424-4 “Rámkrishna Siramani, our deceased friend, was a young man educated in Mr. Thomas's school at Haurah. The instruction he there received was blessed of God to his conversion, and in December 1836, he wholly renounced Hinduism, and avowed his Christian discipleship, by being publicly baptized in the presence of many of his early friends and associates, to whom he addressed a full statement of his reasons for the step he then took. Early in 1837, he was received into the Theological Class of the Native Christian Institution, where by his devout piety and diligent attention to study he secured the highest esteem of all connected with him. During the two years he was in the Institution, there was amplicity, loveliness, and progressive maturity of Christian cha racter; and no one could know him in the every day matters of life without admiring the uniform consistency of his spirit and conduct. At the close of 1838 he suffered severely from an attack of bilious fever, and for many following weeks disease made rapid progress. The whole of his suffering, however, was marked by submissive patience and cheerful resignation to the Divine will. Even in his worst seasons of weakness and pain a murmur never escaped him; and he would often say, at although he knew not the reason of his afflictions, he was sure they were for the best ends. In December, 1838, he proceeded to Cutwa and Monghir, hoping the change might restore him. Such, however, was not its effect, and he gradually became worse. During his absence he wrote as often as he could, and his letters breathed the same spirit of lovely piety which he had shewn when present with us, and often expressed his strong desires after perfect holiness and love. Knowing that death was near, he wished to return home, and once more see his friends in Calcutta. He did reach home, though he lived but one day after his arrival. It appeared as if he was allowed to return among us, that we might hear his dying testimony to the preciousness of Christ and the faithfulness of God, and be witnesses of his triumphantly happy death. To all who saw him, he spoke of the goodness of the Lord. His increasing weakness and the approach of death occasionally drew a cloud over his hopes; but these were very transient, and he again rejoiced in his God and Saviour, often saying, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.' His prayer was soon answered, and after a short period of speechless insensibility he ceased to breathe. Such an exhibition of the overcoming and triumphant power of faith in the hour of dissolution is seldom witnessed. Devoutly pious and consistent in the time of health, in sickness patiently submissive and resigned, in death peaceful and gloriously happy, and now before the throne of God,-I can only say, Dear friend and brother, may my end be like thine, and may our friendship and affection be renewed and perpetuated in the abodes and blessedness of heaven." We are glad to find the system of Christian education for the young so vigorously carried on amongst our Entally friends. If this system be well "seasoned with salt," the salt of grace, it cannot but result in blessings many and great ultimately; but oh, let us take heed not to suffer the splendour of our plans and the completeness of our details to obscure the eye of our faith, or usurp the place of dependence! Is there not reason to believe that it will be through a multitude of disappointments, and not of successes, that Christian education shall at length reach to the glorious point of winning many souls to Christ? We think it will be so :-and for this reason, that the details of school calculation are so much matters of reasoning and reckoning as to final result, that we are all the more strongly tempted to rest in these details, and so we need to be graciously checked. But to the point. We extract the following account of the Christian Institution at Entally. "The present number of boys and young men in this Institution is fifty four. Each department has pursued its studies in English and Bengáli with pleasing improvement. During the year five from the Institution have been baptized and added to the church, while two others have for some months stood proposed, and it is hoped will shortly be received. As a distinct Report, in detail, of the Institution will soon be published, it is not now necessary to do more than relate its general character. The inmates, all children of Christian parents, are received from 6 to 10 years of age, and given up to the entire care of the Missionaries to educate for a number of years. The great design of the Institution is to furnish well-educated and pious men, either as preachers of the Gospel or teachers in Christian schools; while, as some may not possess talents qualifying them for mental labour, it is intended, after a certain period of elementary education, to teach them on the premises some useful art, by which they may be enabled respectably to support themselves through life, and possibly teach their knowledge of some manual art to others, and furnish them with employment. After a period of 8 or 10 years' general study, those who are pious and qualified, and desirous of devoting themselves to the work of evangelists, are received into the Theological Department, where a course of 4 or 5 years' theological study is set before them. There are now seven young men in this class, which is open to all pious and talented natives, who may possess the required preliminary education in English, and be fitted to enter at once on theological studies. This class has just completed the studies of its first year in Systematic and Exegetical Theology, the composition of Sermons, Mental and Moral Science, Bengálí and Sanskrit, together with other departments of knowledge, useful in the great work for which they are preparing. We are happy to state, that their Sanskrit and Bengálí studies will be under the care of Mr. Yates, and exegetical theology and ecclesiastical history will be attended to under Mr. Wenger. "As the Institution is about to be increased to 70 or 80, some alterations are proposed in its arrangements, which when effected will classify the Institution into three divisions. "1st. The Preparatory School, into which the boys are received young, and when qualified by a good knowledge of Bengálí, and an ability to read with ease the New Testament in English, they will be fitted for admission into the "2nd, or Seminary Department, to become students in which their parents or guardians are required to give an agreement allowing them to continue for six years, during which time it is thought they may acquire a good education in English and Bengáli. From the seminary the young men will be elected, on the grounds of piety, fitness and previous acquirements, into the "3rd, or Theological Department, where they pursue a course of 4 or 5 years study, as before specified. "The great desire of the Missionaries is, that all their attainments in knowledge may be made subservient to simple and fervent piety; since they deeply feel that the education of the intellect, without a corresponding care and cultivation of the heart, may be a curse instead of a blessing: and their great endeavour is to combine mental endowments with the education of the heart in the ways of God, looking to Him for that blessing without which the best means are powerless and ineffective. O that his Spirit may continue to rest on the Institution in a much larger measure, and that from it many may be trained to holy devotedness and signal eminence in the evangelization of those now given up to the abominations of heathenism! "This Institution has hitherto been supported by the kind contributions of Christian friends in India and in England. The annual subscription for the entire maintenance and education of a boy is fifty rupees. On account of the enlargement of the Institution an increased support is now necessary, and while the Missionaries urgently appeal to all who have been blessed with the means of giving, we rely with confidence on the benevolence of those who are privileged with a spirit of holy liberality, and blessed with devotedness to the cause of Him by whose blood they are redeemed, and by whose grace they are numbered with the sanctified in Christ Jesus." Once more, we are glad to see such progress made in the publication of the scriptures in the native languages, as is indicated in the list of translations which follows. We have but one regret, and that is, that at least in one instance (the Bengálí 12mo.), if not in more, our brethren should have deemed it incumbent to interfere with the catholicity of their Translations by the exclusive manner in which the word Barrioμos is rendered in conformity with the peculiar views entertained concerning that term. We rejoice that such immense good is done by our brethren in the form of Translations; but in that very measure must we regret any inferior preventive to the general circulation of such valuable boons. The following table is one of incalculable importance to India. "The following list will shew the Scriptures at present in the Depository, or which will shortly be available for distribution. Missionaries and others desirous of obtaining supplies by purchase, or for gratuitous distribution, are requested to apply to Mr. Thomas, Secretary to the Translation Fund, No. 10, Lower Circular Road. The Acts of the Apostles. The Four Gospels and Acts together. The New Testament with Marginal references, 8vo. size. ARMENIAN. The New Testament, with numerous marginal references, in cloth. ORIYA. Scripture Selections, being part of Genesis, &c. The Gospel of Matthew, of Mark. of Luke. of John." The latter part of the Report consists of a long and interesting account of "The operations conducted by Missionaries of the Parent Society in other parts of India." Our brief limits, on which we have largely trespassed already, forbid our entering on its contents-but we commend it to our readers as being, in our opinion, the most interesting part of the Report. The variety of details, scattered over a wide country, and concentrated within a brief compass in annual narration, must always be refreshing to those who are immured in the comparative monotony of town operation. The whole Report manifests a care and labour worthy of the subject involved. May our Brethren have many "living epistles" as well as annual Reports, and may the Lord bind up the painful wounds inflicted on them by the removal of such men as Penney and Pearce ! We conclude with the following "Statement of Funds"Having thus given an account of the operations of the Baptist Mission in India and elsewhere, during the year just closed, your Committee would now revert to what more immediately concerns themselves and this Auxiliary, and request attention to the state of the funds. Balance against the Society at the date of the last Report, Expenditure during the year, 314 5 0 3018 311 Rs.... The receipts during the same period have been, 5332 811 3503 15 0 Balance, Rs.... 1828 9.11 "From this statement it will be seen, that there is a balance against the Society of Co.'s Rs. 1828-9-11 to be provided for, in addition to the current expences, from the contributions of the year just commenced. This balance appears large, but the number of agents employed, and the extent of the operations carried on, have rendered the expenditure necessary; and not to have incurred it, would have required a reduction in the already too small amount of means employed to enlighten and save the people; while every thing in their couduct and circumstances combined with every feeling in the renewed mind to call for their enlargement. The brethren employed in conducting the operations of the Society have felt themselves encouraged to go forward in their prosecution from the persuasion that their Christian friends, and the religious community at large, would not refuse, when put in possession of the information presented in this Report, to supply, out of the abundance wherewith God has enriched them, the funds required to clear off the debt incurred, and to enable them to carry forward the important labours in which they are engaged. To those friends, and to that community, under God, this cause is now committed. And your Committee would ask, Shall the work go on in its integrity, and enlarge as Divine Providence may indicate? or shall these indications be disregarded, the present but too small amount of labour be reduced, and souls ready to perish be denied the bread of life? Surely not." J. M. D. DEAR SIR, V.-Desecration of the Sabbath. To the Editor of the Christian Observer. In reply to the letter of a "Christian Reader" which appeared in the "Calcutta Christian Advocate" of the 22nd of February last, copied in your number of March, and headed "The Violation of the Sabbath," I think it but right to state to you the real facts. Two days had been devoted by a "British Judge" and a "Law Commissioner" in examining the senior class of the Hindu College in Literature. The examination was most satisfactory, but they found that there were a few of the first students that were so equal that they found a difficulty in awarding the prize. They could not devote another day to the examination; they found a difficulty in finding time to visit the Hindu College to make the examination, and they therefore requested those students to call at the Supreme Court Chambers after church hours, when they again read and explained a passage in Bacon and Milton. This was "the head and front of the offending"-and although one of the gentlemen remonstrated against the final examination taking place on Sunday, it was alone the necessity of the case that decided them to meet on that day. It was wrong; but I |