not.

Gospel through the medium of their native tongue? I think There are a few exceptions, but they are exceptions, not the rule. Beside, we cannot support a native ministry, at present, and certainly the native churches cannot, at such salaries as our well-taught native youth can command. It appears to me we shall err greatly if we raise up a native ministry which a native church cannot sustain.

And what is the great spring and motive in which this teaching of the native ministry through the medium of English is based. Is it not said that thus the newly arrived teacher of theology may commence his labours at once? I confess this does not seem to me a very weighty argument. It appears to me that it is not a very desirable matter that a newly arrived teacher, whether a young man or an old one, is the best to set about this work. If we are arguing only for teaching theology to the rising native ministry, I apprehend that there are brethren enough who have had long experience in the peculiarities of Hinduism, and know how to bring the arguments of Christianity to bear upon it, may be found, while one newly arrived may go to work in the wide field and get experience there.

I confess that I should hail with delight, the establishment of a Bengáli Theological Institution, where the very best masters should be employed, and the student taught only through the Bengáli and Sanscrit, and where their whole energies should be devoted to obtaining knowledge, and acquiring the best way of imparting it, in the most forcible and effective manner. Bengáli would thus be improved-its power developed and increased, and a brighter day dawn on the native church.

But if we are to look for pastors for our native churches, taught in English, to settle down in our native villages, and hunt out Hinduism through all its jungles and fastnesses, I fear our eyes will fail with longing.

Let me not be considered as a foe to teaching English to some extent. My practice is my best defence here ; but if I am less strenuous for it than I once was, it is partly because I share the change which all missionaries, so far as I know, experience who cultivate the native languages; and partly because I fear that a fearful delusion is spreading through many minds especially at home on this point.

Secular men will teach English for secular purposes, and if our Christian youth are so situated as to be able to acquire it, it may be of service to them, in providing for their temporal wants, but my own conviction is, that our native ministry, whetherthey know English or not, should be taught Theology

through the medium of the native languages. This is the most direct way of settling theological terms, of searching out the best phraseology, of calling forth a native Theology, and of qualifying men for the actual work we wish them to accomplish.

This too is the way to remove the difficulty airsing from the want of books. Teaching by lecture is now very generally and advantageously employed. The students would soon acquire the habit of taking down lectures, and among them men of studious habits would soon be found to supply theological works nearly as fast as they are really needed.

I crave indulgence for my letter being so hastily written, for I could not command time to write more leisurely, and subscribe myself,

Cuttack, Sept. 10, 1840.

SIRS,

Yours sincerely,

A. SUTTON.

VII. What is the harm of attending the Dúrgá Pújá

Náches?

To the Editors of the Calcutta Christian Observer.

The Dárgá Pájá náches are approaching, and doubtless the invitations of the wealthy worshippers of the idol Durgé will as usual go forth to their Christian neighbours, the European society of Calcutta, to join them in paying honor to Dúrgá; for though the invitation may be expressed in other words-may be, to the Durga Pujá náches, we must not forget that the náches are purposely a part of the worship of the idol Dúrgá. The choir of singers, the nách girls, will generally be found stationed near the door of the apartment, wherein sits in Heathen state the idol, fully displayed to the view of her worshippers-though none of the Christian guests, assembled by her votaries to do her honor, may enter, to pollute a place made sacred by her presence; the adjoining room is said to be the nearest approach a Christian may make to Dúrgá. When Christians, therefore, though from mere curiosity, or civility to her worshippers who invite them, follow in the train of Dúrgá's blinded votaries-those Christians undoubtedly swell the retinue of the idol, and distinctly though probably inadvertently, give encouragement to the grossest superstitionnay they may be said to lend the chief attraction to idolatry!

The Hindu worship and ritual differ so totally from our own, that amidst such melancholy scenes of native superstition, we are apt to forget, and lose sight of the fact, that they form a portion of their worship, and to fancy it merely a feast or show ;-not so. The Christians worship their God in their churches, and sing, and celebrate his praise, and assemble around the communion table of their Divine Saviour who gave his life a sacrifice for sin. The Hindus likewise worship their idols, and as a part of their ritual, sing and celebrate their idol's praise by a choir of náchgirls hired for that purpose. It would appear that the ordinary náchgirls assembled before the door of the idol, merely sing their customary songs, some of which are said to be indecent, but that other singers are mixed with them who sing, as the choir, the praises of the idol! That 4 H

VOL. I.

those feasts and náches are a part of their idol worship, is obvious from the very terms of the invitation, namely, “ Dúrgá”—the idol Dúrgá—“Pújá" worship-náches, singing and dancing: indeed if any doubt remained on this head, it would be removed by the invitation cards, some of which are said expressly to invite the company to náches, in honor of the Dúrgá Pujá!

Christians are forbidden to eat of meats offered to idols. Whenever their so doing can be construed as giving countenance to idolatry, and this prohibition extends even to the meat sold in the shambles, provided the Christian be told that it had previously been offered to an idol. How then can a Christian go to such feasts? Not that Dúrgá's votaries would so far insult the goddess, as to offer to her the meats polluted by such European guests; the feast itself however forms a part of the display in honor of Durga, who were she not an idol of stone, having eyes, that see not, might be supposed to view with complacency the Christians, assembled by her votaries to do her honor! How therefore can Christians be found amongst those who swell her retinue, and by their presence, are doing honor to the idol?

And as regards the náches, what would be the demoralizing effect upon a Christian congregation, say in England, of men and women, and youth of both sexes, assembled under the sanction of Divine service for the worship of God, were a band of females, the greater portion of whom were prostitutes, to dance and sing, as part of the worship, in such strains and songs, in the ears and language of such an English congregation, as the nách girls of India sing, before the idol Dúrgá?-songs, it is to be feared, few of which, could be admitted into your pages!-songs not from devout lips, to the praises of a Holy God, of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, but songs where they relate to the idol, from such a choir, in praise of the exploits and lives of those beings, which unhappily are worshipped as Divine personages by the followers of Dárgá!! We have long and fully heard of the songs and scenes at Jagannath; it is to be feared that Durga's choir when unrestrained by Christian guests, may not much surpass in purity that of Jagannath. What would be the effect upon an English congregation, of worship, in their own language, such as this? Would there be found a single family to attend snch a scene of contamination under the guise of Divine worship? Would not every one who bore the honored name of Christian, use his utmost endeavour to deter from going thither, his friends, domestics, and all over whom he had any influence, lest their minds should be contaminated, their principles overtarned, and their lives become abandoned? and can Christians then in a foreign land act upon other principles, forgetting the high and holy name they bear, go, and by their presence at this portion of the Heathen ritual, the feast, singing and náches in honor of the idol worship, encourage such scenes, perhaps to the injury of thousands who attend?-oh no! If it be strictly prohibited in the circumstances already stated" to eat meats offered to idols," can it be right to go to, or partake of the feasts given in honor of the idol?-can it be right to encourage others by our presence, to go and partake of the more dangerous mental food, the songs sung by successive bands of Indian nách-girls? Christians went there in former days, in ignorance of the evil they were encouraging; but let us hope, now that the evil has been sufficiently exposed to be apparent to every one, that none will go.

Independently of Christian principles (for after becoming aware of the nature of the scene, let us hope that no sincere worshipper of the Divine Jesus, who gave his life a sacrifice for sin, could be present at, or encourage such worship of Idols), the Philanthropist has ample reason

to decline attendance; for, let us see the deep injury and cruelty to many innocent female children, he is indirectly aiding by the encouragement of his attendance. In proportion to the encouragement given to the worship of Dúrgá, or as they are distinctly styled Dúrgá Pújá (worship) náches, by the presence of guests, the wealthy worshippers of Durga increase their expenditure of rupees to render the náches popular, and to obtain the most attractive nách girls, to dance and sing before the idol (it is singular that such a class of society as nách women should have been thought of to do honor to the gods.) Those therefore whose profession it is to procure nách girls for such occasions, have their purses replenished and are enabled to purchase more innocent female children to be brought up to the same profession. Now it is notorious that by far the greater proportion of Indian nách girls are prostitutes. How melancholy then to reflect that every encouragement given to "náches" tends to add to the number of innocent female children, who are purchased for the diabolical purpose of being reared in abandoned habits?-what generous mind then would, by his presence, lend encourgement to the destruction of female innocence, virtue and happiness!-The whole system of náches is evil at the core, and therefore all friends of humanity ought to discourage them, and more especially when they form a part of the honor done to idols! Indeed it is incumbent on those who are aware of the evil to make it known to others, as most probably no Christian family would attend náches when once acquainted with the fact that they were so objectionable, for wherever we are present and appear even to take only a general interest and pleasure in a scene, or play, or place of native worship or nách, we are naturally supposed, at least by the natives, however ignorant we may be of the language, songs or ceremonies used, to approve of what is going on, else why should we lend the encouragement of our presence? and though most Europeans are ignorant of what is sung, the natives drink in the songs, too frequently indecent; and who would not shrink from being supposed by the natives, (who may not be aware of our ignorance of the words)—to approve of all the songs sung, by a succession of nách girls?

It is satisfactory to know that the “Christian Observer,”—the "Friend of India,” and other papers whose objects are the promotion of religion, and virtue, and the improvement of India, continue very watchful of this evil, and to warn their own countrymen against any participation in honors done to Idols; and it will be gratifying if those publications are enabled to state that this year no Christians have been found encouraging the Dárgá Pújá náches.

24th Sept. 1840.

I remain, Sirs, &c.

A STRANGER.

VIII.-History of Madagascar. By the Rev. William Ellis, Author of the Polynesian Researches.

The Government of Madagascar is a modified despotism. The high estimation in which the hereditary nobles are held, and the great influence they consequently possess, together with an ancient practice of occasionally appealing to the people concerning political affairs, have given to the subjects a power over the interests of the nation which is incompatible with an absolute monarchy.

The nobles of Madagascar, as in most countries, rank next to members of the royal family, possessing extensive estates and an almost unlimited authority over their vassals; they bear a striking resemblance to feudal lords of the middle ages. Persons raised to the exalted situations of field-officers, privy counsellors and judges are invariably chosen from their order.

Individuals employed to collect fines, taxes and confiscations and to superintend every branch of the revenue are of an inferior class; they are called Farantsa and are placed under the judges.

Government intelligence is communicated to the nation by heralds. One is dispatched from the capital to every district of the country. On arriving at his destination he ascends an elevation in the midst of the market-place, and a gun is fired as a signal for the people to listen; he then lifts up his sonorous voice and proclaims to the assembled thousands the commands of his royal master. Should there be no market on the day the orders of Government are issued, the herald delivers his message to the head-men of the district who immediately make it known to the centurions, whose duty it then becomes to carry the intelligence to every individual in their respective hundreds. Hence, though the Malagasy are but very partially acquainted with the advantages of a well regulated press, and are entirely ignorant of the great modern inventions, steam-vessels and rail-roads, by which information on any subject may be conveyed from one end of the country to the other in the space of a few hours, yet through the medium of heralds the common people among them are more enlightened respecting politics than the peasantry of European nations, which are blessed with all facilities to expedite the diffusion of knowledge.

As the best institutions have sometimes been attended with great calamities, owing to the unrestrained ambition of men in power, a passion which has been a severe scourge to the world and given existence to the worst Governments, persons are divided in their opinions respecting the kind of Government in which the general good would preponderate over the occasional evil. This is a question which has been discussed for ages and produced folios without number, leaving it in the uncertainty in which those ponderous tomes have involved it, to be elucidated by writers whom nature has blessed with a strong vision to pierce the surrounding darkness. It may not be improper to observe, that on the pure administration of justice and the perfect independence of judges, depend the security, industry and well-being of individuals, and consequently the vital interests of nations, is universally admitted