the place where these circles are gathered, though not much interested in the truth, are induced, sometimes by curiosity and sometimes by other reasons, to attend; and are thus brought under the influence of the gospel. Some are occasionally present, who have not sufficient moral courage to attend our public exercises, (as yet feeling unwilling to be known as Protestants,) but are induced to attend these neighborhood meetings. While the Bible classes are in session, a Sabbath school is in operation, the female part of which is under Mrs. Smith's and my instruction. The boys are taught by the teachers of the day-school. Next to the Sabbath school comes the morning service, attended in two places for the want of a place of worship large enough for all. Mr. Schneider attends one, and Dr. Smith the other; and in the afternoon they "exchange pulpits." On Tuesday evening a public lecture is preached. On Wednesday the native sisters meet for prayer and mutual assistance. On Thursday evening another public lecture is preached. On Friday a female prayer-meeting is held, which Mrs. Smith and myself attend. A large number are usually present, sometimes as many as forty. Of these fifteen are willing to lead in prayer, if requested to do so. On Saturday evening there is another public lecture held. In addition to these, there is the monthly concert and church meetings; and singing meetings are attended from time to time. Our two mission families have attempted to divide the labors of pastoral visiting as equally as possible. We attach much importance to this means of usefulness, as we come in contact with some who would not voluntarily come within the circle of our influence. In these visits, very few worldly subjects are introduced. The Scriptures are read and discussed, and the interview is closed with prayer. The neighbors gather in and listen. These visits remind me of "conference meetings" in America. The simple-minded but religious people have but very little concern with what is transpiring in the world abroad, as to the arrival and departure of steamers in certain places, whether this nation is the vanquisher or vanquished in war, or any thing respecting new inventions and discoveries. This they know, and to a deep degree they are sensible of, that they have deathless souls, and that it is their duty to secure their title clear to heaven. The native brethren have their own,system of organization with regard to visiting from house to house. Earnest discussions take place in the bazars, in their workshops, as well as in their own and each others' houses. The Bible is the first, the second and the last book they refer to in the settlement of a religious question. They seem to be hungering and thirsting for the bread and waters of life, and "with joy they draw water out of the wells of salvation." Yours affectionately, E. C. A. SCHNEIDER. [For the Youth's Dayspring.] MEETING OF A JUVENILE ASSOCIATION. The quarterly meeting of the Juvenile Missionary Society, embracing the Sabbath school and others connected with the First Congregational church of Rockville, Ct., was held on Sabbath evening, July 14th. The children, with their parents and teachers, assembled in the church, and the evening was spent in exercises suited to the comprehension of children,— some of which were the following, viz :— 1. Singing by the children. 2. Then the report of the financial concerns; from which it appeared, that since the last quarterly meeting a remittance of twenty dollars had been made to Rev. H. M. Scudder, Madras, leaving a balance in the treasury of more than ten dollars. 3. After this report, an interesting address was made to the children by Rev. Mr. Hyde of Bolton. He reminded them of their heathen origin, by their having a Sun-day and a Mon-day among the names of the days of the week; both words having their origin in the worship of the sun and the moon by our ancestors. He urged it upon the children that they should care for the perishing heathen of the present day, and that they should do all in their power to remove from them the delusion under which they now suffer. In the course of the evening a number of resolutions, brought in by the children, were read. They were such as the following: "Resolved, That I will do all I can for the spread of the gospel among the poor heathen children. "That I will know more of the luxury of doing good. "That I will save my money for the future, to send missionaries to teach the poor heathen children. "That as I grow up to be a man, I will try to form such habits as will prove a blessing to others." One of the papers found among the resolutions expressed the hope that the children would be requested to write missionary texts of Scripture, and hand them in to be read at the next quarterly meeting. An interesting letter from our missionary, Rev. H. M. Scudder, was read; and the beautiful picture accompanying it was held up and explained, to the great interest of all. In connection with this letter, a fact found in the "London Times," showing the great difficulty of raising cotton in India, was mentioned. The fact was this :-The ploughs used by the natives of India, it is well known, are exceedingly rude and clumsy things, and miserably adapted to prepare the soil for seed. An English plough was sent them by an agent, and its use shown to the natives, who appeared delighted with its labor-saving and other good qualities. As soon, however, as the agent had left, the natives took the plough, and having painted it red, they set it on end, and worshiped it as a god; and, of course, they would not employ their god in preparing the ground to receive the cotton-seed. The interest felt in this Society by the children, teachers and parents, is not diminishing, but is constantly and steadily on the advance. THE MISSIONARY MOTHER TO HER CHILD. Among all the trials of missionaries, there is none greater than their being compelled to send their children away from them. Their parents think they cannot be properly brought up in a heathen laud, because they are surrounded there with so many vile persons and are in danger of learning from them all kinds of wickedness. These beautiful lines from the Missionary Repository will show you what a mother's feelings are, when she thus parts with her dear children. She finds it hard, very hard, to give the last kiss and bid them farewell, but yet the love of Christ is stronger in her soul than her love to her own children; and she can say, as a missionary mother once did in India, while standing on the shore of the sea and looking at her little ones ready to sail for her native land, "Jesus, I make this sacrifice for thee." Come, dear one, oh! come to thy mother awhile, Let me look in thy gentle blue eyes while I may, Not long may'st thou pillow thy head on my breast, For perils encompass thy birth-place, my child, 1 would weep, but I must not-I knew we must part, Hush, faithless forebodings! the dove found its way And the hearts of God's children with pity will glow, When they know thou art orphaned, and look in thy face; The tears of all mothers for thy sake will flow, All fathers shall claim thee, and yield thee embrace. Oh! rich are the sheaves of the harvest they'll bind, Then be happy, my child! and be happy, my heart! I shall hear thy sweet voice 'mong the angels ere long; And the strangers that bless thee shall all take their part, But thy mother the loudest shall join in the song. THE YOUTH'S DAYSPRING. Vol. I. NOVEMBER, 1850. No. 11. THE FEATHERED WAR-GOD. In the museum at the Missionary House, Boston, are many idols, which have been collected from different heathen nations. They make a very strange appearance, being of all shapes and sizes, from an image not larger than your finger to one cut out of the trunk of a tree, and taller than a man. They are most of them hideous monsters. It seems as if the makers of them had read the Second Commandment, and taken pains to get no "likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth." These idols are of brass, wood or stone, some of them standing, some sitting, some mounted on dragons, and not a few of them naked, while others are gaudily dressed up like dolls. One of the most interesting of this group is the WarGod of the Sandwich Islands. It is about two feet high, and represents only the head and shoulders. It is covered with small red and yellow feathers, which are procured from a certain species of bird on the Islands. Formerly, the king and queen and a few of the nobles wore mantles, made of these feathers, which were valued at a very high price. The mouth of the god extends from ear to ear, and shows a double row of fierce teeth. The eyes are made of mother of pearl, and are large and staring. |