now I long to be with him and experience the happiness of heaven."

your house never want the divine favour nor ever cease to be protected by the God of heaven and earth.

THOS. BERRY.

Sligo, Nov. 17th, 1831.

DEAR BRETHREN,

About five hours before her death, she cried out, "O thou dear, precious Jesus, receive me into thy arms; take me, O my beloved Redeemer; thou art the dear Lamb of God that has taken away my sins. I love thee for what thou hast done for my own soul, and I love thee for what thou hast done for the world," These were spoken in such an angelic manner that she even then was enjoying the dawnings of heavenly bliss. The last words she repeated were,

"Grace 'tis a charming sound," &c. She feebly sung the whole hymn, and soon after entered into rest.

As the Lord has been pleased to separate me from the dear partner of my joys and sorrows, it is consoling to know that she is safe and that her latter end was so happy.

Perhaps it may not be amiss here to mention what were the means which God employed in her conversion. As she was a native of Cheltenham, she, along with a few other girls, attended the instruction of a Miss Evans of that town, who distributed tracts among her poorer neighbours. My dear departed was then, fourteen years of age, and one morning during Miss Evans' prayer, her soul was converted, and she, for the first time, tasted that the Lord was gracious. Since then she has been upheld by free grace, and at length enabled to say, “I know that my Redeemer liveth, and will withhold no good thing from me." Some time after she met with a Mrs. Wood of Gloucester, a member of the Baptist connexion, from whom she learned the way of the Lord more perfectly, and by her conversations about adult Baptism she became convinced of its necessity; and as soon as opportunity offered she made a public profession of her faith, and followed the example of her Divine Master. Surely in the midst of life we are in death. May the judgments of the Lord make us more alive to the concerns of eternity.

To you, Sir, I owe the warmest and most grateful thanks; unspeakable, but fixed and deeply rooted in my heart. You have given me an asylum in your house, where every consolation that could proceed from Christian sympathy has been imparted. May you and

In my last I mentioned that I had nearly completed my inspections, and, in a few days after, this was the case. As usual, I have found the advantage in being thus early in the quarter, at this season, for, though we had some heavy rains before I had finished, there has been almost incessant rain, hail, and storm ever since. This severity in the weather has prevented the digging the potatoes, so that the greater part of that business is yet to be attended to, and the schools must be thinly attended in consequence for some time.

I stated that my inspections were truly gratifying, both as to the numbers in attendance, and the proficiency of the scholars; this continued to be the case to the close of the examinations, and the minds of many additional children were beginning to be blessed with the knowledge of the Word of God, and those of hundreds more richly stored with its sacred contents. The prayer has almost involuntarily been presented again and again, "Oh! that these opportunities might be continued of enriching the minds of these young Hibernians with the richest treasure on earth; that the truths thus deposited in their memories might sink deep into their hearts, and that they might spring up in the most beneficial fruits in their lives." Then would the work of reform be most beneficially and permanently promoted amongst a very large portion of those who need it then would the individuals, and families, and the church, and the world, be extensively benefitted by the most simple and yet most efficient means which Providence has yet employed for the accomplishment of that object.

In a new female school, established in a picturesque but obscure part of the country, where such a thing had not been known, disease had commenced its ravages I do not mean the Cholera, which, may God in mercy avert from the thousands in this country, who from their miserable condition, are predisposed to receive infection— but the typhus: three girls out of one family. had been removed by it of the ages of thirteen, fifteen, and seventeen years; several other families were affected by it; and three other girls in one family were lying in a dangerous state when I was there. Yet, though the people of this country may, from a variety of causes be said to be in the "midst of deaths oft," little or no impression

appears to be made by the fact on a very large portion of them.

I have just commenced in this town, on a small scale, a gratuitous Lending Library, which I hope may be beneficial, not only in keeping some of the lower order from mischievous employment, but in expanding their minds and directing them to the contemplation of generally useful topics, and with the Divine blessing leading them to the perusal of that Word which is able to make them wise unto salvation. J. WILSON.

From the Rev. James Allen to the
Secretaries.
Ballina, Nov. 18th, 1831.

MY DEAR BRethren, With this, I forward you the journals of the readers for the past month. In the school department, we are not able, for the present, to do much. In the spring and autumn of the year, the children, for the most part, are employed in the fields. Besides, the typhus fever is extensively prevalent in many of the districts in which they are placed; and, consequently, it causes many of the children to be kept at home. The storm of the priesthood had blown over, disregarded by the people; and the mechanical curses, pronounced in due form from all the popish altars in the two dioceses of Killalla and Ashoury, have, at length, ceased. I feared nothing from their curses from the first the people in too many cases are opposed to the wishes of their popish guides to be held much longer in bondage; and I trust, amidst all the discouraging signs of the times, that the Lord will yet, and that speedily, appear in a way of mercy for this poor and benighted part of this kingdom. The schools, notwithstanding the fever and the hurry of the field-work, are better attended than usual at this season of the year; and, I may add, that our opportunities for usefulness are greater than at any period since I came to this country.

In my last letter, I intimated my intention of visiting Erris, the district of country over which my old opponent, priest Lyons, holds absolute sway. I was going by special invitation from the principal landed proprietor, and from the people themselves. I had prepared to set out, my horse and car were ready-tracts of every description were tied up Testaments and Bibles were ready to place in the car, when the death of our dear sister, Mrs. Berry, was announced. She had, it would appear, caught the typhus fever from some of the children of the school; and had been labouring under its influence for several days before either she herself or we were aware that she had been seized. From the moment she was aware of her disease,

she expressed it as her opinion that she should die; nor did she in the slightest degree fear the approach of death. She was one of our most valuable members and teachers. Her piety was unassuming, fervent, and sincere; and, I have no doubt, that, whilst she was blessed in her death, her works will follow her. It would appear she was in the habit of keeping a diary of her experience. I shall transcribe from it the last sentence she wrote under the date of August 15, 1831:-" This day I have been very unwell, but have felt great consolation in reading Buck's Treatise on Religious Experience:' it has soothed my mind, and made me feel more love to that God who gave his Son as a ransom for my sins, and not for mine only, but for the sins of the whole world. Adorable Redeemer! when shall I awake up after thy likeness; when wilt thou speak the word and say, Soul, come up hither? but not my will, but thine be done." For a further account of her life and death, I would refer you to Mr. Berry's Journal for this month. I trust, this bereavement has been made a blessing to the whole of our little church.

As I have been prevented from visiting Erris, I have written a small pamphlet " On the True Foundation of a Sinner's hope," which I have addressed to priest Lyons and his parishioners, and which I ardently hope and pray may do some of them at least immortal good. It is surely the time to work; the enemy of souls is busy; those who value the truth need to be awake. The time for my quarterly inspections has now commenced; and, for the next month, I shall be much engaged, if life and health are spared, among my schools.

JAS. ALLEN.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

CHITPORE.

Conclusion of Mr. Pearce's Journal, from p. 91 of our last number.

"After dinner went in a saltee to Bons Pollah; found a good number of people sitting together making bamboo cages for catching fish, an employment to which, in consequence of the destruction of the harvest this year, all the poorest of the people are necessitated to resort, in order to obtain a subsistence. I went and sat down in the midst of these people, and began by observing that their employment reminded me of one who was continually making traps and devising methods to catch and destroy men; at this their attention was excited: they began, with surprise, to look at me, wondering what I could mean. I then explained, shewing that Satan, the evil spirit, was going about constantly seeking to draw men into the snares of sin that he might eventually drag them down into hell. Finding that I was speaking to them of salvation, one said, 'In what direction does heaven lie, Sir?' I told him the way to heaven was by believing in the Lord Jesus

Christ, and observing his commands; that it was of no consequence for us now to know in what point of the compass heaven might lie, that if we were the true servants of God we should be sure to arrive there, for after death God would send his angels to shew us the way. I sat with these people some considerable time conversing on divine things; some of them appeared a good deal affected at what was told them. On returning to the tent, found the individual waiting to see me of whom I have previously expressed my hope that he was really concerned about salvation. Found that he was increasing in knowledge of the Scriptures. To a question I put to him, Whether he had made up his mind to embrace Christ? he replied, Not yet, but I am thinking about it.' I endeavoured to shew him the folly of procrastination. remained with me till quite dark.

He

"12th. -Directed my course this morning to the village of Barapoor, distant a mile and a half from hence north-west. Collected here about forty persons, Musselmans and Hindoos. Read to them a tract and explained its meaning: afterwards, they were more for proposing questions and disputing than for hearing a discourse. I did not leave these people until I had answered all their objections. We parted very friendly, and they took about a dozen tracts. Departing hence,

G

6

proceeded about a mile further to a place called Sokeram Pookoor. On landing here, met a Musselman, who, on learning my object, said, "You must go to yonder houses, here are none but Musselmans in this place.' Poor man, he thought that Christianity is designed for Hindoos only! I said, 'Have you then no need of instruction and salvation? shew me the way to the head man's dwelling. I am come to instruct Musselmans.' At this he smiled, and went before, pointing out the road. The head man received me with great respect, brought a stool to sit upon, and some treacle of the juice of the palm, which he bad just made, for me to drink. I drank a little to please them, and then bade him and the rest of the people to sit down: this they did readily. I began instructing them with reading a part of a tract called the Mallee and Durwau, or the gardener and porter. In this, is contained the history of the fall of man and its consequences: my audience heard attentively, and none objected, until, after shewing them the way of salvation, I exhorted them to come into it, when one or two said in the language of despondency, Sir, we are, as you have described us, sunk in sin and ignorance, but it is too late now for us to think of becoming better; those who may come after us may, but we are too far gone to be recovered.' I did what I could to counteract this feeling; how far I succeeded must be left to the day of judgment to disclose. How true it is that Satan, after leading men into sin, drives them to despair. In this place also I left some Returned home quite fatigued. Forgot yesterday to notice an idolatrous ceremony of sacrifice which I then witnessed; it occurred in the village in which we are residing. The occasion of it was a vow which had been made by some one whose son was attacked by the cholera: the child recovered, and the sacrifice was the performance of the vow. The animal offered was a goat. I was too late to see it slain. It had, however, but just expired when I came to the spot. The head of the victim was severed from the body, and placed on a small mound of earth, where an idol had stood, but was now broken and fallen down; near it was a basket of sugar-cane and fruit, and the instrument with which the animal was sacrificed, an immense knife about two feet long and six inches broad, very bright, and curiously wrought on the back and sides. A Brahmin was conducting the ceremonies, and I could not but observe how intent he was on his work; he took not the least notice of me during the whole time I stood, perhaps ten minutes, looking on. Between the Brahmin and the people assembled, stood two men holding up a long piece of cloth

tracts.

to hide him and the ceremonies from the spectators. I nevertheless took the liberty to step aside and observe what he was doing. The ceremonies in which he was engaged consisted in sprinkling water on the offerings of fruit, &c. that lay near him, in removing small pieces of sugar-cane from place to place, and in touching various parts of his head and body with his fingers. At the conclusion of these several performances the veil was taken away, when the priest gave some pieces of sugar-cane to one or two persons. He then blew two or three blasts with a horn, at which the whole company prostrated themselves to the earth. This act of adoration finished the service. I left this place not a little grieved and, I may add, mortified at what I had seen, especially as the principal persons concerned in it had often conversed with me on religious subjects, and confessed the vanity of idolatry, and the truth of Christianity. Distressing as this scene was, it reminded me of the words of the wise man, When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it.' If heathens are so mindful of their vows, how much more so ought Christians to be.

"13th.-Went this morning to Mogra to be present at the market held there, at which an immense number of people assemble. On entering the place met Sadhoo, a young native preacher sent by brother W. H. Pearce to assist me in these excursions in these villages. His coming was very acceptable, as he is a pious, able, and zealous youth, and very much liked by all who hear his discourses. Having rested a little, we proceeded to a small mound a little way out of the bustle of the market. Here we commenced our business, and were soon surrounded by a considerable number of people. Sadhoo first addressed them, and was listened to for a while very attentively; at length some one broke silence and came forward as an advocate of Hindooism. Such things of course are very common, but if possible we endeavour to get opposers to wait till the end of our addresses. This, however, we cannot always effect, and our discourses are unavoidably broken. Such was the case on this occasion, and a disputation succeeded on the merit of Hindooism and Christianity, in which I assisted the native preacher. The topics dwelt upon by us were the contradictions abounding in the Shasters, the iniquitous lives of the Debtas, and the uncertainty felt and acknowledged by all of the efficacy of the means resorted to for salvation. Most of our hearers seemed much struck at what was said, and confessed its truth; but a Brahmin replied with a good deal of acrimony, and endeavoured to stir up the people against us. I therefore addressed him to

the following effect. Wherever we proclaim the way of salvation by Jesus Christ, we invariably find Brahmins to be our principal opposers. This you do evidently because you are interested persons; because you know that if Christianity prevails, your reputation, and influence, and present means of acquiring money will be lost; you would not be called to births and weddings; shraddhas and poojas: you would not then obtain the chief seats and the best gifts; be called thakoor, and worshipped as gods. This, as you well know, is the ground of your opposition. Besides, as you are better acquainted with the Shasters than the common people, you know that what we advance is true, and is no lie, and you, of all people, therefore ought to embrace Christianity with readiness, and conduct others into the way of truth. Beware then lest the love of money, and the love of the world, bring down upon you the sevenfold vengeance of God, for assuredly he knows all your wickedness, and will not fail to punish you, except you repent.' This rebuke silenced him. He hung down his head with shame, and said no more. After this I spoke to the people without interruption for some time on the life, death, and object of the Redeemer's coining into the world; and, on concluding, distributed a good number of tracts, which were sought after with the greatest eagerness.

"14th.-Bent our course this morning on foot in a westerly direction. Passing through the village of Sada Suppoor, found several persons sitting together making bamboo cages for fishing; among them were two persons who wore badges of mourning, and of being about to perform Shraddha, or funeral rites for the dead. They were brothers, and had lost within two days a mother and sister by the cholera. The native preacher spoke to them in a very suitable manner, and endeavoured to convince them of the inefficiency of all such rites to affect the condition of the dead. They listened with some attention, but I fear they did not understand much.

66 Going a little farther, we found in the same village a much larger company of peo ple, who requested us to speak to them the word of God, a request with which we with great pleasure complied. Here we spent three quarters of an hour very pleasantly in telling them of the way of salvation. A person who came while we were speaking said, after hearing a little while, Sir, we worship God, we serve Kristnoo, what else do you wish us to do.' It was replied, that it is true you serve Kristnoo, but it is not true that you worship God. In supposing Kristnoo to be God, you have made a great mistake; you are like a child that leaves his native village and parents when very young,

and goes to a distant place where he remains until he loses all remembrance of his parents, even their names; on returning to the place of his birth he knows not to whom he is related; and being, in consequence, imposed on by some worthless persons, he unhappily regards them as his parents, to whom he is not in the most distant manner related. Thus your forefathers and you have wandered so far and so long from the true God, that you have lost all knowledge of him, and now through being deceived by wicked men, you imagine that Kristnoo, a worthless Debta, is the God who made you, preserves you, and He whom you ought to serve. Hear then and know for the first time, that Jesus Christ is the one true God.' Having distributed a few tracts here, we proceeded half a mile farther, to the village of Gora Julla. Several persons seeing us from other villages came running after us, and accompanied us to the place whither we were going. Several of the inhabitants of Gora Julla on seeing us came out to meet us, and conducted us to the Mundul's or head man's house, saying that they were very happy that we had paid them a visit. This was indeed the most welcome reception to any place that I had ever met with.

The report of our arrival having quickly spread abroad, in less than ten minutes we had a congregation of more than a hundred persons. Having requested them to sit down, I spoke to them at considerable length on the present miserable condition in which they, and all the Heathen were; and pointed out, in as clear a manner as I could, the way of salvation. I enjoyed their rivetted attention, and from their looks, and smiles, and observations, was rejoiced to find that my message proved acceptable to them. Sadhoo followed me, and to him they listened with as much attention as they had to my discourse. At the close of our addresses a good deal of conversation ensued on several things started by our audience. A good many of them seemed much affected, particularly the Mundul, at whose house we were. One old man showed his kindness by bringing us palm juice to drink, and others by bringing stools to sit on. I left this place, though weary in body, much refreshed in spirit, and encou raged to persevere in sowing the seed of the kingdom.

"21st. Since the last record in my journal several other villages have been visited, namely, Dhan Kata, Sodanund Poor, Choukee Tolla, Hurree Poor, Monee Raj, in all which places the Gospel was preached, and tracts put into circulation; and in some of them the people heard with most gratifying attention: the general circumstances, however, differ so little from what have been already noticed, that it