66 Though it would appear that curiosity in the first place had drawn, without any other effort, the greater part of the inhabitants in the course of the month-including some Chinese, and, which is of more consequence, some stranger Dyaks, yet many have been interested in the subjects on which instruction was offered, and those who have continued steady have made some progress, and are able to read a little in the first English A B C book, and, more readily still, Malay in the English character. "Some women have also been tempted from the same curiosity to come, since a lady has daily attended at the school; but having only one entrance, and that through the boys' room, which what with scholars, lookers on, and lookers in, generally amount to between twenty and thirty, and sometimes more, and that occasionally at one time, it may be something against their coming." Since the above was written, an increased attendance is reported. From 25 to 30 may be termed regular scholars, who have made sufficient progress to be formed into classes. The Natives among whom this Mission has been opened are described as a fine, guileless, honest-hearted set of men: much, very much may be done with them, even in this generation." They are termed Dyaks, but the Kyans are also mentioned, and many other tribes inhabit the country, of whom as yet not much is known. The native tribes, especially on the coasts, have long been invaded and subjected by the Malays, who are Mahometans, and now form a great part of the population. Numbers of Chinese are also domesticated in the land. The present opening for the Gospel among these people, as stated by Mr. McDougall, must be reserved to our next Number. MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE. UPPER CANADA. The Rev. B. C. Hill, Missionary at York, Gore District, has reported to the Bishop of Toronto, what he terms 66 a programme of a fortnight's work.” It includes twenty Preachings and other religious services, requiring 250 miles of riding. This enormous amount of labour the Missionary has been enabled to keep up regularly every fortnight, though he writes, "many an evening or rather night, when I have returned home, the thermometer has been under zero, and yet I had no part of me frozen nor MUCH incommoded by the cold." No fewer than 123 communicants rewarded these exertions by their attendance at the Holy Communion. Manatoulin Island.-We are sorry to hear of a disastrous fire which has destroyed the greater part of the crops belonging to the Native Indians in this Mission. The Rev. Dr. O'Meara their Missionary, has communicated the particulars to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, who will gladly remit any sums that may be contributed for their relief. This Mission is situated on a large Island in Lake Huron, and contains upwards of 400 souls under Christian instruction. LOWER CANADA.-It is in contemplation to divide this enormous Diocese by the erection of a new See at Montreal. The Bishop who now bears that title will resume the designation of Bishop of Quebec, at which city he at present has his residence. An appeal on behalf of the College of this Diocese at Lennoxville appears on our wrapper this month, to which we beg to direct attention. The Rev. Isaac Hellmuth, who is the bearer of it, is of the Jewish nation, and was educated for the office of Rabbi. Being convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, he came to England seeking Baptism in that Church whose Liturgy he had found most in accordance with the revealed Word of God. He subsequently took up his residence in Canada, where he has been ordained in the Diocese of Quebec, and appointed one of the Professors in the College for which he is now appealing to the public. Subscriptions are received by the Editor of this Magazine, and by the Secretary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, 79, Pall Mall, London. GUIANA. The following are extracts from late accounts of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel's Indian Mission on the Mahaicony Creek on the east coast of Demerara in South America. -Journal of the Rev. W. Bourne. "Wednesday, Sept. 6.-At half-past ten had service; catechised the people, after the second lesson, for some length of time, and baptized some infants. The Indians are certainly advancing in religious knowledge. All the Catechumens, and many of those who have not yet offered themselves for Holy Baptism, now believe in the Resurrection of the dead, which I have before had so much difficulty generally in persuading the Catechumens to believe; and as our preaching' and their 'faith' are vain without it, I have taken pains to convince the heathens of its truth: I hope now not without some degree of success. The Catechumens, in former cases, confessed their faith in Our Lord's resurrection; but could not see that this required also the resurrection of the members of Him who is the Saviour of the body.' They must have been talking about it amongst themselves, however, for now they all confess their faith in this." Thursday, Sept. 7-Morning prayers at half-past ten. After second lesson catechised the Indians on Baptism and Holy Matrimony; baptized ten adults, and married two couples. Daniel acts as interpreter, assisted by their captain, Andrew, who holds the Governor's commission, and was himself baptized about a year ago. But in catechising I use also the Creed in the Arawak language, which Mr. Brett translated and printed for the use of his Mission. Daniel gave me a rude translation in English of each article as I repeated it, and said that it must be some one that understood English very well that could write that; it must be Mr. Brett."" MADRAS. The Right Rev. G. T. Spencer, D.D., has resigned the Bishopric of Madras, in consequence of ill health. The nomination of his successor rests with Sir John Cam Hobhouse, as President of the India Board. The Rev. G. U. Pope one of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel's able and successful Missionaries in Tinnevelly, is arrived in England for the benefit of his health. Arrangements have been made to secure his attendance at many Missionary Meetings in Yorkshire during September and October. CEYLON.-The Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge has promised the sum of £2,000 towards the establishment of a theological institution in Colombo, for which purpose the Bishop has paid £200 out of his own pocket for purchasing a site for the building, and has also promised to devote £200 a year from his income during his episcopate. BELGIUM. On the 31st of August the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Guiana request of the Bishop of London istered the holy rite of confirmation at Brussels to upwards of 80 young persons of both sexes, members of the several congregations in that city, and the towns of Antwerp, Malines, Louvain, &c. It is ten years since confirmation by an Anglican Bishop was held at Brussels, when the Archbishop of Dublin officiated. The young christians, about to receive the imposition of hands, were seated in the open benches in the nave of the chapel, leaving a middle passage from the west door to the altar. The general congregation filled the aisles and gallery. The Bishop's devotional manner seemed to communicate its savour to the whole congregation, and we never witnessed a confirmation where a more serious deportment, and an appearance of right feelings was manifested by the young people confirmed. The truly apostolical manner in which the Bishop severally laid his hand on the head of each produced a deep impression on the mind of the congregation, and we doubt not that CHRIST was present by the Holy Spirit, to ratify and seal with his own gracious power the ministerial act of His appointed servant. The Bishop's address to the young people was sound, faithful, and impressive. The Bishop, we understand, is passing through Belgium on his way to Baden to visit his mother, whom he has not seen for many years, having passed the last seven in his diocese, which is a very extensive one on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. MISSIONARY RECOLLECTIONS, No. 5. S. Paul's Mission Church, Bangalore. Among all the recollections which I cherish of the East, none is so frequent and precious a subject with us as the little Mission of St. Paul, Bangalore. They who think of missionary labour as I once did myself, imagine the herald of the gospel standing in the streets preaching to the heathen, arguing against their idolatries, and making converts by the superior force and truth of the Christian system. In this way I never had the opportunity of being a Missionary. As a Chaplain of the Honourable East India Company I was charged with the spiritual care of the largest station for European Troops in the Madras Presidency. To this station of Bangalore, a district was annexed consisting of the whole Mysore territories. This is, properly speaking, not a portion of British India, but a native State, subject to the Rajah of Mysore, whom on the capture of Seringapatam and the death of Tippoo Sultan in 1799, our government restored to the throne of his ancestors. Often have I walked over the desolate ruins of the fort and palace of Seringapatam; stood in the hall of justice where Tippoo sate surrounded by his officers, and noticed the pillar which still bears the marks of that rude cannon ball which first told the Mahometan usurper how near was his overthrow. It was in the taking of Seringapatam, that the great Duke of Wellington first became known as a military leader, and I well remember how I was moved, when wandering one day in the neighbourhood of the splendid tomb, or rather temple, which covers the remains of Tippoo and his father Hyder Ali, I discovered, unenclosed by any wall and overgrown with vegetables, the humble gravestones of many soldiers of Colonel Wellesley's regiment. I am happy to think I was instrumentive in rescuing their resting place from this unworthy neglect: it is now surrounded by a wall, and the gravestones are cleared and neatly preserved. But I must return to my district. Besides Seringapatam, which was only occasionally the residence of an English officer, I had five stations to visit in my district, the nearest of them upwards of 25 miles from Bangalore, the furthest about 120; and in these out-stations from 20 to 100 English and half caste (that is of mixed English and native descent) were commonly resident. Their only G means of ministerial aid were supplied in these occasional visits, which demanded of me journeys to the amount of more than 1500 miles a year. This district contained not less than three and half millions of native heathen and Mahometans, among whom we have never yet had a Missionary. To undertake that office with my heavy English duties was of course impossible, yet I longed to do somewhat, however feebly, to make known the name of CHRIST to that neglected people. On enquiry I found in Bangalore, where I resided, about forty native Christians, mostly the children of converts belonging to some of our missions in other parts of the country, who, in quest of a livelihood, had taken their abode in our great English station. These people were poor and ignorant, very much despised by the other natives, and hardly more esteemed by the English Christians. They had a native catechist or teacher (not a clergyman), who kept a very indifferent school, and on Sundays assembled them for worship in my school-room. Here, then, I thought to myself, if I cannot preach to the heathen, I can at least bestow some labour on those who are already called by the name of CHRIST. up Accordingly I made application to the Committee of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, for the assistance of one of their educated catechists or lay-teachers. By the assistance of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, and some private friends in England and India, I was enabled to build a little native church, the designs for which I copied out of an architectural work, and in the masonry of which I often assisted with my own hands. It was a very happy day with the native Christians, when, standing round the trenches dug for the foundations of this church, they sang a hymn in their own tongue, while the Bishop of Madras laid the foundation stone and still more happy was the day, when six months after, the Bishop consecrated our little edifice for divine worship in the native language. I preached the consecration sermon, and the font was first used by the Bishop baptizing my son after the second lesson. You were called " George Herbert," my boy, and you know who was the country parson who bore that name before you. How little did he think of his beloved church extending to the East Indies; or of English bishops and clergymen repeating his name and cherishing his memory in that distant land! |