be very desira ble to encourage young and teachable persons to come about you. Instructions relative to some specific points are added. After urging on the two Missionaries the necessity of not separating from each other, the Committee thus enter into the difficulties of a civil nature which will attend the Mission: Another point on which they feel peculiar anxiety, is, the various relations which you may be under the necessity of bearing toward the different Governors and Chieftains of Abyssinia, or, in case of residence in one spot, to any of these Governors. Travellers, who have gone before you, into the uncivilized or distracted regions of Africa, have usually taken a course which throws, except by contrast, very little light on what should be your line of proceeding. They have not unfrequently adopted the plan of identifying themselves with whatever quarrel they might find on the spot: they have taken sides; and when they wanted to push on to other regions, they have been ready to change sides. How, in every place, to avail your selves of the best civil protection, without becoming a party to any, is a practical problem of extremely arduous solution. For example, on entering the Province July, 1829. of Tigrè, and placing yourselves under the protection of Subagadis, you will appear in the eyes of the inhabitants of Abyssinia, who will soon know of the arrival of the two European Strangers, to have identified yourselves, as men of the world would express it, with all his fortunes. The coincident circumstance, that this powerful Chieftain is now seeking a friendly relation with Great Britain, will greatly strengthen this im pression; and will aid those who would maliciously circulate the idea, that you are, at bottom, engaged in some political scheme. And what pushes this inconvenience still further is, that, among the rival Provinces of Abyssinia, alliances are generally sought, not for friendly commercial purposes, but for the sake of offensive war and conquest. Your coming, therefore, from Europe, your very complexion, will render you objects of suspicion: from whomsoever you seek protection, you will be accounted his devoted allies and servants: no medium will, in the general sentiment, be allowed to you: you may call yourselves neutral, but the benefit of your plea will be reluctantly granted to you, and even the proofs of your neutrality will be doubtfully accepted. Partisanship they understand: political feigning, and hypocrisy, they understand: doubledealing, treachery, and changing of sides, they understand: but disinterested, impartial, equal good-will to all alike, is a feature of character well nigh unknown to them: it is, indeed, described in their Sacred Books; for they possess, and you also will bring to them, the Gospels. But bear in mind, that the most part of them will not read your books: they will read you; and it may be long before they will, to any considerable extent or degree, believe that your purposes are not of this world. It may be well, both for the advantage of Christians at home and for your own caution, to enlarge a little more on this topic. Civil war is, we know, continually agitating one province or another of Abyssinia. Pure necessity may involve you in the train of their campaigns. As medical attendants, as fugitives for safety, you may be found, sometimes advancing, sometimes retreating, associated with men, or implicated in cir cumstances, from which a Christian Missionary would gladly stand at the remotest distance. However pure his 2 S or, motives may be, however pacific and useful his conduct, these are not often the points regarded in the afflicting turns of civil war. Very generally, at such times-they are times too frequent, alas! in Abyssinia-the only question about a man, when captured, is, "Where was he found ?" not, "What is he?" "What has he been doing?" Sympathy for what may hereafter be your personal feelings, and anxiety for the prosperity of your Mission, both prompt these remarks. Clearly to understand, and practically to apply them, in all their peculiar bearings on your Mission to Abyssinia, will require, both experience, and a large measure of that wisdom which is from above. The general tendency of our views on the subject may be summed up in this brief cautionary hint to engage as little as practicable in secular pursuits; and, especially, not to be party to the secular pursuits of others, excepting in cases where your own needful maintenance, or the exercise of works of mercy, may absolutely require you so to do. From these difficulties the Committee pass to those arising from another quarter : The difficulties attendant on your Civil Relations in Abyssinia will probably be small, in comparison with those which may arise from the position of your Missionary Work in reference to the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy of that country. Wherever a great deadness in Religious Concerns has prevailed for a length of time in any professing Christian Community, the first attempts to raise the standard of piety, by introducing spiritual books, spiritual conversations, and spiritual habits of life, generally meet with the most determined opposition; especially from those persons, who, by virtue of their office, ought to have been themselves leaders in every thing good, and who, consequently, feel that the exertions of others cast a reproach upon themselves. Of this, your acquaintance with the New-Testament History, and your experience in various countries, have made you well aware. But to this consideration you must add another, as it refers to Abyssinia. Besides the hostility, which would be felt by the Clergy of that country to any individual of their own nation stir. ring up the people to measures of reformation, it is to be expected that they will feel a peculiar jealousy toward per sons foreign both to their Nation and to their Church. Their celebrated hospitality to strangers will, there is cause to fear, not be very willingly extended to those who may be regarded by them as troublers of their country. Should they conceive that matters are likely to be pushed too far, they may, in a vindictive moment, raise the clamour against you, This same man came to sojourn among us, and he will needs be a ruler and a judge. They have also a peculiar cunning, an almost malignant sagacity, in selecting those points of religious controversy which may most exasperate the feelings of their own people, or tempt a Missionary to speak unadvisedly; thus aiming to widen the breach which they would gladly effect between yourselves and their countrymen. It is needful to notice these particulars, in order, that, when you are invited to enter upon the ground of doubtful disputation, you may know how, with wisdom and a good conscience, to decline the invitation. Study-for it is peculiarly applicable to the circumstances of an enlightened and devout Christian labouring in the midst of a benighted and corrupted Oriental Church study that spirit of moderation, delicacy, and caution, which was exhibited by the Apostles toward their countrymen the Jews, and toward their converts from among the Gentiles. Although they acted, and spoke, and wrote under the immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and foreknew certainly the ap proaching dissolution of the Jewish Polity, yet, in Ritual Observancessuch as, Circumcision, Washings, the Change of the Sabbath, Fasts, Attenda ance at the Temple and in the Synagogues, and generally in all the discipline of the Old Covenant, which was waxing old, and ready to vanish away-they were temperate, conformable, concili atory, and large-hearted. They were, especially, backward to dispute, excepting when Ceremonial Observances were abused, to disparage the doctrine of Free Justification by Faith in Christ, or substituted for the inward Sanctification of the Heart by the operation of Imitate them, by the Holy Spirit. continually insisting, in the simplest and most practical manner, on the two cardinal doctrines of the Gospel, Justification and Sanctification; and waive, as much as possible, those contentions, which are unprofitable and vain. Endia within the Ganges. CULNA. CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Detection of False Accusations against the Native Christians. MR. Deerr, on visiting Culna from Burdwan, in May of last year, thus speaks of a wicked plan for the ruin of the Native Congregation: 66 66 My first care was, to learn the state of the little Christian Congregation. An old meddling Brahmin, who is always distinguished for busybodying, brought many charges against them. Sir!" he said, " your Christians do not keep the Commandments of God." "I hope then," I replied, "that you will." "I am, as yet," he said, a devil, and pass for one: but these have been baptized. If they are not better than I, then they are worse. Your Christians do not keep the Sabbath Day: I am always on the watch for your work; and went, these three Sundays, and never found them praying. They also have themselves shaved by Heathen Barbers: they make marks on their foreheads: instead of reading the Gospel, they read the Poorans. They do not preach the Gospel in the streets and in the markets. What have they been baptized for? And not only this," said the Accuser, "but they were going to do still worse, had not I prevented them: they were on the point of making an application to the Venerable Archdeacon to obtain the thousand rupees which you had received for the baptism." Having heard all this quietly, I had all the Christians and the Accuser brought together; and was happy to find that the whole was unfounded, and the work of some ill-inclined men, in order to avenge themselves on the Pundit, because he gave me notice of their negligence in the Schools. The accusation of making marks on their foreheads the old meddling Brahmin shifted over in this way, that they had them before their baptism: of reading the Poorans, he could not prove more than that he saw one lying in the room: as to Prayers, the Christians told him, "We do not pray for show: come at our appointed hour, and you will see that we do pray :" and as to the application for money, the Christians said, “We never knew that there was money to be given at baptism;" and some of them proved to his face, that he was the very man who insinuated this idea to their mother." Pray," said they, "would our ignorant mother ever have known any thing about getting money? Did you not say, 'I am the man who am admitted to Gentlemen: I was called to the Venerable Gentleman,' Archdeacon Corrie, 'in his budgerow. Do but what I say, and I will procure 400 rupees for you; for Padre Deerr keeps this all secret from you, and keeps the money for himself." The Accuser had nothing to answer to this but went away in anger; and said, "I shall mind you!" The ill-inclined men had evidently laid a plan for the ruin of the Christians. Candidates for Baptism. Having spent several days in a satisfactory examination of the Schools, Mr. Deerr writes on the 26th of May— Five persons came, and begged to be added to the Congregation by baptism. One of them is a Young Man of about 26 years of age: his former European Master gave very good testimonies to his character: the man stated, that the love and friendship which he enjoyed from the Christians here, was the first means of his thinking about Christianity. Another, rather an aged man, seems to have been guided more by the example of others, than by his own knowledge; for, when I asked for his reason for wishing baptism, he said, "I have hitherto worshipped Kalee, Doorga, &c. and for no good: now I am come to worship you:" on my manifesting abhorrence at such an expression, the Christians sitting by said, "It means nothing more, than that he wishes to become your disciple; for thus the Bengalees speak, when they become the disciples of a Gooroo:" the adoration, however, paid to a Gooroo approaches very near to worship. Another Candidate is the Wife of one of the young Christians; and the remaining two are a Widow and her Son. A Brahmin, and two more relatives to the Christians here, wished also to be baptized, but the connections of these two persons prevented me from going to give them instruction or their coming to me. I therefore left this task to their relatives, the Christians here. Another man, from Dhatregrum, came and asked for baptism: he had got information of the Gospel from the Pundit there: I could see no ground for suspecting this man that he had been guided by any worldly interest. It must be a painful reflection that so little labour is devoted to this populous region; for the portion of time which I can appropriate to that place is not at all adequate to its wants. Baptism of Six Natives. On Mr. Deerr's return to Burd. wan, he writes from that place in the beginning of July Three Candidates came over from Culna; and renewed, with great urgency: their application for baptism: but I thought it proper to delay their admission. That town being in many respects another Corinth, and two of them being young Widows, I was afraid to receive them; particularly as the world often judges unreasonably, and casts all the blame of any inconsistency in the Converts either on the Missionary or his Work. Culna is a place at which all kind of people stop, on account of which more precaution will be necessary. The old meddling Brahmin, whom I have mentioned, is, in that respect, a very mischievous man: his tongue is like a two-edged sword: it will be necessary that I send him away. Out of the Candidates which have been mentioned, Mr. Deerr admitted some to baptism: he writes on the 15th of July Six persons have been added to the small Congregation at Culna. One of them is the Young Man who had been in the service of a European Gentleman; and the others, a Man with his Wife and one Child, and a Widow and her Son. I could no longer refuse their request for baptism. We have lived," they said, "hitherto without God, and we are without hope." They begged me, repeatedly, not to refuse the means of obtaining pardon of sin, by embracing the Saviour Jesus Christ: their hearts seemed always open to instruction, and eager to receive every word that was told them. I have only one remark more respecting Culna: as my going thither from Burdwan is attended with much expense and great inconvenience, I would beg of the Society to take this into their kind consideration, and to send some help for Culna. The Infant Congregation there requires some one to look after it continually. The short time which I am able to spend there is not sufficient. I wish, at the same time, to add, that the people at that trading place are uncom monly artful, and the higher class very haughty. Native Mimickry of the Act of Baptism. Mr. Deerr states the following particulars, in order to shew what ideas the Natives form and cherish among themselves of the work in which Missionaries are engaged :— About four weeks ago, the inhabitants of Culna acted over the Baptismal Service, at one of their public Dramas; which I suppose was done more for the Be that as it may, the thing has done no sake of novelty, than out of ridicule. harm. The Play alluded to was per. formed during their Churuck Poojah. The chief actor had witnessed the Baptisms which took place in a Mangoe Grove. He was dressed as a European; having his face made white with chalk, and an old tattered hat upon his head. I was told that a great number of peo ple were present. They carried fowls and a goat for a dinner, and stopped near the place where the Christians live. A table was prepared, covered with cloth, and a china bason with water placed on it, which was intended to represent the a. Bengal preparation for Baptism: couch was placed before it, upon which the pretended Padre sat. The mock Sahib, on being asked from whence he came, answered, “I lived in England; but, not being able to gain my livelihood there, I came to this country to make you Christians. I have already got four or five Christians here, whom I lately baptized; and I wish to get some more." He then entered on a discourse with those who had engaged to become Christians. His Sircars sat on one side representing the School Teachers, who attended the Baptismal Service-whom he ordered to write down the names of the Candidates, and what each one should get for becoming a Christian: some were promised 50 rupees, some 200, and others 400: another was to be made Durwan; and to some, wives were promised. Then the time was specified when baptism should take place; after which the remuneration was to be given. The fixing of the time was very well done; for the people admirably imitated the conduct of our pretending Candidates: some engaged to be baptized a month hence; others, in two or four months; so that, at this time, no baptism took place, neither was any dinner given. After this, the pretended Padre went 1829.] INDIA WITHIN THE GANGES. to examine the Schools, where the taller boys were writing on their leaves. After examining and instructing the pupils, and reproving the Teacher for his neglect, he took his leave; and thus went about exhibiting the same farce in several places. BURDWAN. CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.' Baptism of a Young Brahmin. About 56 persons were present at Di- We have now a few fine Young Men. May our gracious Lord be pleased to smile upon them, and to endue them with His healthful Spirit, that they may become ornaments in His Church! In the following passage, written at the beginning of July, Mr. Deerr refers to the attempted imposition, detailed at pp 191-193 of our Number for April. Whether the Young Brahmin was one of the two whom he expected, he does not state. The pretensions of our Brahmins, here in Burdwan, draw now very near to a conclusion. If I get any Convert at all from among them, it will be, according to appearances, only two. In a fortnight more, all their arrangements, which are requisite previous to their baptism, will be settled. Obduracy of Natives. Mr. Deerr says of another Sunday, in the same month Above 60 persons attended Service. I In imchose the text Gen. xviii. 32. proving this subject, I warned them not to harden their hearts against the impending Judgment, shewing the state of such a mind by the example of Lot's sons-in-law. In doing this, I particularly addressed myself to the Heathens, who usually make the greatest part of the audience; but, on watching their feelings, my mind was painfully impressed on observing them in a state which resembled that of the wretched sinners described in the Nineteenth Chapter. After Divine Service was finished, I could not help telling them, that they appeared to me to have been affected in a similar way to Lot's sons-in-law; and the conversation which followed almost proved the apprehension to be true: for one of the Pundits mentioned one of their sayings in a very jocular wayhow such an one cheated his Gooroo ; and added, "Thus, when money is given into our hands, the first thought which rises in our minds is this-How much can I cheat out of this?"-on which all the Heathens present smiled in approbation of what he said. I replied, "Now look at the state of your minds. You heard, in the Sermon, the judgment pronounced against impenitent sinners. I just now mentioned to you my apprehension, that you are as careless as the people in Sodom; and yet, on hearing the confession of your tricks, you express a heartfelt delight. Truly, you are a people past feeling and void of shame." One of them answered, “This also is true. It is usual among us, that, on hearing any one tell how he took such |