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firmed by inveterate habit. But, sad to say, the Papists, whose constant cry is "The Temple of the Lord are we," are especially those who, by their ignorance, wickedness, and enmity to the Gospel, prove themselves to be of the "Synagogue of Satan."

An instance or two will exemplify their ignorance. My Moonshee, visiting the Priest of a neighbouring Church, entered into a discussion with him respecting the Anti-Christian doctrines and practices of his Church. The Priest pleaded the authority of Scripture; but being urged to produce the Bible, after many excuses and much hesitation, he brought forward, in its stead, a paltry manuscript of unheard-of dreams and fables; amongst which was that well-known piece of frantic folly from the Korân, in which God is represented as commanding the Angels to worship Adam! This was the only Bible possessed by a Priest of the Mother and Mistress of all Churches; and such was his ignorance, as to take it for the Word of God! Nor is this a solitary instance; it is but too faithful a specimen of the generality of Roman Priests throughout the country. As are the Priests, so are their people.

Ask either children or adults the question, "Who is Jesus Christ;" and the answer is, that "He is the Mother of God!" I have been repeatedly petrified by receiving this answer from persons to whom, lest I should insult their understanding, I was almost ashamed to propose the question. One Sunday Afternoon, when I was preaching in Malayalim, a woman (a Papist) ran out of the Church in great terror; and afterwards stated as the cause, that in preaching I had described the figure of the Cross with my left hand! As to their wickedness, it may suffice to observe, that Priests and people are alike the slaves of idolatry, profaneness, Sabbath-breaking, malice, fornication, drunkenness, lying, theft, and every crime with which human nature is degraded.

The Priests manifest their bitter enmity against the Gospel, by threatening with excommunication in this world, and damnation in the next, all who are guilty of attending my ministry, reading my books, or learning in my Schools: while drunkenness, adultery, theft, and other the blackest crimes, are deemed venial foibles, and are excused upon payment of a trifling penalty.

A neighbouring Priest having got into his clutches some young men (Papists) who had for some time been learning in our Schools, compelled them to swear by the Bible that they would no more read the Bible. And while all are, under the heaviest penalties to themselves and their friends, forbidden to attend our Schools, they are at liberty to attend the Schools of the Heathen! A virtual confession this, that their religion, if such it may be called, accords far more with Heathenism than Christianity.

The Popish Population consists partly of the descendants of the Dutch and Portuguese by their connection with African Slaves and the Natives of this country, but principally of the proselytes from the lower Castes of the Heathen, allured by prospects of temporal advantage.

With respect to the Jews, the veil is yet, alas! upon their hearts; and, rejecting Him who alone can make them free, they continue the slaves of sin. Mahomedans here seem to have lost the greater part of their accustomed zeal for their own superstitions. They have here but one Mosque, and it is inferior to many an English barn: and, excepting a continually fluctuating community of Arabs, averaging about 50, who resort to Cochin for traffic, very few attend public worship.

The Heathen, though by creed the most remote of all from truth, may yet perhaps be the first to enter the kingdom of heaven. If the fact has never been stated before to you, you will be surprised to learn, that when a Brahmin is apparently at the point of death, it is common for his Gooroo, or Spiritual Guide, secretly to exhort him to embrace the Fourth Religion, i. e. Christianity. And although all classes behold Christianity with a jealous eye, yet I have discovered a prevailing persuasion that it will shortly become universal.

TWO SCHOOLS for Boys and Girls have been formed in Cochin, and three others in adjacent places: the numbers in these Schools are about 160. An Evening School has also been commenced for the benefit of those who are employed in manual labour during the day. Eleven Boys and six Girls, most of whom are destitute, have been received by Mr. and Mrs. Ridsdale into their family.

Mr. Ridsdale has visited great part of Cochin, from house to house, exhorting the people to avail themselves of the benefits of the Ministry of the Gospel and a Christian Education for themselves and their Children. He has also employed a Reader, to read, in the public parts of the town, portions of the Scriptures in Malayalim.

BOMBAY AND WESTERN-INDIA MISSION. THE death of Mrs. Steward, shortly after her arrival in Bombay, was stated in the last Report: this painful bereavement was felt so severely by Mr. Steward, that he found it expedient, for the benefit of his spirits, to withdraw from Bombay for a season, and visit

Mr. Ridsdale at Cochin, with whom he resided for about two months. On his return to Bombay, he expressed a desire to remove to Bengal; and, with the sanction of the Committee, he sailed for Calcutta on the 26th of July. Circumstances have since arisen which render it probable that he will return to England.

The Bombay Committee deeming Basseen, which is about 40 miles to the north of Bombay, a desirable Missionary Station, the Rev. William Mitchell and Mrs. Mitchell removed thither at the end of February. Their residence here being exclusively among Natives, greatly facilitated their progress in the Mahratta Dialect; but the situation proving ineligible for a fixed residence, they removed to Tannah at the end of May. The reasons which led to this arrangement are thus given by the Rev. Thomas Carr, the Secretary :

The Committee considered that Mr. Mitchell would be very profitably employed at Tannah, in reviving the Male and Female Schools which were formerly under the care of the Rev. Mr. Nichols of the American Mission; and it was agreed that he should consider Tannah, Callian, Bhewndy, and Basseen as his field of labour, and endeavour to establish Schools in each of those places; and that he would probably find it convenient to reside in a temporary bungalow or tent In the at Basseen, during the hot months of April and May. Northern Concan there are towns of considerable population on the coast as far as Damaun: there, indeed, the whole Province is without any Missionary; and we cannot but think that a zealous Labourer will find this as promising a field for Missionary Exertions as any in India. There is but one objection to prevent residence in towns to the north of Basseen-that they are distant from medical advice: they may, however, be occasionally visited; and, in the fine weather, Missionaries might reside for a few weeks in one or another of them in circuit.

CEYLON MISSION.

THE Rev. George S. Faught, with Mrs. Faught and
Miss Stratford, landed at Trincomalee on the 2d of
August, and proceeded to Colombo, via Jaffna: they
spent a few days with the Brethren at Nellore, and

reached Colombo on the 24th of September. It has been already stated that Miss Stratford was married to the Rev. S. Lambrick in the beginning of December.

COTTA.

The Missionaries at this Station are, the Rev. Samuel Lambrick, Rev. Joseph Bailey, Rev. James Selkirk, and Rev. George S. Faught, with Mrs. Lambrick, Mrs. Selkirk, and Mrs. Faught; all of whom were well at the date of the last accounts.

There are four Services on the Sunday, the attendance on which by the Natives is very fluctuating. An Address, drawn up by Mr. Selkirk, was circulated among the inhabitants of the neighbouring Villages, inviting them to send their Children to the Schools, and to attend the Ministry of the Word. Mr. Selkirk also, accompanied by an Interpreter, went from house to house throughout the various Villages connected with the Mission, urging on the inhabitants the topics contained in the Address, and declaring to them the way of Salvation.

With reference to this branch of their labours, the Missionaries made the following report to the Annual Meeting in September:

The Congregations at the Schools, where we have Divine Service on the Sunday Mornings and Evenings, have improved during the past year. One of the Schools, where we regularly preach on the Sunday Afternoon, is in general quite full; and we are much encouraged in preaching the Gospel to them, by witnessing the great attention which they manifest, and the interest which they seem to take in the important truths delivered to them. At the other Schools, where we attend on the Sunday Mornings, though the numbers are small, yet the people are attentive: so that, on the whole, we may say, that, in this department of the Missionaries' work, things are going on well, and at present wear a favourable aspect.

It appears, from the Annual Report of the Missionaries, that there are 8 SCHOOLS Connected with this Station, containing 170 Scholars, of whom 19 are Girls: the average attendance is 107: 4 of the Girls are instructed by Mrs. Selkirk. The English School at Cotta contains 21 Boys, one of whom is

maintained by the Society; the rest live with their relations. Applications have been made from two other Villages for the establishment of Schools, to one of which the Missionaries have acceded. While the Missionaries express their regret at the little effect which has been produced by Mr. Selkirk's Address, in inducing the Natives to send their Children to the Schools, they remark generally concerning them—

Of the Children in the Schools, 80 are daily engaged in reading the Word of God: and our Monthly Examinations continue to give us good reason for believing that much information is gained in the things of religion, not only by the Scholars, but also by the Masters. Some of the questions which the Masters propose, shew that they pay a good deal of attention to those important doctrines which they are constantly employed in inculcating on the minds of the Children; while the very appropriate and sometimes surprising answers given by the Children also evince that the attention of the Masters is not bestowed on them in vain.

The PRESS, under Mr. Lambrick's care, has been constantly at work during the year: the following works have been carried through it :

Part of the Syntax-A Second Edition of Mr. Lambrick's Vocabulary-Prayer Book, in Cingalese, 250 copies-Memoir of Coomaravel, 1200 copies-Genesis, in Cingalese, 500 copies -Mr. Selkirk's Address, 400 copies-The Acts, to the 27th chapter, in Cingalese, 750 copies.

Of the Translation of the Liturgy, and the benefits arising from it, Mr. Browning writes

There has been at length performed a most desirable work at Cotta-the Translation and Printing of the Prayer Book in Cingalese, in a style of language intelligible to the meanest persons who attend Christian Worship. I desire to bless God, who has enabled our dear brother Lambrick to execute this good work. A number of copies are appropriated to the use of our Congregation; and it is really pleasing to witness the decorous manner in which the Children and People bear their part in the Service.

The following Buildings have been erected; namely, a School House; two lines of buildings for a Printing Office, English School, and for the accommodation of persons connected with them; and a house capable of containing two Missionaries and their Families. The Madua in front of the house, now occu

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