to be baptised?" He said, "Because I am conscious of many and great sins, and I wish to enter on the way of forgiveness."--Ques. "But perhaps the English Government may not always remain in this land; and you know, in that case. the Hindoos and Mahometans would persecute you what would you do?"-Ans. "Certainly since they despised, and persecuted, and ill-treated the Saviour, I can expect no other; but, through his help, I would remain firm." : July 24, 1815.-During the whole of this week, the Hugeem from Berthpore has attended daily with his son. The Epistle to the Hebrews was appointed to be read, to shew him the connection between the Old and New Testaments. As we went on, his attention was evidently attracted by the peculiar truths of the Gospel-the Divinity of Christ-his suitableness, as God, to be a Saviour -the sufficiency of his sacrifice; and the extent of it, as reaching to sins under the former dispensation also. The passages connected with these subjects, drew from him many expressions indicative of a truly enlightened mind. He has been daily also inquiring about baptism; and, as the subject has been on his mind above two years, and he is now evidently decided in his choice, it was agreed to baptize him to-morrow. After talking of his family, I asked if he was aware of any thing in his own history for which God might be justly displeased with him. He answered, "What have I done, that deserves the name of virtue all my days? If I have done any thing good at all, it is this acceptance of the truth." (To be continued.) INDIA. ARCHIPELAGO. Great Want of the Scriptures and of Ministers. WHILE the Dutch maintained free intercourse with their various settlements in the numerous islands of the Indian Archipelago, considerable exertions were made to maintain and propagate therein the Christian Faith. But the course of political events having, for some years, interrupted that intercourse, there is now a great and increasing want, in all those quarters, of Christian Instruction. Two gentlemen, who were members of the Court of Justice in Batavia, have sent to Europe afflicting reports of the want both of the Scriptures and of Teachers. These gentlemen frequently received applications, when sitting as Elders in the Ecclesiastical Court of Batavia, from various places, for a supply of the Scriptures; but little notice was, at that time, paid to their applications on this subject to the mother country, borne down as she was by the iron hand of the oppressor. The Scriptures are now, in consequence, so scarce, that there are many districts in which a single copy cannot be found. It will give our readers pleasure to reflect, that the Bible Society, and its Auxiliaries in the East, are making every effort to answer the call for the Scriptures, and that the different Missionary Societies are turning their attention to the supply of Missionaries. We have already stated, at p. 58 of our Number for February, the designation of Messrs. Kam, Supper, and Bruckner, by the (London) Missionary Society, for Java: they are, probably, about this time arriving at that island. Mr. Supper we know well, and have a high opinion both of his talents and piety. In Amboyna, the first possession of the Dutch in the Eastern Seas, there are many thousands, both Natives and Europeans, who profess, the Protestant Religion. Each village had formerly a Schoolmaster and Catechist; and, when there were no Ministers in that island, the Christians were visited yearly by a small fleet of Indian Vessels, carrying a Minister, Elders, Deacons, &c. The children which had been born during the preceding year, were baptized; the Lord's Supper was dispensed to the adults; the necessities of the poor were supplied; the parents and children were instructed; and the Schoolmasters received proper directions for the fulfilment of their duty. But all has gone to ruin during the last twenty years! At Ternate, Banda, 2 and the Molucca Islands in general; at Malacca, Sumatra, Celebes, and the whole range of islands; the case is almost equally deplorable. There are, in these places, numbers of nominal Christians; but, being destitute of both public and private instruction, carelessness and irreligion are every where growing fast both among parents and children. The local Governments and the different Missionary Societies are happily turning their attention to the supply of these wants. Dr. Carey informs the Baptist Society, in a letter dated Nov. 17, 1813, that he had, about two months before, received a letter from the Lieut.Governor of Amboyna, ordering an impression of the Bible for the use of its Malay Inhabitants, and urging him to send Missionaries to that island. Government had offered to afford facilities for their passage thither. "The Lord," adds Dr. Carey, hath done great things for us. The leaven may be perceived to ferment in every part of Iudia.” CHINA. Rev. Robert Morrison's Chinese Werks, THIS indefatigable Missionary, who has, for a few acted as Chinese Translator to the Honourayears, ble East-India Company's Factory at Canton, has now ready for the press a Chinese Grammar; to which is added, a voluate of Dialogues, Chinese and English. He has also in a course of preparation for the pres, A Dictionary of the Chinese Language, in three parts. Part 1. contains the Chinese and English, arranged according to the Chinese Keys; founded on the Imperial Dictionary of Kanghe. Part II. has the Cinuese arranged alphabetically, with a short definition in English. Part III. is English and Chinese. These will form three or four folio volumes. The Grammar and Dialogues have the pronun ciation of the Chinese Characters in the Mandarin Dialect, according to the powers of the Roman Alphabet in the English Language. They have also both a free and a verbal rendering of each phrase, sentence, and example, employed in illustration. To the Grammar is added, a Chapter on the Dialect of Canton.. OTAHEITE. Letter of King Pomarre. THE following is an Extract of a Letter written by Pomarre, at Otaheite, dated Feb. 17, 1813, to the Missionaries at Eimeo. It is translated from the original, which is in the hands of the Directors of the (London) Missionary Society. My dear Friends May Jehovah and Jesus Christ bless you and me also, this evil man, whose crimes are accumulated! I perfectly agree to your request in your letter lately wrote to me, my dear friends, in which you desire my permission to cut down the Tamanu and the Amai*, Cut them down, without regarding consequences, for a keel for our vessel. What will be the consequence? Shall we be destroyed by the evil spirits? We cannot be destroyed by them: we have a great Saviour, Jesus Christ. Where you lead, regardless of consequences, I, this evil inan, will follow. The Three-one can (or will) make me good. I venture with my guilt (or evil deeds) to Jesus Christ, though I am not equalled in wickedness, not equalled in guilt, not equalled in obstinate disobedience and rejection of the truth, that this very wicked man may be saved by Jehovah and Jesus Christ. Matavai has been delivered up to me. *Probably deemed sacred trees. When I am perfectly assured of the sincerity of this surrender, I will write you another letter, my dear friends. It is reported here among the people, that there is a ship at Eimeo: perhaps it is Capt. Campbell. There are a great many thieves in Taheite: here they have stolen six pieces of my cloth, and books, &c. Shall I sin in killing the thieves?-Write me fully your sentiments, my dear friends. Be not displeased on account of the long delay of this letter: I could not write sooner, being far away. Perhaps you are angry with me.-Write to me that I may know your mind, my dear friends. May the Three-one bless you, and us also! May we all be saved by Jesus Christ, our only (or true) Saviour! (Signed) POMARRE. Miscellanies. COMPARATIVE EXPENDITURE! IT has been estimated, that the annual Income of all the Bible and Missionary Societies in the British Empire would not do more than defray the yearly maintenance of one ship of the line. Such is the comparative expenditure of Christianity and of War! Let this impose silence on all cavillers, who grudge the revenues of Benevolent Societies; and let it stimulate the exertions of Christians, that, by the wider diffusion of their principles, wars may become less frequent, and the copious streams which feed them he diverted into channels by which they will fertilize and bless the world. BENEFIT OF BIBLE ASSOCIATIONS. A COLLECTOR in one of the Associations noticed a family whose habits of life led him to suppose that they were destitute of the different about obtaining them. Scriptures, and in- |