No. 8.]

[VOL. VII.

Nassuck.

Archdeacon Carr, Secretary to the Corresponding Committee at Bombay, having, at the desire of the Bishop of Calcutta, requested of the

Missionaries an account of the state of their labours at Nassuck, a succinct Report was drawn up by the Rev. Messrs. Farrar and Dixon, dated July 9, 1835; from which the following passages are extracted.

General View of the Mission. The population of Nassuck is roughly computed at 30,000; viz. Hindoos 25,000, Mussulmans 5000. There are, besides the Missionaries, eight professed Christians-viz. 2 Civilians, 2 Indo-Britons, 4 Portuguese-occasionally resident here. There have been carried on, from the commencement of the Mission, three Schools: 1 Mahratta School for Boys, 1 for Girls, and 1 English School. This number has very recently been increased; and there exist, at the present moment, 7 Mahratta Schools, containing 260 Boys and 65 Girls; 1 Hindoostanee School of 20 Boys; and 1 English, with 15 Boys. Four of the Mahratta Schools are in the neighbouring villages of Gungapore, Chandoree, Dewulalee, and Muckmalabad.

The other Schools are in the city of Nassuck. Owing to the impossibility of obtaining duly-qualified Teachers, these schools are limited to the rudiments of reading, writing, and arithmetic, together with some catechetical religious knowledge. The English and Female Schools conducted in the residence of the Missionaries, and subject to their more immediate superintendence, are better taught and disciplined than the other schools. The system on which we wish the children to be instructed is a modification of Bell's; but the difficulties of RECORD, August, 1836.]

carrying such a system into practice are, at the outset, almost insuperable. These difficulties arise from the ignorance of the Puntojees, the very limited space of the places procurable for school-rooms, and the prejudices of the Natives. The chief benefit of our Schools is, that they raise up a class of readers among a Soodra population, now almost wholly ignorant of the art of reading; and prepare them to attend with some degree of understanding and profit to Christian Books and Teachers. Schools may be increased to any number; and may be opened with advantage in every town, village, and hamlet in the kingdom. We do not say that they would be received gladly in every place, but they would work their way with profit.

The Missionaries have fitted up, from private funds, the Assembly Room of the late Peishwa, as a domestic and Missionary Chapel. Service is performed daily in it, in the Mahratta Language. It consists of exposition, singing, and prayers from the Liturgy. There is, on Sundays, an additional English Service. The daily attendance comprises the children of the schools belonging to the Wada, the servants and members of the family, and occasional native visitors; the daily average congregation, inclusively, being about 120. There have been, as yet, no baptisms; and the Missionaries have been disappointed in three or four inquirers, who seemed to exhibit some signs of conversion. They have at present no open inquirers. The Puntojees attend on the Saturday afternoon, to receive general instruction, and await the Service on the Lord's Day.

The Book of Common Prayer, including the Psalms, and also the Gospel of St. Matthew, and the Acts, have been translated by the Missionaries. The Minor Prophets are in course of translation. 2 A

Several Tracts and useful Publications have been prepared; and others are in a state of preparation.

The Gospel is daily preached, directly or indirectly, in the places of public concourse. The jail is visited weekly; and the Native Hospital with more or less frequency, according to the number and condition of the patients. Independently of visits to the neighbouring villages, tours of some length are undertaken as opportunity serves.

The people are either thoroughly indifferent, or diametrically opposed, to Christianity. Their indifference results from their sensuality, and an impertur. bable resting on the maxim-" Our religion is best for us; yours for you." Their opposition springs from pride of caste, bigotted attachment to their own system; and, in the case of the Brahmins, the predominant apprehension of losing their wealth and distinction, as an exclusive priesthood. With the exception of a few general notions which they almost unavoidably acquire, both Mussulmans and Hindoos may be said to be wholly ignorant of the Christian Religion; and this ignorance precludes them from bringing forward any rational or even plausible arguments against it. Abuse, sarcasm, and obscene jesting, are the weapons with which they war against serious truth. The Tracts and Books

circulated in the town have been, in a great degree, destroyed.

The Missionaries, notwithstanding this discouragement in reference to the Publications distributed, strongly urge, in the following passage, the Importance of Perseverance in the Operations of the Press.

The state of the Church appears to us to demand unceasing efforts, through the medium of the Press, to elucidate her doctrines and formularies-to arouse and combine the spirit of her members-to ward off the open and covert attacks of her foes-and thereby to manifest that she is not deficient in energy, intellect, or zeal, neither in the light nor in the love of the Gospel. Effectually to accomplish these ends, three individuals, of sound piety, and high literary attainments, should be invited to become Editors of Religious and Literary Magazines at the three Presidencies; - the funds for their maintenance to be raised and secured by the united body, respectively, of each Presidency.

In the brief statement that we have given of our Mission, there is nothing to elevate or to depress the feelings of the Christian. It must be borne in mind, that Nassuck has been occupied only between two and three years; and that from the veneration with which it is regarded, and its large Brahminical population, it presents many peculiar difficulties in the way of Missionary exertion. These difficulties, however, do not limit the probability of ultimate success. The Missionaries are grateful that they have been permitted to retain their post; and they are sustained in their work and warfare by the hope that ere long, in this city, where idolatry is now rampant, a pure worship shall be offered unto God by many, through His Son Jesus Christ.

We proceed to give some extracts of a general nature, from the Journals of the Missionary Labourers. The following copious extracts from Mrs. Farrar's Journal exhibit truly encouraging views of the benefits attending her

Intercourse with the Children, and the

Native Sick and Poor.

July 9, 1835-Last week, we finished reading" Henry and his Bearer" in the school. It concludes with an exhortation to Children in Christian Schools to im

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part what they know to their friends and relations. I asked one girl, what she learned at School. She said, The Christian Religion." Another said, “We learn God's Shaster;" that is, the Bible.

We had a visit the other day from two Brahmins. While they were here, the copies, which the girls had been writing, were brought in for my inspection. The younger Brahmin appeared interested in examining the writing. I therefore made two of the youngest girls come and read to them. The Brahmins praised their intelligence, but did not appear to think it was of any use to teach girls. This evening I went to see an old woman who generally comes to the school in the mornings, not to learn to read, but to look on and listen. She lives in the house of a widow; who, though not very rich herself, gives the poor old woman a home with her. A large number of women crowded upon the verandah: there was much noise and bustle, but I

endeavoured to speak to them of the True God, and to answer their various remarks in as profitable a manner as I could. But I generally go away saddened from such a visit. I think afterward of something so much better that I might have said; and all I have attempted to say appears so little to the purpose. Would that I were endued with a mouth and wisdom to lead them to consider that mystery of godliness God manifest in the flesh!

July 12, 1835-To-day, at the Mahratta Service, there was something of a discussion carried on one of the Brahmins, and an intelligent boy of the English School, were contending for the notion that there is a universal, all-pervading soul or spirit, animating both man and beast, and that all this material creation is but illusion. After Mr. Farrar had reasoned with them for some time on this, and on the doctrine of Transmigration, which they appeared to deduce from it, he asked, "How many times can a man be born and die?" The Brahmins were all silent; either unconvinced, or unwilling to admit the truth. A little girl, of nine years of age, answered, But once. Oh that the Lord would indeed ordain strength out of the mouths of these little-ones ! After the Service, I had some conversation in private with one of the girls. She assured me that both she and her aged parents had ceased to worship idols, and that they worshipped the Lord their Creator. I reminded her of the saying of our Lord, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father which is in heaven. Upon my urging her to profess the Religion which she knew to be true, she looked anxious and alarmed. has never made any profession, beyond assuring me that she has done with idols, and places her confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ. My opinion, with regard to her, is, that she is convinced of the truth, and afraid to profess it. The Lord give her boldness!

She

other day the story of "The Ants and the Flies" in one of Mrs. Candy's works. They were very much pleased with it, and told me that they thought the ants were wiser than the flies. They learned from the story, that this life is the time for labour; and, that they should principally labour to obtain the pardon of sin, sanctification, and the favour of God. I told them, I met a young woman the other day, whom I asked how she spent her time. She answered, “I grind at the mill, fetch water, and cook the food; what more should I do ?" I asked my girls, if they thought there was nothing else to be done in this life. They told me they knew that there was, and smiled; I suppose with a little conscious superio rity over her who imagined grinding and cooking to be the sole business of life.

July 25-A little girl who has been very ill with fever, and who was regularly supplied with medicine, I am thankful to say, is recovered. Her mother carried her to school this morning: this seems like zeal; but it is for the sake of the bread that perisheth, not for that which endureth to everlasting life. I asked the little girl, Who had made her well: she looked in my face, and with a sweet smile said, "You have." I explained to her, that God alone could make her well; that He had heard my prayers for her: and I endeavoured to teach her to render unto Him that gratitude which seemed to be in her little heart toward me. I have before noticed, that the children's friends sometimes come and look on while lessons are going forward: to-day there were six persons assembled to listen: the little girls read a description of the Judgment Day from the "First Book," and were questioned about it. The language was so plain, that I trust something may have reached the understandings of the bystanders.

July 31-I paid a visit to an old Gossavee woman. She and her family appear to be more respectable in their manners and habits, and more cleanly in their dwelling and persons, than Hindoos of their station generally are. They originally came from Delhi: the old woman's husband was a merchant: at his death they suffered great distress; for the son had some obstinate disease, and all their little property was exhausted in attempts to obtain his cure. "My son," said the old woman, "being sick, and unable to