reasoning powers; and invariably reject every conclusion, however fairly deduced, which does not entirely coincide with their own notions.

Opinions and Character of the Hindoos. Mr.Perowne and Mr. Deerr enter,

in their communications, into the views and dispositions of the Natives; and take the very best method of enabling the Society to form an accurate judgment on these points, by details of conversations with their scholars and the people. We shall first extract, on this subject, some remarks of Mr. Perowne:

The more clever of the Hindoos are very fond of discussing metaphysical questions. There is much subtilty in their reasoning; and, as they argue from premises which are either false or cannot be proved to be true, of course their conclusions are of no value. The Brahmins are very fond of asking ques tions of this nature: "Whence comes evil ?""Why did God give Satan the power of sinning."-" How do you account for dreams ?"-" Is not all spirit ONE?" Where was the soul of man previous to his birth?"-and a thousand such questions. A Missionary is often compelled to enter on the discussion of subjects of this nature, though, in so doing, he must feel that he is off his proper ground. I say COMPELLED; for, if he refuses to give an answer, they conclude that he is unable, and treat him with scorn, and refuse to hear him. Such unprofitable and vain discussions should always be avoided, where it is possible; and the same subject should never be entered upon a second time with the same person. It is the object of Satan to prevent our preaching the Saviour; and it should be ours, to preach or converse about nothing else.

It is, however, sometimes necessary to enter on the question, "Whence comes evil?"-difficult as it is: for it is the great misery of this people, that, while they give themselves up to every species of crime, they charge the whole, with shocking blasphemy, upon God! If a man commits any sin, he blames his fate; and, in effect, tells you, that he was compelled to act as he did. They believe that the actions, whether good or evil, of every man, with all the events of his life, are ordained of God,

and written invisibly in every individual's forehead, soon after his birth: hence the custom of preparing pen, ink, &c. in the room, on the first or second evening after the child is born: hence, too, the word "copal," forehead, is used for destiny or fate. In a word, by confounding moral and natural evil, they make God the author of both; thus destroying, at once, all human responsi bility. It will easily be conceived, how difficult it is, under such circum. stances, to convince a man of sin. Had not the Saviour promised an Almighty energy for this purpose, I should sit down in despair.

From principles so false and corrupt as those of the Hindoos, you will easily conceive that no good fruits can be pro duced. Indeed, it, is scarcely possible for a person in England to form an ades quate idea of the moral degradation every where evident in this country. Such is the depravity in which the people are sunk, that it is almost impossible not to exercise wrong feelings toward them. Patience is absolutely necessary for á Missionary in India. Here we have need to bear, with an unruffled temper and almost without seeming to feel, the most glaring falsehoods, the most foolish and childish as. sertions and reasoning, the most unjust conduct, and the most blasphemous ex pressions: for, if you manifest but such zeal and warmth as are perfectly consistent with Christian feelings and principles, they immediately accuse you of being angry; and tauntingly tell you that Christians, so far from betraying anger, ought, when smitten on one cheek, to turn the other.

While, however, from the insensibility and immoral conduct of the Natives, the mind of the European is likely to be filled with disgust, their ignorance and servility, on the other hand, tend to engender a feeling of superiority, very unbecoming the Christian cha racter. Humility, patience, and love, joined to perseverance and faith, are what all Missionaries, especially those intended for India, should particularly pray for.

As my acquaintance with the Natives enlarges, I am increasingly convinced that there is scarcely one who has the least pretension to any religious concern. If you propose any thing to a man, his first question is, "What shall I get?" or "What will be the advantage?" The

very Priests have no real concern about their religion. Their objects are merely mercenary; and they officiate at the temples because they cannot get an easier or more lucrative situation. The following incident will illustrate this observation. In taking a walk one evening, I stopped at a temple. At first, the officiating Brahmin seemed unwilling to converse: at length, however, he laid aside his reserve, and we entered into conversation. Pointing to an image that stood before me, I asked, "What is that ?" He replied, "It is God." I expressed my astonishment that he should have such unworthy notions of the Deity, as to suppose Him a piece of stone; or that he should be ignorant enough to think that image capable of affording him deliverance or salvation. "You know," I continued, "that it is only stone, and cannot help itself: why do you thus dishonour God, and deceive the ignorant people ?" He rejoined, Sir, what can I do? I have no other means of getting a living. For my service at this temple, I receive of the people of the village various articles of food, &c. amounting to about four rupees a month." "I perceive," said I," that your God is your belly:" he fully assented, observing, Yes; and if you will give me FIVE rupees a month, I will do as you wish." Such indeed is the mercenary character of the Natives, that they confess without hesi tation the irresistible power of money over them. They unblushingly assert, "We can do any thing for moneynothing without it." These are the words, not of the most abandoned characters, but of some of the most respect able among the sacred caste!

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In consequence of the gross darkness of Hindoo Idolatry, the learned among them often start objections, which should never come into one's mind. Thus, a few days ago, the Expounder of the Hindoo Law, on paying me a visit, in reading some of the explanations which I have written for the use of the Schools, when he came to the passage Hallowed be thy name, said to my Pundit, "What need is there to make an explanation of this sentence"-repeating a verse of their Shasters, in which it is said, that it is sufficient to say of God that he is worthy of worship" since all that can

be said of him is comprehended in it?" I answered, "That is true. I have left this sentence unaltered, because I cannot but understand what it is intended to mean: but it is not sufficient to give to ignorant people an idea how they ought to worship God: to them it must be plainly and practically shewn.” P. “Nobody knows what God is, and the knowledge of him cannot be obtained in this way." D. "How do you teach your young people to worship God ?" P. “We tell them, Remember that God is worthy of worship;' and, in order to express this feeling, present flowers or other gifts before the image, and say, I offer this in order to know thee, and to please thee.'" D. (could not help smiling.) "What knowledge is obtained by doing this?" P." A disciple once asked his master,' How is a knowledge of God to be obtained ?' In answer, he said, 'When you know no more any thing whatever (meaning having no idea or conception), then you begin to know God."" D. "But that in this way this knowledge is not to be obtained, nor by worshipping images which yoụ call the first step toward that attainment, comparing it to the learning of the Alphabet, is evident from this-that the most learned among you are occupied in learning this Alphabet from their early youth until their old age, without making progress. Thus you yourself went but a short time ago to repeat the letters over again." P. "I beg leave to ask you, whether you have obtained that knowledge." D." I cannot say that I am entirely destitute of it, for I know what I feel when I draw near to God in prayer." P." But allow me to ask, if you are such holy men, why of the Great Spirit, as well as men ?? do you kill beasts, which are possessed

(The Hindoos believe that the Great Spirit, or the Uncreated Being, dwells in every living creature.) D." As to animal food, you object to it, merely because you do not duly consider the subject: look but into the water that you drink, and you will see that you swallow, with every draught, thousands of living creatures; besides which you kill he-goats, and, what is worse than all, your mothers and sisters." P. "The latter is such a holy action, that, as a certain author says, the world would no more stand, if it were not for the holiness of these women: they are, as it were, the very pillars which hold it up."

Such language might appear harsh, but we remained cool. I told him that I should not be offended by his speaking freely. This man is a very civil, and (for a Bengalee) rather sensible man. When thus the Gospel remains hid from those who are wise in their own esteem, the Lord is pleased to reveal it unto the babes whose minds he has prepared for it.

I generally find, that, on account of their gross idolatrous notions, it is difficult even for the Pundits to understand the New Testament without assist ance. For instance, when I went into one of the Schools, and read with the Boys the passage, Are not two sparrows sold for a furtking, &c.—they smiled at it, as if it had no meaning; but when I had shewed them in what connexion it stands, and told them that even our smallest concerns are not unknown to our Father in Heaven, and that not even one hair of His people shall be injured without His permission, they seemed surprised and ashamed.

In a subsequent Letter, Mr.Deerr gives further illustrations of the

views and notions of the Natives :According to the opinions of the Hindoos, a particle of the Godhead is dwelling in every living creature. This made me curious to know of how many spirits they suppose men to be possessed; and I inquired accordingly of the Pundits, from whom I received the following account." There are but two sorts of spirits-the animal life, which ceases at death; and the Jubatna, or the spirit in the proper sense of the word, which is a particle of the Godhead, though, while united to matter, it is involved in deception." In order to explain this, he took my hat, and said, "The empty space within the hat is sky, as well as that which surrounds the hat: it is only inclosed by the crown of the hat. Thus, the spirit within is, indeed, a part of the Godhead; though, by being united to matter, it is involved in Maya (or deception): we call it, for distinction sake, Jubatna: and when our body dies, our spirit is brought before the judgmentseat." I answered, "How can this be? Can God judge himself? And if this were the case, you would have no existence at all." The Pundit replied, "Can you tell me a place where God is not ?" D. "I do not know any such place." P. Then you must allow that

he fills my whole frame." D. "You may then as well say that he is in wood, stone, &c." P. "So it is; and it is only an illusion produced by Maya, that you see wood as wood, and stone as stone; just such an illusion as if a person takes a rope for a serpent. Whatever you see, or hear, or feel, as for instance the pain which you feel when you are beaten, the love which a parent feels for his child, in short all agreeable or disagreeable sensations, are but the consequence of Maya." D. “But if this is the case, how can you form a right judgment of any thing? For if one man kills another, this is, according to your opinion, merely a deception: how can you, therefore, presume to judge of any matter?" P. "I cannot express my opinion with sufficient clearness: it is not so exactly as I say." D. "This is just what I want that you should allow -that it is not so as you say: and you see how pernicious your doctrine is; for if that part of man which survives after his death is God himself, what reason has he to be afraid of punishment? And if I am God, whatsoever I do, I cannot

make any difference in my ultimate

state; why should I therefore deny to myself any gratification, however sinful? Why should I not rather do whatever my heart desires ?" P." Even the fear of punishment is the consequence of Maya." D." If all is but deception, then your worship is founded upon wrong principles, and your image worship is indefensible." P. "This is true; and if I had the true knowledge of God, and could render true worship unto him, I should no more make this sign on my forehead." He meant to say, that he would no longer perform any religious ceremonies, and should be devoid of all sensations.

In such darkness are these people involved! And yet their self-love leads them to imagine, that, with regard to religion, they are far superior to all other nations; so that they think it wrong even to go near to an individual of another nation; and they say their forefathers would never have done so.

The term which they generally use for a European is a term of reproach

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Melchahho," abominable, or vile. That this is the common term by which they designate Europeans will appear from the mistaken compliment which a Boy paid me, when asking a favour of me he said, in Bengalee, "Sir, you

are the incarnation of abomination." I supposed the Boy was come to mock me: I looked, therefore, sharply at him, and asked him, "What am I?" Then he lifted up his hands, as they usually do, and respectfully repeated the same. I asked him who had told him to give me this title. He said, "Nobody told

me to call you so, but all our Brahmins say that the Sahibs are Melchahho:" he wished, therefore, to give me a more respectful title, by making me an incarnation of Melchahho, or abomination! This, however, ought not to diminish our love for them; but rather to excite our compassion, seeing that they are so deeply involved in Maya, or deception.

I may, however, add, that though the Hindoos speak in this way, yet many of them are in their consciences convinced of the inferiority of their religion to ours. I perceived this, when one of my Pundits complained, that they were despised in consequence of their reading the Gospels in the Schools. I said, "You ought to esteem it a great honour, that you instruct the Boys in your School in such an excellent book." He replied, "You may truly say so: but I assure you if the people knew what is contained in the Gospels, and what the consequence may be of the Boys reading them, not one single Boy would remain in the School; for if a Boy acquires an acquaintance with their contents, this is enough to turn his head, when he is sufficiently advanced in age to know good from evil and right from wrong!" Now if the Hindoo Pundits were not conscious of the untenable

ness of their System, they would not be afraid that if a Boy was instructed in the Gospels, he would, in consequence, change his mind, when he comes to years of discretion.

anxious to communicate to this Well may the Missionaries feel people the only True and Saving Knowledge. Mr. Perowne writes

I am earnestly desirous of becoming able to preach, as we must consider THAT the main instrument of the destruction of Satan's kingdom; nor shall I think myself fully engaged in Missionary Work, till a great part of my time is spent in preaching from village to village.

In the intercourse which I have hitherto had with the Natives, I perceive that my great want is-a good acquaintance with the language of the common people, and a facility in illustrating the subject of discourse by easy and striking similes. The language can only be acquired by mixing a good deal with the people: books and even Pundits afford but little help in this respect. Figures are rendered necessary, by the deficiency of intellect on the part of the multitude, and from its being their usual mode of communicating their ideas: in this, an Englishman is not, at first, quite at home.

I cannot conclude without earnestly beseeching you to send us more Missionaries. Two or three more, AT LEAST, are necessary for this Station. These people are perishing by millions, in sin and ignorance!

Church Missionary Society.

WE lament that we have to add to the distressing intelligence in our last Number respecting Sierra Leone. Mrs. Palmer, Widow of the Rev. H. Palmer, removed from Regent's Town to Freetown on the 10th of May: on the 25th she was taken with the common fever of the country, and was delivered of a still-born child: on the 6th of June she died; and, on the 7th, was conveyed to Regent's Town, and buried by the side of her late affectionate husband. How well she was prepared for her departure, will appear from the extracts of her Letters,given at p. 307 of our last Number. The Rev. H. Düring had suffered much from sickness, but was recovered. He writes, on the 30th of May

Mr. Wilhelm was in a doubtful situation, but it has pleased God to restore him. Mr. Gerber has

had the Yellow Fever, but is better; he is the fourth in the whole Colony who has recovered of that fatal disorder,

The state of the Rev. T. C. Deininger's health, at Malta, has made it necessary for him to retire, for a season, to the cooler climate of the North of Italy.

Major Phipps, an active Member of the Calcutta Corresponding Committee, arrived at Southampton, on the 9th of July, in the Lady Rafles.

Letters from Ceylon, of the 8th of March, from the Rev. Robert Mayor, report the good health of the Society's Labourers.

London Missionary Society.

The Rev. W. Crow, with Mrs. Crow, appointed to Quilon, sailed from the Downs, on the 9th of March, in company of the Scottish Missionaries mentioned in a former