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we must and do blame and have blamed them for the extreme tardiness with which they prosecuted their labors, or at least with which they laid the result of their labors before the public. We have it now and it is our business to ascertain how far it will sanction or condemn the once-named Cooly Trade; but now more politely called the Colonial Passenger Transmission Trade; for Lord John Russell has intimated his intention of carrying through the House of Commons a bill for reviving the trade under the mask of a bill entitled, The Colonial Passenger's Protection Bill-a bill in which the trade is to be sanctioned under restrictive regulations. This is so fallacious a scheme that we feel astonished and ashamed that any one possessed of the penetration and benevolence of Lord Russell, or any one bearing that honored name, should so willingly play into the hands of the pro-slavery party. Restrictions and regulations will but render the trade more mischievous because less suspected and less watched; while to slave-dealers regulations are but so much waste paper, save when they can be construed to their own advantage. The men who will beard the British legislature after they bave received twenty millions of compensation money, and force it to rescind its most solemn decision, are not to be held in awe by any minor act of that same legislature. We shall not remark on the constitution of the Calcutta Commission beyond observing that two of its members were advocates of the trade in its fullest extent, Major Archer and Mr. Dowson; two avowedly opposed to its continuance, Rev. J. Charles and T. Dickens, Esq.; the remaining two we believe were favorable to the abolition should the evidence sanction it. The mercantile body in Calcutta had no representative save in an advocate of the trade, and five out of the six were the servants of Government.

Previously to dealing with the Report itself, we may observe that it must not for a moment be supposed that the question at issue is, whether Indian laborers shall be permitted to emigrate as free laborers to the Mauritius or Guiana, but whether, when this experiment has been tried with success, the whole of the former slave colonies of Britain shall be sup-. plied with slaves from the Hills of British India. The Mauritius scheme is but a feeler-an experiment which, should it succeed, will be universally adopted. We state this to remove the flimsy veil which the party whose interests are bound up with this project have endeavoured to cast over the wholewe say the party, for it is a party, and a strong and influential one; it is not the Mauritius or Guiana party, but the whole pro-slavery party, comprising the interests of all the colonies

concerned in supplying the Home market with slave produce in competition with the free labor and almost self-producing soil of India. The fear is that the British Government may be obliged to yield to this vast and influential party-(the same which has obliged the Home Government to give new life to the for-a-while suspended constitution of Jamaica), the revival and continuance under legal sanction of the Cooly Trade. Having presented this brief outline of the history of the Commission, Report, and present position of the trade, we propose deferring the condensing, analyzing, comparing and scrutinizing of the evidence until our next, as such a task will require more space than we can afford in the present issue.

Missionary and Religious Entelligence.

1.- MISSIONARY AND ECCLESIASTICAL MOVEMENTS.

The Rev. W. Buyers, of Banaras, has arrived in Calcutta, on his way to Europe, for the restoration of health.-Mrs. Evans, the wife of Rev. J. Evans of the Malacca College, has been obliged to proceed to Europe. -The Rev. W. Legge, the new missionary to China, in connexion with the London Society, has arrived at Malacca.-We regret to announce the death of the author of Travels in Africa, the Rev. J. Campbell of Kingsland. Mr. C. was one of the last, if not the last, of the devoted band who formed the London Society. His end was peace. We regret to state that Mrs. Phillips, wife of the Rev. G. Phillips of Balasore, died of jungle fever a few days since.-The Rev. C. Bennett, Mrs. B. and family, formerly of the Baptist Burman Mission, who sailed from this port for America on the Champlain, reached that country in safety on the 20th of January last.

2.-TENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL.

From this Report we gather that the institution from a variety of causes is not in so healthy a condition as could be desired—yet it nevertheless holds on its way under the discouragements common to all Indian academies, and continues to deserve well from that section of the Church for whose children it was especially established. We hope to notice the present state of our Indian academies in an early number.

3. THE REPORT OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION FOR 1838-39

Has just reached us. From it we learn that the Committee are about to adopt more extensive plans of operation. The number of schools and pupils under the direction of the Committee appear few; this is, we suppose, owing chiefly to the inadequate means at their disposal. Nor do the schools generally appear to be in so efficient a state as could be desired, save those in or near the Presidency. Measures are, however, about to be adopted for improving and enlarging the plans of the Committee.

4.-RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION at Hamburg.

A very gross instance of government interference with religion has recently occurred at Hamburg. We hope soon to give a detailed and

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original account of it; but at present must content ourselves with an abstract only, from a London paper. This is but a sample of many similar cases that have lately taken place on the continent of Europe, which seems covered with "all monstrous, all prodigious things," bred in the stagnant waters of a formal Christianity. There, of practical piety, it may emphatically be said, "life dies, death lives." And generally, with a few signal exceptions of the faithful among the faithless found, a thick settled gloom of cold scepticism, neology, and religion of a name only, characterize the millions of the whole continent of Europe.

"About five years ago a Baptist church was formed at Hamburg, under the pastoral care of Mr. J. G. Oncken, agent for the Edinburgh Bible Society, which has gone on steadily increasing, its numbers now amounting to more than a hundred. The senate has at various times issued decrees interdicting the meetings of the church, and prohibiting, under the most severe penalties, Mr. Oncken from either preaching or baptising, or even holding any religious meeting at which more than the members of his own family might be present. A petition was presented to the senate by Mr. Oncken, and two other persons connected with his church, soliciting permission to go forward in the path of duty. After some little delay, the senate issued the following edict, dated April 5, 1839: After re-considering the various proceedings that have taken place touching the schismatical and mischievous conduct of J. G. Oneken, in his attempts to organise a Baptist church, it is enjoined on the chief magistrate of police to summon the petitioners before him, and 1st, To inform the said Oncken that the senate neither acknowledges the society which he denominates a Baptist church, nor himself as its preacher; that, on the contrary, the senate can only view it as a criminal schism, of which he is the sole author. To explain to him the evident unlawfulness and criminality of his schismatical proceedings, and to apprise, that the indulgence and forbearance hitherto extended towards him in this matter, and which will not be departed from in the present instance, has reached its utmost limits, and pointedly and peremptorily to prohibit him all further exercise of his unauthorised and unrecognised ministerial functions-to abstain especially from all administration of the sacraments, from baptisms, and every other schismatical religious rite, not permitted by the laws of this country; and from all endeavours to persuade the inhabitants to participate in such unlawful practices, as well as from all conventicle meetings already forbidden him, under pain of the severest measures and penalties, in case the lenity hitherto and now extended towards him should not produce the change of conduct required of him, and that he, contrary to all expectations, continue his unlawful and unconstitutional proceeding. 2nd, To make the same communication to his fellow-petitioners, the leading persons of his congregation, and to prohibit them, under the same threat of severe punishment, from all further participation in the same culpable and unlawful proceedings.' In the following November another edict was issued of a similar character, demanding the church, under the severest penalties, to give up its meetings within ten days from the date of the decree. Willing to give as little offence as possible, their meetings were of a private nature, and when the pastor had occasion to baptise, he went into the territory of one of the neighbouring states. This also, when discovered, was forbidden. The authorities have at last laid hands on the minister, Mr. Oncken, and thrown him into prison. On the 13th of May last, at the conclusion of their weekly service, he was arrested by the police, and lodged in jail, and in order to disperse the Church, two police officers have been stationed to prevent their assembling in the Meeting-house. When arrived at the place of destination, Mr. Oncken was treated like a criminal. His pockets were searched and

every thing taken from him. No one is allowed to see him but Mrs. Oncken."

5.-CIRCULAR OF THE CALCUTTA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL BOOK SOCIETY FOR 1840.

It affords us sincere happiness to find that the Christian School Book Society has been actively engaged in providing and procuring an efficient set of School.books. We have no doubt ere another year rolls over, the Society will possess a much more ample list of English and vernacular works also. We shall be happy to forward any subscriptions to the Treasurer. We would remind all the friends of Christian education that they may on application procure the works mentioned in this circular.

Circular.

The Calcutta Christian School Book Society has now been in existence one year. During this space of time it has been striking its roots silently into the soil on which it is designed to bring forth its fruits. Unpopular with a large mass of Society, from its leading principle, which is to convert men from sin to God through Jesus Christ ;-condemned by others, because of the essential antagonism which it cannot but present to those who eject religion from education ;-apparently neglected by its own friends, who during its first year could point to little else but its principles, and the fact of its existence, as grounds of commendation or claim :although placed in such circumstances, our little Christian Society is now beginning to burst forth into vigorous and effective operation.

Our first exertions have been directed to secure a complete series of elementary works in the English language, or in English and Vernacular intermixed, adapted to our design of diffusing a Christian liberal education. We of course include in this number some works which, although from their peculiar nature they cannot be directly religious, are yet amongst those which are necessary to furnish a complete education to Christian youth, and will therefore be supplied from the Society's Depository. We are now enabled to present the following list:

I. The First Instructor for Children, in English-from alphabet to words of one syllable, price 2 annas.

II. The same, in English and Bengali interlined.

III. The Second Instructor to words of two syllables English, price 4 as. IV. The same, Anglo-Bengali.

V. The Third Instructor, containing general lessons, with Scripture History, English, pp. 190, price 12 annas.

VI. The Fourth Instructor, religious and miscellaneous, with Scripture extracts, now in the press and nearly printed-prepared expressly for the Society, pp. about 300, price 1 rupee.

VII. The Poetic Instructor, also prepared expressly for the Society, pp. 298, price 1 rupee.

VIII. Course of Reading.-Chiefly scientific and religious.—This is the highest Prose Reading in the series, pp. 338, price 1 rupee 8 annas.

IX. English Grammar, by Macculloch-procured from Europe, p. 12 as. X. Manual of Evidences of Christianity, price 12 annas.

XI. Euclid, First Six Books. In strong full binding, price 1-8. XI. Solid Geometry, Spherics and Conic Sections, bound uniformly with the former, 1 vol., price 1-8.

XII. System of Arithmetic, prepared for the Society, now passing through the press, Indian Tables.

XIII. Besides these works now on hand, arrangements or proposals have been made to procure some other necessary works. A work on Geography has been undertaken ;-and, until some suitable Historical Works

have been fixed upon, we shall be willing to recommend, or forward, as far as may be in our power, any approved Histories that may be accessible to us. There have been ordered from England large School Maps, in setts of five each, containing Europe, Asia, Africa and America, and the World, which it is hoped will reach this country soon, in the usual course of communication.

We trust that the above list will furnish evidence, that our Society has not been inactive during the past year;-and that its actual position is not to be judged of by the amount of notice it has claimed or received. A foundation has been laid, in an elementary form; and we trust that the receipts of the second year may enable us to build largely upon the basis of the first.

Attention has been directed also to the preparation of VERNACULAR School Books; and, lately measures have been adopted for the commencement of this object. Great obstacles in this department remain to be overcome, from a deficiency of translators-at least of persons who will undertake speedily to perform a work, in which they must necessarily be interrupted by many more claimant duties.

We are desirous of adopting, as a sort of regulator in our vernacular efforts, the principle of maintaining a measure of literary identity in our works, English and Native :-so that the former and latter may, mutatis mutandis, in substance be the same, as far as practicable. We do not mean, that an English work shall be literally and wholly, the sole subject of translation for vernacular use ;-but, that whilst alterations and additions from original resources of the country may be made, yet that which shall constitute the basis of these operations shall be one of the fundamental English series.

On this safe and consistent principle, we shall be glad to receive proposals, and (if necessary) to enter into pecuniary arrangements, for the translation of any of our series into any of the principal languages of India.

We would take this opportunity of counselling the friends of Christian Education, who agree with us in believing that without the Gospel of Christ there can be no regeneration of man, to unite together, and by personal intercourse and co-operation, strengthen themselves and others in this work of God. LOCAL COMMITTEES can much help this good cause; and their corporate existence gives an embodiment to principle which cannot be supplied by any number of secret convictions, or anonymous donations. Little communities of principle are like heaps of fuel, that protect the latent spark, and feed the lambent flame.

We shall be glad therefore to correspond with individual friends of Christian Education throughout the country, who may desire to communicate with us on this subject:-and it will afford us much pleasure to forward their views of benevolence in any form that comes within the range of our constitution as a Society.

In conclusion, we would urge on all who support CHRISTIAN EDUCATION, (comprehending both Evangelical and General Instruction) as the grand hope of the Youth of India, to help us in our embodied form and in our concentrated effort. The expence incurred, in the publication of new books, is great; and full returns cannot be expected for two or three years to come, as whole editions cannot be rapidly disposed of. Immediate remittances too will be expected from our Committee for works procured from England; whilst the proceeds from the sale of those works, can come in but slowly. It is at the beginning of such a Society as this, that the most vigorous aid is needed; and we therefore throw ourselves on our Christian Friends for such contributions as are necessary for carrying out our object. Our basis is "Love thy neighbour as thyself." Our warrant, "Go and teach all nations. Our directory, “ Train