Foreign Intelligence. SERAMPORE. THE following particulars respecting this important station are extracted from a circular letter addressed by Mr. Ward, since his return, to several friends in différent parts of Britain. to sing it." I sat and listened to this hymn in honour of the Saviour of the world, made and sung by this interesting group, with sensations of delight, which no person, except he had been in the same circumstances, could realize. The sounds were carried on the bosom of the Ganges to a sufficient distance oblations. "Instead of the briar, shall to be heard by the Bramhuns at their come up the myrtle-tree, and it shall be to the Lord for a name," &c. On the Lord's-day, all these youths and children are engaged in catechetical Christian exercises in public worship. The Translations are thus far advanced. The whole Bible is finished at press in the Sungskrit, in 5 vols. 8vo. The Bengalee in ditto, the Orissa in ditto, the Mahratta in ditto, the Chinese in ditto. The Pentateuch in the Kunkuna, and the New Testament in ditto. The Pentateuch in the Sikh, the Historical Books in ditto, the Poetical Books in ditto, and the New Testament in ditto. The Pentateuch in the Telinga, and the New Testament in ditto. The Ditto in the Pushtoo, or Aff ghan, and the New Testament in ditto. ON my return to Serampore, after an absence of nearly three years, it was to be expected that a considerable advance in the objects embraced by the union there would be observable. I found that advance much greater than I had anticipated. The College premises had made a progress, considering the largeness of the pile, which could not have been expected. The principal building forms one of the finest modern pieces of architecture in India. As this College is built from the proceeds of our own labours, we have been obliged to encroach on our funds beyond our calculations. A second examination of the College has been held, equally satisfactory with the first; several of the head pupils having, in a third of the time occupied by students in the Hindoo Colleges, conquered the Sungskrit Grammar, will soon commence the study of a regular series of Sungskrit literature." In the press, the New Testament in We have at present no students for the Kurnata, the Oojeen, the Kassee, the ministry, as we have not a Divinity the Jumboo, the Monipore, the MagudTutor, and Mr. Mack has not suffi-ha, the Palpa, the Shree Nagur, the ciently mastered the language to de- Kumaoon, and the Bhutneer. vote any of his time to these native heralds of salvation. I have much comfort in meeting the students, and the boys of the Preparatory School, morning and evening, for reading, singing, and prayer. Oh! it is truly cheering to hear these youths and these children singing in Bengalee, "Oh thou, my soul, forget no more The friend who all thy misery bore." Two students are already members of the church, and are youths of great promise; and four more students, apparently under serious impressions, have solicited baptism. Between thirty and forty youths and children, born of converted heathens, are thus brought under daily close serious Christian instruction. One morning the College Native Physician said, as we sat down to worship, "Sir, the boys have made a hymn, and wish The New Testament in the Goojeratee, the Assam, the Mooltanee, the Bikanere, the Kashmere, the Harotee, the Bhogulkund, the Marwar, the Kanoge, and the Nepaul. There are also in the press, new Editions of the Holy Scriptures in se veral languages. At Serampore, besides the English brethren, there are, as itinerants, labouring either regularly or occasionally, brother Douglas, Solomon, a converted Jew, Kanta, Huredoss, &c. At Serampore, at the Mission Chapel, and also at the Danish Church, at Krishna's Chapel, and across the Ganges at the Barrackpore Chapel, during the Sabbath, there are seven services, and parties of Native converts visit and preach in the streets of the neighbouring villages. At Serampore there have lately been frequent baptizings; the Native sisters have begun to hold prayer-meetings from house to house, and a happy revival is visible among the Native members, who amount to about sixty persons. Since my absence in Europe and Ame rica, several Native brethren and sisters have died full of Christian hope and joy. The baptisms at Calcutta have also occurred frequently during the last two or three months. Here the preaching is kept up in Bengalee and English four times on the Sabbath, and ambulatory services in Bengalee are attended to almost every day in the week. MOORSHEDABAD. | ledge among them, for never has a free press been established in any country without accomplishing much good. My Native Schools are in much the same state as usual. The number of scholars is near 150, and the people near me have requested that I would establish one in my compound, near my house, which I intend to do next week. This school will be particularly under my eye. The schools are sup ported by the kind assistance of a few friends in the neighbourhood. My illness has not much interfered with the preaching to the soldiers, with the exception of two or three Sabbaths. I have regularly administered the WE mention, with much con- word of life to the church at Berhamcern, that the health of Mr. Sut- pore, and have baptized three since ton has been considerably im- my last letter. The new chapel which I before mentioned as building at Bepaired of late. The following ex-rhampore, is finished, and will be opentract from a letter to the Secre-ed on Lord's-day next. It is a good, tary, dated February 27, will shew, that his zeal and attachment to the work in which he is employed, have not been lessened by this circumstance. I HAVE continued all the operations I was able among the Natives, and when my strength would permit, have gone out to the bazars and markets, to preach the kingdom of Christ. I have had many very interesting conversations with different persons, and a considerable number of tracts and parts of the scriptures have been distributed, and if I had not been contined to my house by pain and sickness, I should have taken several journies into the interior parts of the country. There is one pleasing fact I have also lately observed, and which is a certain sign that our efforts are not thrown away. You perhaps know that several of the Natives have established presses, and commenced printing on their own account; and so extensive are their exertions to dispose of their works, that there are four men employed in this neighbourhood in selling printed publications. One of them informed me last week, that his monthly sales amounted to upwards of thirty roopees. I endeavoured to induce them, for a small sum, to sell tracts, or parts of the scriptures, but could not succeed. The works which these persons sell, have nothing in them of Christianity; on the contrary, they are trash, in every sense of the word; yet still I think it is the begining of the universal diffusion of know. substantial place, and will be a great blessing to the different regiments staconsiderable -- namely, nearly 2,500 tioned there. The expense has been roopees; but it is almost paid, and I hope the whole will be liquidated in the course of a year. I If my strength is restored, I shall take several journies in a few months: among which I intend to take one to the northward, near Rajemahl. hope it will please Divine Providence to grant my desire, and render me useful. One of my greatest afflictions has arisen from my being laid aside from many of those exertions in which I delighted. The station here is important, and I wish not to be removed from it, and hope my health will soon be completely restored. Providence has been exceedingly merciful to me during the whole of my residence here, in tempering every affliction according to my circumstances; and the surgeon to whom I have applied during my illness, is not only a friend, but a brother in Christ, with whom I have much sweet intercourse in the things of God. Though I am lonely while residing at Moorshedabad, yet I am so much ac customed to it, that I feel it not., Indeed, if I were to attempt to recount all the special mercies I have received since my residence in the country, time would fail me. They have been numerous, as my wants so far exceeded my expectations. Frequently, when my fears have abounded, and faith been weak, the haud of God has been manifested, to remove my doubts and strengthen my dependence. Instead of finding myself a stranger in a fo In a subsequent letter, addressed to his former pastor, Mr. Ivimey, he mentions the following facts relative to the superstitions of the country, which came under his own notice: I reign land, I find every where a friend. | to Gurmookteeshwur, as he had exMy mind has been often grieved, that pressed a wish to put an end to his no more success attends the preaching bodily sufferings by drowning himself. of the word among the Heathen; but His relations who were tired of him, even here I have received many tokens and his neighbours who thought it a for good, and the bread which has been merit to persuade him to such an act, cast upon the waters, may be found as well as the brahmuns who were after many days. I see, more and interested in the poor man's immolating more, that every pursuit that tends not himself, all seemed anxious for him to the glory of God, is vain and futile; to destroy himself. The brahmuns and may my living and dying breath and pundits even repeated verses in be employed in the service of the sanc- Sungskrita, to encourage him in his tuary! dreadful resolution, and to deter him state of things, he hearing of me, sent from changing his purpose. In this a message requiring my sanction to the horrid murder of himself, and proit were to desist from, or prosecute mising to abide by my counsel, whether his purpose. I went, and found the pitiable object unable to move. placed his conduct before him in its Proper light, and warned him of the his murderous resolution. I added, awful consequences of persevering in that as suffering was inseparable from humble himself under the hand of sinful creatures, it became him to God, who took this method to convince him of sin, by making him both see and feel what a bitter and evil thing it is. I held up the Saviour to him, in his power to bestow. At first the and assured him he had every blessing desired I would acquiesce in his horrid old man would listen to nothing, but wish, which, he said, would be the completion of his happiness. I again suade him, but feared I should not went over the same grounds to distion: who was to support him? his prevail. He started another objecrelatives being heartily tired of him, get rid of him. Having removed this and having sent him thus far only to objection, he paused, then seemed vexed, and began to cry in a passion. After this he listened with great attention, and suddenly exclaimed with joy in his countenance, "Blessed blessed your instruction! blessed the God who sent you! It is God that sent you! blessed your father and mother! blessed you and the instructions you have given me! I will not lage, and wait as you have advised, drown myself, but return to my viltill my time comes to be freed from this suffering by death." An hour or two after this interview he left Gurmookteshwur, and returned to his village Bhyna, near Dholpore, forty miles east of Meerut. On my return, I endeavoured to interest the Mahome. tan Tuhseeldar of the district in the YESTERDAY the swinging poojah commenced: there were two poles placed a little distance from my house, there was only one last year,) and last night the flesh in one of the person's back, by which he was swinging with a hook, gave way, and he not only had the pain arising from the wound which he permitted to be given in behalf of his idol, but that of broken bones, from his falling from a consi derable height. At all these meetings the Bramhuns are sure to procure a harvest. At the assembly held last week, there were four Bramhuns, who shared the profits of the idol among them; and they generally procure one of the richest of the Hindoos in the neighbourhood, to come first anniversary of the idol, and open the upon the door of the temple in which he is placed, upon which occasion he generally presents a sum of money, clothes, jewels, &c. &c.; after him approach others in succession, and present their offerings: so that there is every inducement to promote deception. DELHI. WB extract the following incidents from a Journal sent by Mr. Thompson some time since, to Serampore. They occurred in one of his journies to the northward: An aged brahmun, who in consequence of a four years' leprosy, had worms crawling upon him, was brought preservation of the poor man, and he commanded his relations to see that he had a house, and every necessary efforded him. Another short extract will, I am sure, be pleasing: it relates to the fate of a Hindee gospel of Luke, and a Gospel Messenger, distributed at the last Hurdwar fair, Nov. 13. A respectable Hindoo of Ray-poora, near Patiala, brought a letter of introduction from a gentleman, and a Hindee gospel of Luke, of which on my asking him, he gave the following account: Two brahmuns coming into his father's village with two gospels, the old man was anxious to know what they contained; he was answered briefly, that they were part of the Sahib's shastras, which had been freely given them at the fair. The old man expressed a wish to possess at least one copy, but he could prevail on neither to part with a copy for him. He offered half a rupee, then a rupee, but was still refused, but this did not abate his desire for the book. In the mean time a voiragee who had perhaps visited some of our missionary stations, and been disappointed in his worldly expectations, expressed his astonishment at Hindoos, who retained their integrity, being so desirous of reading the books of the Feringhees." The instant," said he," any one reads the book, he is sure to lose his holiness and cast, and become a Feringhee; what have you to do with such a wicked book? Throw it into the Ganges." Such an account of the book and its effects, stunned all present, and had its effect with the most ignorant of the two brahmuns, who immediately held out his hand to the old gentleman, and offered him the book he so much desired, saying, "Take it, sir, I have no occasion for the book." The latter, as he was a person of some consideration, perhaps did not like to be influenced entirely by a wandering stranger, a Bengalee, or one from those parts, and therefore took the book without hesitation; on which the voiragee attacked, the old man in very angry language. The son, fearing the consequences, interposed, and said to the voiragee, "What is it to you if we take and read the book?" "Go, go," replied the voiragee," and become a Musulman and a Feringhee, and lose your dhurma (holiness). The son who had read the tract, replied, "How do I lose my dhurma? If this book had taught me to lie, steal, and commit every iniquity, I should then have thought it bad and have thrown it away; but it teaches the way to heaven only by a different name, that of Jesus; we say Eeshur and Khoda, and they say Jesus, this is the only difference I can see." Thus the struggle between these two men ended in the book being received. Every such instance makes it more and more evident that the Lord Jesus has a people in Hindoost'han whom he will one day call forth to declare his praise. Surely it was not in vain that he said when he died, he should not die for one nation only, but that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. May it evidently appear that Christ has much people in this country! COLOMBO, Extracts of a Letter from Mr. Chater to Mr. Dyer, dated Colombo, Feb. 6, 1822. THE season of the year affording the best opportunities for sending communications to England having again arrived, I must endeavour to make the best use of it I can. I have to be thankful that, excepting the trial of my sad and solitary circumstances, I have not had to endure any personal affliction. This ought to excite in my heart unfeigned gratitude; and lead me, with the man after God's own heart, to say, "Bless the Lord, O my soul," &c. &c. My labours have been much the same as in former years, excepting that I have gone every Sabbathday to a village, instead of preaching three times in Colombo. My weekly plan at present is as follows:-Sabbath-morning, at eight, I preach in the Fort in Portuguese; from which place my house is more than two miles distant; at twelve, at Mattackooly or Kattoopellella watte. These places are in the opposite direction to the Fort from my habitation. The latter, three miles distant, up the Kalany ri ver; the former two miles down the river. At seven in the evening, I preach in Portuguese in the Pettah, which service has been carried on in the same place, and at the same hour, either in English or Portuguese, for more than nine years. This is the first mission-place of worship that the inhabitants of Colombo (in modern times) ever saw. But to proceed with of this island, it is encouraging and gratifying to see them increase and prosper. At the end of 1820, the num the account of my week's engagements: Monday is devoted entirely to translating; and if Monday is not sufficient to prepare for the day of meet-ber was seven; containing 244 scholars. ing in the translating room, Tuesday or Wednesday. The proper work for these days is visiting schools. But as I consider translating the most important of all my labours, when it is necessary, I make every thing give way to that. Wednesday evening we have Portuguese preaching in the Pettah. Thursday is the day for the meeting of the translators; which is still held in the library at the Wesleyan Mission House. In the evening I preach in my own native tongue in the Fort. Friday evenings in Singhalese at the Grand Pass, and the day is spent in preparing for it. Saturday is another day, the best part of which is devoted to translating; and what is not taken up by that, is, of course, employed in preparing for the Sabbath. Having laid before you this weekly plan of filling up my time, you will naturally wish to know, in the next place, what has been accomplished by adopting and pursuing it? In that important work, to engage in which led me to make choice of Colombo as my station, i. e. translating, we are making a steady, though not a rapid, progress. Had not one of our number (Mr. Clough,) been laid aside by sickness, we should have been very near the end of the 1st of Kings; and I hope it will yet be completed before the end of this month. Two editions of the new translation of the New Testament, you are aware, have been printed off; and also, besides what we have done of the Old Testament, as above mentioned, in a regular course, the Psalms and Proverbs are in circulation. Surely we ought to hope and believe, that this important" labour will not be in vain in the Lord." Our congregations continue much as they have been for a long time. At the Portuguese preaching in the Fort, the word seems to have more effect on the hearers than at the other places. It is not uncommon there to see five or six with tears falling down their cheeks, which, I would fain hope, may be a proof of that godly sorrow which worketh repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of. Our Native Schools have, on the whole, prospered better this year than any preceding one; and as it is by means of these that we have at present any certain prospect of communicating aseful knowledge to the inhabitants On the 1st of January, another was commenced; in which the number of boys is 36. I endeavour to visit them all once a month; besides which, the Mohandiram is appointed to visit one or two every week. On visiting them, I ascertain exactly the progress the different classes have made from one visit to another; and in catechizing them, endeavour to impress on their minds the important instructions the Catechisms contain; and this, I always find the pleasantest part of my Missionary labours. Once a month, I assemble all the schools, both masters and scholars, in our Grand Pass meeting-house; on which occasion I examine one class in each school, in the presence of the whole, and praise or blame according to the proficiency that has been made. This has been attended with very pleasing effects, in exciting a laudable emulation in those masters and scholars who were before most deficient. And this opportunity I improve in the best manner I am able, to point out to them their deplorable condition as sinners, and exhort them to repent and believe the gospel : with what success time must shew: all that has yet been evident, is but little indeed. And yet who that knows and considers the value of an immortal soul, would not rejoice to see 200 or 300 of the poor ignorant children and youth of this too long neglected island, called together, though it be but once a month, to hear of" the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world?" Their being taught daily to read the sacred volume also, must prepare them in a very superior manner to understand what is preached to them, to what any other persons in this country can be. And Oh! if we are favoured with that blessing, which many a wrestling Jacob is daily soliciting at a throne of grace, a gracious out-pouring of the Holy Spirit, what wonders might we not soon witness, even in this valley of dry bones? Sometimes I feel the full weight of that discouragement which it is natural for unsuccessful efforts to produce; but never so as to regret for one moment having devoted the short period I have to spend on earth, to Missionary labours. And on reflecting a little I feel fully convinced, that if one soul be saved through my feeble instrumentality, it will be a glorious recompense for all |