BAPTIST MISSION.

SERAMPORE.

A LETTER just received from Dr. Carey, dated October 4, 1818, describes new and extensive fields which are opening to Christian enterprize, in consequence of recent political events,

By the successful termination of the late war, a tract of country larger than Great Britain is put into our hands, in which several of those languages are spoken in which we are preparing translations of the scriptures. Had we funds and men, five or six hundred schools might be immediately organized, and men of God, if we had them, might be instrumental in doing more good than can be calculated.

After narrating the circumstances which led his son, Mr. Jabez Carey, to retire from his station at Amboyna, the Dr. proceeds:

When the proposal was made us to set up schools in the upper provinces, (now called Rajpoothana,) we thought none so fit as Jabez to go, who had already superintended schools in the Moluccas with so much success.

We also thought it a more important station than Amboy. na, and as the Rotterdam Society has expressed its intention to send Missionaries to the Moluccas, we thought it best to abandon that station: Jabez, therefore, has now agreed to go into Rajpoothana, As to the places where he will settle and set up schools, he will be under the direction of a gentleman whom we know to be friendly to our undertakings. You now see our pressing want of men, and the absolute necessity of Missionaries going to their stations when they arrive. A hundred Missionaries are wanting at this moment, to fill up the field before

VOL. XI.

My children are now all about me, We have employed Felix to assist in the operations of the printing-office, particu larly reading and correcting proofs. William is at Cutwa, Jabez going to Raj, poothana, and Jonathan in Calcutta, in the law.

Brother Marshman's eldest daughter was lately married to a Mr. W. the first of the Company's civil servants who has been baptized.

Brother Ward's health is so bad, and his whole frame so relaxed, that the medical men all agree in the necessity of a voyage to England, and he will there, fore, in all probability, embark in two months' time. This is much to be regretted, but cannot be prevented.

Through mercy, I am well. My work is rather heavier than ever, but I rejoice in it. My wife has been unable to walk for several months. I went with her on the river last week, to try whether that would be beneficial to her; but we were very near meeting with a serious acci dent. Our vessel, a pinnace, ran foul of a sloop lying at anchor, which carried away three or four of the stanchions of the windows; had we been a foot or two from the place we were in, we should have just run on the bow of the sloop, the stream ran with amazing rapidity. which would have infallibly sunk us, as Our danger was the greater, as another God, however, mercifully preserved us. sloop lay at anchor about half a mile from us, in a direct line; we, however, got a tow line fastened to the one on which we ran, which they gradually let out, till we were alongside the one I feared, so that we were preserved from every harm.

P.S. Nov. 9. Jabez sets off this evening. Brother Chamberlain arrived here a few days ago: I fear his continuance in the flesh will not be long. He is ordered to go to the head of the bay, at least, for his recovery-the doctors here advise his going further. He appears to be in a consumption; his mind is very happy. Brother Ward sails for Liver pool the beginning of December,

MOORSHUDUBAD.

Extracts from Mr. Ricketts' Journal.

February 4, 1818. Went to Koolibazar, where we saw a Hindoo, a native of Patna, who had gone on a pilgrimage to Jugunnat'ha. In the course of conversation with him, respecting the proper way of salvation, he recognized the necessity of a Divine atonement for sin; and frankly acknowledged, that the religion of Christ was the true religion; adding, that all other modes of worship originated in human invention. This he said in the presence of many of his countrymen. 26th. Went to Bhagra, and met with a mendicant from Hurdwar, who had been on a religious journey to Jugunnat'ha. We asked him his reasons for undertaking such a journey, when he had a sacred" Gunga" in his own country; and observed, that his conduct implied a want of confidence in the " Gunga;" as he appeared to ramble from one thing to another, without fixing his hopes in any particular quarter. We then pointed out the absurdity of his journey to Jugunnat'ha, and held forth Jesus Christ to him as the only channel of reconciliation with God.

JESSORE.

Extracts from the Journal of Mr. Thomas. EARLY on Lord's-day, February 1, I left Saheb-gunj for Chougacha. In the evening we held a church-meeting, when the brethren and sisters agreed to restore to communion, Photoo, Aurpee, and Huri-Priya, who had been excluded some months ago. After this, twentyone of us surrounded the blessed table of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2d. This morning we held a church-meeting, to inquire of the brethren and sisters what impression the gospel appears to have produced on their minds. We also held a prayermeeting for the spread of the gospel, and I directed brethren Didhera, RamaSoondura, and Shristee-Dhura, to go to Rama-Chundra poora, two days' journey from Chougacha, to make known the gospel there. 8th. Lord's-day. Three brahmuns from Nul danga, twenty miles distant, called for Persian and Bengalee books. I gave them some gospels and tracts. 24th. Four Roman Catholic Christians from Husunabad, about five days' journey from Saheb-gunj, called on me this evening, and attended wor

ship. After service I read several chap. ters from the NewTestament in Bengalee, and explained the meaning, with which they appeared much interested: they said their Padre read prayers in Latin, which they could not understand. They told me they should be happy to see a missionary friend in their neighbourhood, to instruct them in the scriptures.

DHACCA.

Extract of a Letter from Mr. L.

Dhacca, February 7, 1818.

I HAVE little, if any thing, new or in. teresting to communicate. We still continue to spread the scriptures, and drop a word either in public or private, whereever we can find an ear to hear; even this is not at all times easily accomplished; however, it is our business to continue sowing, and praying for the early and latter rain, even sowing in lively hope, as most assuredly the Lord of the barvest will bring forth fruit in due season; therefore there is no need to fear the issue. As it regards the Native Schools, things are pretty much the same as when I wrote last.

I have received some small additions to the Christian school during this month, and find it just now in a more promising state than I had reason to expect when I wrote to you last upon the subject; but what I feel most gratified to communicate is, that many of them are gaining a pleasing knowledge of divine things, which I trust is carried to their homes, and, with a blessing, may spread through their families. Brother Solomon has got a situation in the Company's factory, which has set my mind much at ease respecting him he has erected an altar to the praise of the once despised Saviour in his family, where the voice of prayer and praise may now be heard morning and evening. I believe I have already informed you that he has a wife and three children: the former has been baptized; and two of his daughters attend our school to obtain a Christian education: the eldest is not twelve years old.

N. B. Rama-Prusad has been itine

rating through Bhowal last month, and, I trust, with some success, as they begged for a school amongst them, proposing at the same time to erect a house at their own expense for the purpose, and likewise to defend it against the priests.

CHITTAGONG.

THE following interesting particulars are extracted from Mr. Ward's account of his late jourhey from Serampore to this place.

Feb. 17, near Kalee Ghat.

the

THIS morning before breakfast went up to the temple of the great goddess, and found several bramhuns in the covered area before the temple, reciting different Sungskritu books, one Chundee, and another the Shree-Bhaguvutu. As the doors of the temple were not yet opened, I began a conversation with an old man who professed to be here as a devotee of the goddess. I pressed him to examine the ground of his expectations from the goddess, reminding him that he would not purchase the slightest article of food or clothing without a thorough inspection; and that if all his hopes of future salvation should end in disappointment, that disappointment would be most grievous. He declared that he had no fears; that there existed the most convincing proofs of the power of the goddess. I told him that I had just seen, close to the temple, a poor woman lamenting the loss of her mother in the loudest cries, so as to fill the whole street with her complaints, and that therefore it was plain, that, notwithstanding the thousands of offerings presented to this goddess for health and prosperity, she did not save even those who lived close to her temple. A bystander said, that all these things were regulated by fate. If then," I replied, "a person cannot die before his time, - nor live beyond it, all these devotions Dare fruitless." The old man remarked, that at any rate the blessing of Kalee would be efficacious in a future state. I shook my head, and then changed the discourse, turning to a young man, who seemed eager to enter the lists; but when I saw he could not lay hold of the argument, put an end to the conversation, by telling him that he afforded but a discouraging proof of the power of the goddess, who was famed for imparting wisdom to the simple. The bramhun who continued reading the Chundee smiled at his brother thus silenced, and in the midst of this, we were entreated to attend and pay our respects to the goddess, as the doors were now opened. After a little delay, that I might discover no eagerness in going to look at

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this mighty enchantress, we went up to the front of the temple, before the doors of which were placed a large heap of flowers to adorn the image. This black stone appears to be about three feet long and one foot wide; the upper part, or the head, so painted as to represent the human countenance, with large oyster eyes, and a golden tongue hanging out even to the chin, to represent the feeling of surprise: no hands, or arms, or legs. We were pressed to ascend the steps, and take a nearer view of the goddess, or present our offering, but, recollecting what would be required, we turned about just as the bramhun was requesting us to pull off our shoes. Still, under the hope that we would make a present, the bramhun began to hint that the taking off the shoes would be dis pensed with, but he gave up further entreaty when I assured him, that I would sooner submit to have both my hands chopped off; yea, rather part with life itself, than perform an act so treasonable against the true God.

We

We next went behind the temple further to examine the building, which was undergoing a repair, when I asked a Hindoo in the groupe which accompanied us, how long the temple had been erected. Instead of giving a direct answer, he said, the temple had been already ten years undergoing the present repairs. I expressed my surprise, reminding him that if the goddess really possessed the extraordinary powers as cribed to her, the temple might surely have been repaired in one night; and at any rate it was a great proof of their want of devotion. The company smiled, and nodded an unwilling assent. now went to an open area beyond the covered one and in front of the image, where the animals are slain, and where two posts excavated at the top are erected, the one longer than the other to receive the necks of the animals. I here asked the surrounding groupe how they, could pretend that they did not take away life, while the ground around these parts was daily soaked with blood. The old plea was set up, that Kalee was the representative of time [from kalu, time] who devoured all his children, and that the shrastru commanded them to sacrifice animals, as well as to abstain from taking away animal life; and that both commands were therefore to be obeyed.

The old man whom I had addressed at first, now took up the discourse again, and pleaded for the truth of the Hindoo system on account of its being honoured with so many martyrs, in the persons of

the widows perishing on the funeral pile. I urged that these were positive murders, and murders of the most horrible nature, since the person who lighted the pile, and thus perpetrated the murder, was the offspring of the widow's own bowels. To this it was replied, that these widows were under the influence

of God, for that they could endure coals of fire in their hands without shrinking before they departed to the pile, and further it had been seen, that when widows had been hindered from thus sacrificing themselves, they had died at home in a day or two. I declared my disbelief of these things, and added that it was as impossible to change the nature either of sin or of holiness, as of black and white, and that these would be found to be atrocious murders another day. I told them that I felt the greatest heaviness of mind on their account, at seeing them so much under the power of delusion; it appeared that, notwithstanding they professed to shrink from the destruction of animal life, they thought it meritorious to slay whole hecatombs of animals, yea and their own mothers too, and gloried in these things as acts of merit. I again urged the old man to examine the grounds of his religious confidence, on which he seemed so much to value himself. I told him faith was nothing unless it was built upon a right foundation; that he might have the greatest confidence in the virtue of his wife, but his confidence would not save him from disgrace if she proved unfaithful.-One of the company was rather sullen under these attacks on their religious hopes, and said, I might go my own way; but that they would not be persuaded from persevering in theirs. I told him I would leave one word with him before I took leave, which was, that if he died trusting in the idols, he would find himself miserably deceived, and even ruined for ever: and that my words would be remembered by him in a future state. He professed to treat this admonition with contempt.

In leaving the temple yard, I was shewn another small temple containing the images of Krishnu and Radha. This led me to enter on the evil of images in worship, and to point out to one of the company, that the image of Kalee could not fail to impress on the mind of the beholder the idea, that God was a ferocious being, and these of Krishnu and Radha that he was an impure being. A young man, who entered into the controversy with much zeal, pleaded that the Pouranic story relative to Krishnu, and his favourite

mistress, the wife of Ayunu-Ghoshu, was capable of a religious interpretation. I asked him if he could be persuaded to put a religious construction on the affair, if some one were to seduce his own wife. All, however, produced little beside a smile from these deluded creatures, who treat the subjects of life, death, and eternity, with perfect levity. It is true, they wondered that I should have thought so much about their shastrus: and they asked from whence I had come. But before these people can begin to doubt, they must begin to think, and that is not done without an effort, to which they are wholly averse, and the consequences of which are too serious for them to encounter." Can these dry bones live? Ah! Lord God, thou knowest." Still he who is the Resurrection and the Life hath said, "The hour cometh and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live." In passing the gateway, I saw another paltry temple containing an image or two covered with garlands, and two or three decently dressed bramhuns sitting before them. The priest asked me for an offering, upon which I asked if be received cowries and pice, and upon his smiling and nodding assent, I asked the spectators, whether, since this man's temple was surrounded with shops, be might not be considered as a real shopkeeper? They laughed, and said I had hit the mark. We now returned to our boats.

During our journey this morning, I passed through scenes which filled me with a horror which time can never erase. It would seem that Providence, as a mark of its displeasure, had turned all those places into Golgothas where the Hindoos are most deluded and God most dishonoured. In the whole way from Kalee-Ghat for two or three days, we did not sail a hundred yards without seeing a dead body, or the remains of one. In one place, I saw more I think than one hundred bedsteads on which the sick and dying had been carried to this cemetery, and three or four funeral piles were then preparing. A number of bodies in different places were half eaten by vultures, which birds were to be seen hovering on one or other side of the canal in almost every spot for miles. Other bodies were floating down the stream, others were seen sunk by weights in the water, and the sick in various places were waiting amidst the funeral piles till their turn should come. Never, never can the horrid impression be removed,—and the stench for two or three miles was almost intolerable. The more