At forms of praise-the fee is presented to the Priest-the Brahmins are entertained, and offerings are sent to their houses. the close of these ceremonies, the people perform their obeisance to Ganga, and then depart. Great multitudes assemble on the banks of the river, on these occasions; and expect much, both in this life and hereafter, from this act of worship. On the thirteenth day of the decrease of the moon, in the month called Choitru, the people descend into the water; and, with their hands clasped, immerse themselves: the officiating Brahmin reads a portion of the Shaster, describing the benefits of this act of bathing: the people repeat after him certain significant words, and then immerse themselves again: gifts of rice, fruits, and money are offered to the poor, the Brahmins, and the Priest. On this occasion, groups of ten or twelve persons stand in the water, to each of which groups one Brahmin reads the formulas: these groups are to be seen extending themselves very far along the river. moment of the conjunction of the moon, on the thirteenth day of her decrease, with a particular star, is considered so auspicious a moment, that the merit arising from bathing at that instant is supposed to be very great. The At the time of many of the festivals, the sides of the Ganges are, in many places, gaily illuminated; and lights, fastened on boards or plantain-stalks, or put into earthen pots, are floated down the I have bought a piece of land by the side of the Ganges: you will take care that a flight of steps may be built. On this dying injunction, Mr. Ward remarks It is considered as an act of great merit, thus to assist persons in coming to bathe in the Ganges: these flights of steps are, therefore, very numerous in great towns and their precincts, For many miles up the river from Calcutta, innumerable flights of these steps are erected; up and down which the inhabitants are seen ascending and descending continually, but especially mornings and evenings, at the time of bathing. Below the steps, crowds of men, women, and children, of all castes, bathe, and perform those daily ceremonies of their religion which are connected with ablutions. Seeing the Hindoos at these times, might be imagined that they were a very devout race: some, with their eyes closed, are meditating on their guardian deity: others, with raised hands, are worshipping the rising or setting sun: others are pouring out water to their deceased ancestors, and repeating certain forms of prayer or praise. Most of them, however, manifest great inattention while performing these ceremonies. Of the extravagant qualities so perniciously ascribed by these deluded multitudes to this river, Mr. Ward, in the Chapter first quoted, gives the following details : The Sacred Books declare, that the sight, the name, or the touch of the Ganges, takes away all sin, however heinous-that thinking of the Ganges, when at a distance, is sufficient to remove the taint of sin-but that bathing in the Ganges has blessings in it, which no imagination can conceive. In one of these Books it is said-" He who thinks upon Ganga, though he may be 800 miles distant from the river at the time, is delivered from all sin, and is entitled to heaven. At the hour of death, if a person think on Ganga, he will obtain a place in the heaven of Siva.-If a person, according to the regulations of the Shaster, be going to bathe in Ganga, and die on the road, he shall obtain the same benefits as though he had actually bathed.-There are three million five hundred thousand holy places belonging to Ganga: the person who looks at Ganga, or bathes in this river, will obtain all the fruit which arises from visiting all these three million five hundred thousand holy places.-By bathing in Ganga, accompanied with prayer, a person will remove, at once, the sins of thousands of births." So much is this river reverenced among the Hindoos, that many Brahmins will not look upon it, nor throw saliva into it, nor wash themselves nor their clothes in its waters. In one of their Books, among many other forms of praise to be offered to Ganga, is the following:-" O Goddess! the Owl, that lodges in the hollow of a tree on thy banks, is exalted beyond measure; while the Emperor, whose palace is far from thee, though he may possess a million of stately elephants, and may have the wives of millions of conquered enemies to serve him, is nothing." "Some persons undertake a journey of five or six months to bathe in the Ganges, to perform the rites for deceased relations, and to carry back its water for religious and medicinal uses. The water of this river is used in the English Courts of Justice to swear upon; as the Koran is given to Mussulmans, and the New Testament to Christians. Many persons refuse to contest causes in which large sums are at stake, under the fear that they may be constrained to make oath on the waters of the Ganges. It is not uncommon for one Hindoo to say to another, "Will you make this engage ment on the banks of Ganga?" The other will reply, "I engage to do what I have said; but I cannot call Ganga to witness," If a person utter an audacious lie while near or upon the river, the person to whom he is speaking will say," Are you not afraid of uttering such a falsehood in the presence of Ganga?" Morning and evening the Hindoos visit and look at this river, to remove the sins of the night or of the day: when sick, they besmear their bodies with its sediment; and remain, perhaps for a month, near the river: some, of course, recover, and others die: a Hindoo says, that those who have steady faith, and an unwavering mind, recover; the rest perish. The Hindoos are extremely anxious to die in sight of the Ganges, that their sins may be washed away in their last moments. A man in his dying agonies is frequently dragged from his bed, and carried, in the coldest or in the hottest weather, from whatever distance, to the river-side; where be lies, if a poor man, without a covering, day and night, till he expires: with the pains of death upon him, he is placed up to the middle in the water, and drenched with it: leaves of a certain plant are also put into his mouth; and his relatives call on him to repeat, and they also repeat for him, the names of various gods: they spread the sediment of the river on his forehead or breast; and, with the finger, write on this sediment the name of some deity. If a person should die in his house, and not by the river-side, it is considered as a great misfortune, as he thereby loses the help of the goddess in his dying moments. If a person choose to die at home, his memory becomes infamous: the conduct of a Rajah who died in his bedroom about the year 1800, is still mentioned as a subject of reproach, because he refused to be carried to the river before his death."Ah! Ah!" say the superstitious, when a neighbour at the point of death delays the fatal journey to the river," he will die like Rajah Nava, Krishna.” Dead bodies are brought by the relatives of the deceased to be burnt near the river; and when they cannot bring the whole body, it is not uncommon for them to bring a single bone and cast it into the river, under the hope that this will help the soul of the deceased. Many persons, whose relatives die at a distance from the river, preserve a bone for this purpose, at the time of burning their bodies. The following story appears in one of the books of the Hindoos:-"A Brahmin, who had been guilty of the greatest crimes, was devoured by wild beasts: his bones only remained. A crow took up one of these bones, and was carrying it over Ganga, when another bird darting upon it, the crow let the bone fall. As soon as the bone touched Ganga, the Brahmin sprang to life; and was ascending to heaven, when the messenger of Yama, the Judge of the Dead, seized him, as a great sinner. At this time Narayana's messengers interfered; and pleaded, that the sins of this man, since one of his bones had touched Ganga, were all done away. Appeal was made to Vishnoo, who decided in the Brahimin's favour. The Brahmin immediately went to heaven." One of Some persons even drown themselves in the Ganges, not doubting but they shall immediately ascend to heaven. And the Sacred Books encourage this! One of them says, that if a person renounces life in the Ganges, whether praying for any particular benefit, or by accident, or in his senses or not, he will be happy: if he purposely renounce life, he will enjoy the highest happines; but if he die by accident, he will still attain heaven. the highest authorities among the Hindoos says" A mansion with bones for its rafters and beams; with nerves and tendons for cords; with muscles and blood for mortar; with skin for its outward covering; filled with no sweet perfume, but loaded with faces and urine; a mansion infested by age and by sorrow, the seat of malady, harassed with pains, haunted with the quality of darkness, and incapable of standing long-such a mansion of the Vital Soul, let its occupier always cheerfully quit." Such are the ridiculous but immoral and destructive notions, which are commonly believed concerning the virtues of the Ganges: but the following passage from one of the Sacred Books themselves surpasses all in folly and wickedness. After enumerating the most atrocious crimes of which a Hindoo can form a conception, it is said If this person bathe in Ganga at an auspicious period, all these sins will be removed he will be admitted into the heaven of Brahma, be put in possession of the merits of the man who presents a lack of red cows to a Brahmin learned in the will obtain the fruits that arise from all other offerings, from all sacrifices, and from visiting all the holy places-his body will be a million times more glorious than the sun-he will obtain a million of virgins, and multitudes of carriages and palankeens, covered with jewels—he will dwell for ages in heaven, enjoying its pleasures in company with his Father-as many particles of dust as are contained in the land thus given away to the Brahmins, for so many years will the giver dwell in happiness in Vishnoo's heaven! Four Vedas, and afterward will ascend and dwell at the right-hand of Vishnoo. After he had enjoyed all this happiness, and shall be re-born on the earth, he will be possessed of every good quality, enjoy all kinds of happiness, and be very honourable: he who shall doubt any part of this, will be doomed to hell, and afterward be born an ass. If a person, in the presence of Ganga, on the anniversary of her arrival on the earth, and according to the rules prescribed in the Shasters, present to the Brahmins whole villages, he And thus it is that a sixth part of the Human Race are mocked and deluded, for the benefit of crafty men! Well may Mr. Ward close his account of these atrocious frauds, as he does, in the following words:"Every real Christian must be deeply affected on viewing the deplorable effects of this Superstition. Except that part of the Veda which countenances the Burning of Women alive, no writers ever gave birth to a more extensive degree of misery, than those who have made the Ganges a sacred river. Thousands, yea millions, of people are annually drawn from their homes and peaceful labours, several times in the year, to visit different holy places of this river, at a great expense of time, and of money spent in making offerings to the goddess. Expensive journeys are undertaken, by vast multitudes, to obtain the water of this river; or to carry the sick, the dying, the dead, or the bones of the dead, to its banks. Some come two or three months' journey for its water; and many thousands perish, by dysentery and want, in these journeys. What the sick and dying suffer, by being exposed to all kinds of weather in the open air on the banks of the river, and in being choked by the sacred' water, is beyond expression. In short, no eyes, but those of Omniscience, can see all the foul deeds done upon and by the sides of this river; and the Day of Judgment alone can bring all these deeds to light, The Brahmin will then see, that, instead of Ganga's having removed the sins of her worshippers, she has increased them a millionfold." And, while all this toil and suffering is entailed on the millions of India by their wretched Superstition, their souls are perishing! Not fewer, perhaps, than FIVE MILLIONS of immortal beings pass, every year, into the eternal world, within the territories of Great Britain in the East, or in those under its controuling influence, who live and die the deluded victims of these or similar Superstitions! God be merciful unto us, and bless us, and cause his face to shine upon us; that Thy way be known upon earth, Thy SAVING HEALTH among all nations! There is a River, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. May these streams be poured forth for the healing of the nations!-and that prophetical word have its largest accomplishment-These waters issue out toward the East Country, and go down into the Desert...and every thing shall live whither the River cometh! (Ezek. xlvii. 8, 9.) CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY, From March 21, 1821, to April 20, 1822. Liverpool & West Lancash. (incl. 1154, 188. 5d. from the Everton Branch, and 361. 18. 7d. from Seaforth Br. Lock Chapel 205 3 0-5213 9.4 59.3 8- 97 5 10 - 15.50 991 3 8 724 14 2 4867 13 0 5254 2 7 Hitchin, Rev. Mr., Gt.Staughton, a 14, 0 Hunt, Mr. Gray's Inn Lane Lanfear, Miss, near Wantage 68.272 149 0 33 0 Q 40 2 5 6.3 18 6 Maingy, Rev-P.,fr. Bampton, &c. 17 5 0 32,50 Missing, Lieutenant Owen, Misses, Fulham Rose, Miss, Russell Street 1 15 0- 2 11 0 2 10 0 - 11 10 0 16 o 3 13 9 180 74.5 146 2 .4 13 O 1 10 0300 1 10 O 47 12 0 3.17 8.64.17 5 272 9 11 446 16 5 1 18 0 2 16 17 5 34 7 7 435 60 4015 13 8 Thomas Walker, Esq. Bury Hill, Suffolk, 50 0 The sum of 50l. 135., 8d., stated in the last Number to have been received from the NorthEast London Association, was collected after Sermons at Ram's Chapel, Homerton, preached by the Hon, and Rev. G. T. Noel and the Assistant Secretary of the Society. MAY, 1822. Biography. MEMOIR OF JOHN CHRISTOPHER WOLFF, THIS worthy Missionary, after labouring for thirty-three years in John Christopher Wolff was born Nov. 26, 1753, at Neukirch, near Bautzen, in Upper Lusatia. In his early youth he enjoyed the pastoral care of that indefatigable and anointed servant of God, the Rev. Mr.Reichell; well known in Germany, and throughout the Christian World, by his zealous and successful labours in the cause of God. After imparting to our late Brother, as well as to the other children in the parish, the most careful instruction, which, by the Lord's mercy, effected a real awakening of his soul, he confirmed him for the first enjoyment of the Lord's Supper. It pleased the Lord to preserve him from the snares and seductions of a wicked world; and as he felt a great desire to join the Church of the Brethren and to live in one of their Settlements, he was strengthened therein by the advice of his venerable pastor. The first place to which he applied for admission was Nisky: but he afterward removed to Herrnhut; and was received into the Congregation in 1776. At Herrnhut he grew in the grace. and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ; and was enabled to make a total surrender of himself with soul and body unto Him, who had loved him, and given Himself for him. Having offered himself as a candidate for service among the Heathen, his offer was accepted, from the knowledge which the Brethren had of his sincerity, humility, and fitness for such a commission. He was appointed in 1781 to the service of the Mission in Labrador: and entered upon his labours with cheerfulness, and a heart May, 1822, truly devoted to the cause of the Redeemer; to whom he committed himself, entreating Him to grant unto him the necessary qualifications and gifts for the work assigned him. His first endeavour was to learn the Esquimaux Language, which, especially to of languages, is a task of no small person not accustomed to the study difficulty: but, by the blessing of the Lord upon his diligence, he soon was able to converse; and, by degrees, to testify in it of the love of Jesus to perishing sinners, As he himself lived in the fruition of this grace, it was his heart's delight to extol the mercy and power of his Saviour, and the efficacy of His atoning death for the salvation of lost men. He first resided at Nain, and then at Okkak, and assisted in the building of the New Settlement at Hopedale. In 1791 he married at Nain, and thence went to Hopedale; where, with his Wife, he laboured with unwearied diligence, being always ready for every good work. Both of them, however, became afflicted with various ailments of the rheumatic kind, and caused him, in 1799, to visit Ey which principally affected his Wife; rope, in hopes of relief. During his stay in London, both in going to and returning from Germany, his cheerfulness and devotedness of heart delighted and edified all who conversed with him. The late Right Hon. Charles Greville, who alwaysapproved himself a true friend to the Missions of the Brethren, hearing that there were Missionaries from Labrador in town (the Brethren Wolff |