where, to come forward and help us by their contributions and their fervent prayers. Our monthly expenditure is now heavy (comparatively), and will be more so in a little time, besides our having to build or purchase premises which will answer for a native chapel, and for the residence of our agents. We cannot get on well without these, and should the Lord bless our labours, as we believingly expect, and earnestly desire and pray for, we shall soon have to build native chapels in the villages around; and we also believe that the Lord will give the necessary means to enable us to do so. PATNA. to the eldest son of the late Mr. Moore, of Monghyr. This has necessarily dissolved her connexion with the Refuge, not however in any way to the injury of that institution, as notwithstanding she possessed many peculiar qualifications for such an undertaking, I have found in Mrs. Beddy's youngest sister, a young lady of very superior attainments and qualifications, one every way gifted and qualified for the Refuge, but she does not wish to remain lunger than till we get a suitable person, which may soon be the case, as I have written home to some of our dear female friends and contributors expressing my desire that some one from among them of a missionary spirit would come out, and promising to do all I can, if the Lord spares me, to render her comfortable and happy. Mr. Beddy writes as follows, April 15th, 1845:It affords me much pleasure to be able, satisfactorily to myself, and I trust it will be equally so to you and the Committee, to state my fullest conviction as to brother Heinig's usefulness and fitness for the important position in which as yet he has only been temporarily placed. The more I see of him, the more I know of him, the more I esteem him; and am convinced of his unassuming manners, character, and piety. He continues to afford me the most satisfying proofs of his fitness for the work of an evangelist. His family consists of a wife and sister in-law: both were members of an independent church in London. Previous to your letter in Mr. Heinig's behalf, they had applied for and were baptized by me. Mr. Heinig has also a young son less than one year old. I am not without a hope of deriving much support in my endeavours to do good and communicate in this place, from Mrs. Heinig, as far as her own domestic duties will permit, but in an especial manner from her sister, Miss J. Carter, who has been usefully employed at home in teaching a sabbath-school, and she now has one consisting of about twenty children in my house. Under all the circumstances of the case, I trust the Committee will feel fully justified in at once enrolling Mr. Heinig among its agents, and in communicating in your next this decision. As you remarked, the six months have long since expired, but of course his engagement goes on as you have directed till I hear again from you. I wish also to request that an addition of £20 be added to his present salary for house rent, which I beg leave to state is really necessary. Since I last wrote to you my daughter that had charge of our Refuge, has been married There are four of the girls who are giving proofs of a work of grace begun. May it be solid and enduring. These, with an elderly native Hindoo woman, comprise all that are evidencing a desire after salvation that I know of among the natives. Our services, in door and out door, are carried on as usual, and I hope that although there is nothing more visible yet that the leaven is going on, prejudices are evidently rolling away, and much of that bitter opposition is travelling into forgetfulness. The people can and do hear with if not approbation, certainly with perfect civility. The reflection is pleasing, nay cheering, that the day of salvation is hastening on, and that that day will soon come when Hindoo and Mahommadan opposition shall cease, and when a people shall here be gathered to the Lord;—if not permitted to see, it is yet very gratifying to feel that come it must and will." MONGHIR. The following account of the publication of the gospel to large multitudes, and of the general state of the church at Monghir, is given in a letter from Mr. Lawrence, dated April 11th : It is now rather more than a month since I returned from a three weeks' journey to the mela at Karragola, which took place at the latter end of February. I did intend to have sent you some account of my visit by the last mail, but I was too late. Karragola, as you Lord Jesus, and to exhibit him as the only true Saviour, in every way worthy of our confidence and affection. The people favourably responded to the appeal; and the raja and his pundit, instead of offering an angry reply, as is often done, quietly retired from the crowd, evidently unwilling to hear the real character of their false deities exposed, and perhaps somewhat ashamed that so little could be said in their defence. That opposi tion to the preaching of the gospel is declining, as compared with former times, is evident; and from it we infer that a change is working in the native mind. The people feel that they are unable to defend their religion; that it is inferior to the Christian religion; and that Christianity possesses excellencies which none can gainsay or contradict. The numbers are by no means few who now openly avow that if the mass of the people would become Christians, they would follow. While this feeling is very far from conversion, it is to be hailed as a step towards the desired end. It is encouraging, inasmuch as it shows that even where there are no conversions, the preaching of the word is not entirely without effect. On the whole, we have reason to be cheered by our reception at the mela this year, and I trust, through the divine blessing, it will prove the means of spiritual good to a few, at least, of the hundreds who heard the truth declared. may perhaps remember, is nothing more than a ghat, about eighteen or twenty kos below Bhagulpore, or about seventy miles from Monghir, on the north bank of the Ganges. A small river, called the Kosee, unites with the Ganges at this place, and the point of junction is esteemed very sacred by the Hindoos. At this mela there is a very large concourse of people every year, though not more than half as large as usually assembles at Hadjipore in November. Many come, not merely to perform the ceremony of bathing, but for the purpose of traffic. A large bazar is formed, and almost every thing in use among the natives is offered for sale. As this assemblage remains for several days, it affords the missionary a favourable opportunity of preaching the gospel to many who might otherwise never hear it. I set up a small tent in the midst of the bazar, to shelter us from the sun, and to receive any who might be disposed to converse with us. Having two native brethren with me, one or more was able to remain in the tent all the day. For three successive days, during the height of the mela, our tent was never without visitors from eight A. M. till sun-set; and the greater part of the time it was crowded. In general our hearers were remarkably attentive, as well in the bazar as in the tent. Some even seemed very desirous to know and understand what was spoken to them, and would constrain us to repeat the same things In Monghir appearances among the natives over and over again, that they might remem- continue much the same as they have been ber them. Our reception this year was much for some time past. I am sorry to say we more favourable than it was when we visited have had no addition to the church this year the mela three years ago. At that time the at present; but there are two or three natives brahmins opposed us very bitterly, but this who are very anxious to be baptized. In the year we met with only two persons that church we have had to mourn over the remanifested an angry and bitter spirit during peated visitations of affliction and death. In the five days we were at the mela. Brah- February a good old female member, who mins, pundits, and gurus came and listened, had long been a great sufferer, was removed and went away without opposing. On one to her rest. In March, an excellent man occasion a raja and his attendants were and an exemplary Christian, was taken from among my hearers. After listening for some us to join the company of the redeemed time to an exhortation to repentance, and faith in Christ, he inquired why I preached so much about Jesus Christ, and taught the people to neglect his gods. I asked, who are your gods? Gunga, Bruhmor, Vishnu, &c. With respect to Gunga, I said, it is evident to all who reflect, that it can be nothing more than a river, and that to suppose its water can cleanse from sin is altogether a delusion; and with respect to the others he had named, a serious examination of their characters would be sufficient to convince a candid mind that they could not be personifications of the true God. After mentioning some of the facts recorded in their own books regarding the evil doings of these supposed deities, I appealed to the people if they would not be ashamed to imitate them, and whether they would not consider it a disgrace for any one of their connexions to be guilty of such enormities; and, in contrast, I endeavoured to show the excellencies of the character of the above. Throughout a protracted illness he was an example of meekness and patience, and died full of faith and hope. About & week ago another of our members was laid in the grave, with a sure hope of the resurrection to eternal life. She, too, had been ill for more than six months, but she was an humble believer in Christ, and bore her affliction with much resignation to the will of God. Her death has deprived us of a very useful member. Thus you see the Lord is laying his hand upon us, and diminishing our number in quick succession. The loss of so many, in so short a time, we cannot but feel severely; still we have cause for praise, since we have every reason to hope respecting all our dear departed friends that "to die" has proved their "gain." Our dear people that remain, I am happy to say, continue to walk in love and unity; and while they are becoming fewer in number, I trust they are not decreasing in piety. HOME PROCEEDINGS. We have the pleasure to announce the embarkation of additional missionaries for Ceylon. Mr. Allen, late pastor of the church at Alcester, with Mrs. Allen and their two children, and Mr. Lewis, late student at Bristol, with Mrs. Lewis, sailed for Ceylon in the Brunette, Captain Cousens, on the 25th of July. Mr. and Mrs. Kingdon, late of Jamaica, sailed for Honduras in the Medway, from Southampton, on the 18th of August. Mr. Kingdon will be united with Mr. Henderson at Belize, in the work which openings for usefulness at that station demand. JAMAICA. The following letter has been addressed and forwarded to the Baptist churches in this country. It is now inserted in the hope that if there are any churches to which it has not been sent, they will regard it as now addressed to them, and that if any have not yet made a special contribution, they will make it before the end of the year. The lamented death of Dr. Yates, and the necessity of strengthening our Indian mission, supply additional reasons for leaving as little of the grant as possible to be a permanent burden on the funds of the Society. To the Pastors and Deacons of the Church at Baptist Mission House, 33, Moorgate Street, London, July, 1845. DEAR BRETHREN, Allow me to call your attention to the inclosed Resolutions,* and to ask your aid. Six thousand pounds were voted by the Society, at the last Annual Meeting, towards the Jamaica churches under circumstances of peculiar emergency, and as a parting gift. As much of that sum as is not raised this year is to be charged to the Society as a debt. The Treasurer is upwards of £2000 in advance. New missionaries are accepted for Hayti, Trinidad, Honduras, and Ceylon, and additional funds will be required early in autumn to send them out and to support them. The Society too is pledged to commence a mission in China. All these circumstances combine to render it also given largely. £2500 have been contributed in all. The Committee now apply to their friends generally for aid. The churches in Jamaica intend collecting on the second Lord's day in August, and the Committee respectfully suggest that the same day, or the next convenient one, should be set apart by each church in this country, for collecting towards the grant made at the Annual Meeting. Our brethren in the ministry are urgently requested to bring the fact of the case before their people on that day, and to make a special collection for the fund, or if this be impracticable, to solicit donations towards it. Upwards of twelve years have elapsed since the churches in Jamaica were in similar difficulties, and since the Committee made a similar appeal. In that time, the churches in Jamaica have increased from 10,000 members to upwards of 30,000, and the number of chapels has increased in at least an equal proportion. As it is important that the Society should most desirable that as much as possible of the borrow no more of this grant than is absolutely £6000 should be obtained at once. Four friends have given £250 each. Other friends have * See Herald for June. necessary, and that the Committee should know as early as possible how much is collected, may I beg the favour of your remitting the collection as soon as it is made, and not waiting for the making up of your annual accounts? On behalf of the Committee, Yours very truly, JOSEPHI ANGUS, Secretary. P.S. Any information on the circumstances which have rendered the above grant necessary, I shall be happy to furnish in reply to an application from you. The following letter, embodying the principal facts that have induced the Committee to make the grant, may serve perhaps to give a clearer view of the whole case. MY DEAR BROther, I have duly received your letter asking further information in reference to the grant of the Committee of the Baptist Missionary Society to the Jamaica churches, and hasten to comply with your request, trusting that if your friends have not yet made a special collection towards this object, they may be able to do it before the end of the year. When our brethren resolved to carry on the cause in Jamaica without aid from the Society, they were in debt for chapels to the amount of £12,000. This sum was borrowed in the island, and at very high interest. The total expenditure for chapels has been nearly about £150,000; so that the debt, though large, is comparatively small. This debt differs from debts on many English chapels, in two respects: first, the minister was himself responsible, his deacons were not in a position to share the responsibility with him; the burden rested mainly and often entirely on him. Secondly, the chapels were not mortgaged for the debt; they were in trust, and free from all liability. This of course increased the burden, by making the minister personally responsible, while it gave him a still stronger claim on the sympathy of our friends at home. At the time our brethren passed the resolution referred to, their people were engaged in obtaining small freehold residences of their own, a step rendered absolutely necessary by emancipation. Without these they must have continued to reside on the plantations, and while there were of course in the power of their masters. This power was in many instances abused, and the formation of native villages, in other respects desirable, was thus rendered imperative. At the same time, therefore, the people had to build their own houses, to support their minister, and to pay off a part at least of their debt. These difficulties, in themselves very heavy, were augmented by other circumstances: first came two successive years of drought, wasting the capital of the planters and destroying the provisions of the people, while it depreciated the value of labour. Then came a most op pressive system of taxation, weighing most, and indeed well nigh exclusively, upon the peasantry, and so enormous that the revenue of the island was increased from £150,000 to £300,000; the whole of this increased sum being spent on objects, which to say the least, did not benefit the people. In consequence great suffering prevailed; several brethren were without the necessaries of life, and have had to live on scanty supplies of some fish and yams. Several schools were closed, all building was at a stand, the banks pressing for their money. Their demands were met only by fresh loans, effected at most ruinous interests; and in the end, after struggling for two years with difficulties which have brought some of our brethren to the very borders of the grave, their chapel debts have accumulated to £18,000, and they are obliged to appeal to their friends in this country for help. The question was then pressed upon the Committee, "What can be done? Must we again take up the Jamaica mission, and support it? or shall we give our brethren a final grant towards the liquidation of their debts, and in discharge of all further claims?" The first course was rendered impracticable by the general feeling in this country, and by the position of the Society itself, having taken up other fields, and pledged itself to support them, applying for that purpose the money previously spent in Jamaica. The second course seemed the only open one, and that the Committee have taken, relying on the aid of the friends of the Society. The Committee, though already heavily in debt, have voted £6000 towards the relief of the Jamaica churches, leaving them to supply the rest. Is not this a case, dear brother, deserving, and even demanding your help? Let me hope that your influence will be used in obtaining special contributions towards it, and Believe me to be very Sincerely yours, JOSEPH ANGUS. DESIGNATION. Mr. C. B. Lewis, student of the Bristol Christian ministry, and more especially to that Baptist College, was designated to the office of of a missionary to the heathen. The Rev. T. missionary to the island of Ceylon, on Thurs- S. Crisp, Mr. Lewis's tutor, offered the ordinaday evening, July 3rd, 1845. The Rev. Samuel tion prayer, earnestly and affectionately comBrown, of Long Ashton, commenced the service mending our young friend, with his companion, by reading the holy scriptures and prayer. The to the care of their heavenly Father. The Rev. Joseph Angus, the secretary to the Bap- Rev. Thomas Winter, his pastor, delivered the tist Missionary Society, delivered the introduc- charge from John xiii, 23, on the importance of tory address, in which he described the sphere his leaning upon Christ, that he might be of Mr. Lewis's missionary labours. The Rev. qualified to testify the gospel of the grace of Thomas Gough, of Clipston, asked the questions, God with affection and fidelity, and be sustained which led Mr. Lewis to assign satisfactory under all the trials of the missionary enter reasons for devoting himself to the work of the prise. FOREIGN LETTERS RECEIVED. AFRICA ...........Bassapu..... .Ennis, G...........May 15. .......Clarke, J...........April —, 1, 12, 17 and 23, May 2, 16, 19, and 20. Merrick, J......... April 4 and 21. Saker, A...........April 14 and 29. Williams, R.......June 10. .Osgood, S. M.....May 21. CANTON.......... COLOMBO.. MAULMEIN PATNA........... .Heinig, H......... May 13. SAMARANG. ..Brückner, G...... April 1. BAHAMAS.........NASSAU JAMAICA .........AT SEA off MADEIRA.....Knibb, W..........July 10. MOUNT CAREY..............Burchell, T....... April 24. MOUNT NEBO............. OCHO RIOS.......... NORMANDY ...... CAEN..... ....Armstrong, C.....July 21. |