though our ratio of increase is but arithmetical now, we think we can see promise, if not of a geometrical ratio soon, at least of an increase upon the present.

"The progress upward has been one of toil here, and has made large demands on the faith of the missionaries; but the results have been as encouraging as could have been expected, from the nature of the work and the condition of the people among whom we labor.

Population around the Stations. "The number of people within a radius of three miles from each of our stations varies from 500 to 3,000, making an aggregate of about 10,000 persons. Adding to these the people around the four stations where our native missionaries labor-2,000, and we have 12,000 people near enough to attend easily on preaching. On dividing the number by our average Sabbath congregations 1,356, it will appear that we gather more than one tenth of this population regularly, every Sabbath. If we divide the same by the number of church members, we find that about one twenty-seventh are in the church. Besides this, our influence as a mission is strongly felt over about twice or thrice the area above mentioned, and over at least three times that number of people. We probably exert a direct influence on more than one eighth of the population of the Colony, and our books influence a much larger portion of the natives. Other societies have taken many of the remaining portions under their care. The white population is likely to increase by natural growth and immigration, till all the land not held in reserve shall have been occupied as farms or villages; and where the Spirit of God has wrought upon the hearts of the white inhabitants, we have seen that their influence is friendly to the cause of Christ among the natives. We trust that God will favor his work here by raising up many co-workers with us, from among those who come from a land of great light to make Africa their home."

Mention is made of the different laborers who have been connected with the mission, of the labors of individuals, the increase of property and the progress of

civilization among the natives, the native helpers, translation work, etc., and then the letter passes to

The Seminary and the Churches. "The Seminary has now been in operation nearly three years, having been commenced in 1865. The past year has been the most useful of the three. The number of pupils during the year has been 30. The annual examination at the close of the last term passed off satisfactorily, and the attainments of the pupils called forth expressions of surprise and gratification from some English gentlemen who were present.

"We cannot report unusual interest in religion at most of our stations, the past year, yet the number added to the churches within the year-52, indicates considerable progress.

"The great difficulty felt by the missionaries in appointing native pastors, is in the want of men prepared by education for the work. The key to knowledge is, as yet, in the hands of but very few. We can make preachers of unlearned and ignorant men, who seem to be rich in faith; we do encourage such to preach under our watch and care; and here the matter must rest till we can get education, piety, and experience, from our seminary, sufficient to build upon. There are other aspects of the case which we might speak of, but the difficulties will vanish ere long. We hope soon to prepare the more urgently required text-books, and to press on the more promising students to such attainments in knowledge as shall qualify them, in a good degree, to be useful ministers of the Word."

Eastern Turkey Mission.

LETTER FROM A NATIVE PREACHER.

MR. WHEELER, of Harpoot, a short time before leaving this country, on his return to Turkey, sent to the Missionary House the following letter from a native preacher to himself; respecting the writer of which he states:

"The writer of the following letter, be

ing rescued from a life of intemperance, became one of the first converts in Harpoot, and has for years been so zealous and successful a helper in the missionary work as to be known as 'Bedros (Peter) the Apostle. Such is his reputation for Christian fervor, that one of the little missionary children, meeting him and hearing his name, inquired, Toon Asdoodzo Bedrosn es?' 'Are you God's Bedros?' "Though a man of little general knowledge, having never been a member of the seminary nor of any school, he is thoroughly furnished from the treasure-house of God's Word, and has always an answer ready from that. He has been very successful in winning souls to Christ. He is now laboring in Geghi, one of the most distant districts of our mission field, in the 'chief town' of which the gospel light has begun to shine, and a small band of faithful brethren have, for some time, been vainly trying to overcome the opposition of the Gregorians' and erect a place of worship.

"I give the translation of his letter, hoping that his earnest appeal will 'wake up' some 'renewed, prayer-loving souls' to give more effectual heed to the sorrowful wail' of the perishing millions in other lands."

"1868, AT GEGHI KASABAH,

(chief town of Geghi,) March 18th. 'Honor-worthy and esteemed Bodvellee.*

"To the lady and your children, and to all the brethren and sisters in Christ in

that land, Mariam [Mary, his wife] and I send special salutations, and we pray for your life. I must give you a little information about this place.

"First, the chapel has not yet been built. The cause is, that city and village have conspired, like the enemies of Paul, saying, 'We will neither eat nor drink till we have accomplished our purpose.' In the second place, there is no cause except the cry, 'Let Barabbas be set at liberty and Christ be crucified.'

"My wife and I have gone to the places around the city, -to Temran, Arek, Melican, Cherman, and especially to hostile Hoopoos, where I staid a week with my

* Honorable, a title given to the missionaries and native pastors.

wife. In this village we saw both bodily and spiritual slavery. In truth, with this darkness light shines, but the darkness is so great that there is danger that the little light be lost, unless help be sent.

In this village I preached in the Armenian church, about an hour, on the Sabbath. The priest also gave attention, with much love. In Hoopoos we refrained not from speaking God's word, sometimes hearing words of reproach, mingled sometimes with love. I only remembered the word of our Lord, —‘The harvest is great and the laborers few.'

"Where, then, are the prayer-loving souls? Where those who love Christ? Where those renewed by the Holy Spirit? Let them wake up! Let them wake up to do something for Christ. The day has come. He that has the spirit of prayer, let him keep on [praying]. He that is able to speak, let him not keep silence. He that is rich, let him not spare. While the light lasts let him labor. The night cometh when he will not be able to labor.

"I must tell you a little about my visiting and talking with a sick man, 110 years old. He was a Gregorian.* When I went, I said to him,-'Father, do you wish that I read the Gospel to you a little ?' 'I should be very happy,' he replied, and at once tears ran from his eyes. After reading, I asked him, 'What hope have you of going to heaven, and on whom do you trust?' He replied, 'All my days I have called on all the saints, and on the mother of God, the holy virgin.' 'Is there no other?' I asked. Who is there?' he asked, 'I know of no one.' 'Did Christ do nothing for you?' I asked. Turning up his nose, he asked, What did he do?' 'Did he not shed his blood for you?' I asked. Again turning up his nose, he said, 'They say 'tis one thousand years since he came. Where was I then? I have only heard that he came and saved Adam from hell.' Wretched man! He was indeed baptized 110 years ago, and called a Christian! Finally I talked to him more than an hour about the Saviour. He wept much and

The Armenians call themselves by this name, from "Gregory the Illuminator,' under whose labors their nation received Christianity, about A. D. 319.

was very grateful, and we parted friends. As he was a very poor man, I gave not only spiritual but pecuniary aid also, according to my ability. I am sorry I was not with him when he died.

"Let now all the believing brethren and sisters bewail the condition of such as he. Let those who call themselves Christians not cease from doing their duty. Let them know that there are thousands and millions in this condition, and that their sorrowful wail comes to us from the ends of the earth.

"BEDROS BESHKETOORIAN."

Letter from Mr. Penfield, April 5, 1868.

MR. PENFIELD reached Madura in May, 1867, and therefore had been in the mission field less than a year when he wrote. Thus he gives "first impressions," and the feelings of one newly entered upon the scenes and labors of a foreign, pagan land. To some extent it is always pleasant to read communications written under such circumstances; as writers are likely to notice just the things which would attract the attention of the reader if he were himself to visit the same scenes; and Mr. Penfield's interest in the mission work, his desire to be able to speak to the people in their own tongue, and his gratitude when he could begin to do this, are gratifying.

Meeting of Helpers - Rejoicing to Understand. "Since writing you last, I have attended the March meeting of the East Local Committee, held at Mana Madura; which was full of interest to me, being the first of these meetings which it has been my privilege to attend. The chief feature of the occasion was the examination of the helpers in the Scriptural and other studies pursued by them the previous six months. "I was moved to deep thankfulness, that God had to such an extent granted my prayers, that I could, without difficulty, understand the greater part of the questions and replies. I must not fail here also to record my gratitude, that the trying days, in which I have been forced to

The People given to Idolatry - A Festival. "I have, of late, seen something of the hold which heathenism has upon this dark-minded people. In company with an esteemed brother of the Church Mission, I drove out to Secundamalie, at the time of one of the monthly heathen festivals celebrated there. The distance was only about four miles, but the road was thronged with people nearly all the way. At a moderate computation, we met on our way thither six thousand persons, who were returning to the city after spending the greater part of the day at the mountain; and notwithstanding the lateness of the hour, there were nearly as many going as returning.

"On reaching the mountain, we were utterly at a loss to account for the throng of people, (except that it is considered a work of merit to visit the mountain during these feasts), for there were no imposing ceremonies such as I was prepared to see,- -no processions, car-drawings, decoration and worship of idols, or public exhibitions of any kind. Nor did we, in our rambles about the place, fall in with any who were undergoing self-torture in any way. A few religious mendicants,

clothed in fantastic rags, shaking their jangle of bells and soliciting alms, were slowly making their way through the dense crowds that blocked up the narrow street directly in front of the temple.

"On a nearer approach we saw still others, who with one hand were supporting a staff, to the top of which was affixed a brass censer with burning coals, and upon this they were frequently throwing such incense as the various worshipers had to offer. The perfume wafted from these censers was very sweet, and in return we silently wafted toward heaven our prayer for these deluded worshipers, that they may yet be led to offer to the only true God, the far sweeter incense of grateful, loving hearts.

"A noticeable feature of the scene near the temple was the profusion, variety, and really tempting display of candy and other sweetmeats, while farther away was a most surprising amount of glass bracelets, of different patterns and colors. Literally, cartloads were offered for sale in immense heaps by the road-side, while several heavily-laden carts stood by, filled with these frail but highly-prized ornaments.

"We did not leave until we had conversed with several groups, a little out of the throng and hubbub, of Christ and his salvation.

Prostrations. "Having learned that several persons during the day had been performing prostrations, or rolling around the mountain, according to the different vows they had previously made, and that similar scenes might probably be witnessed the next day, I ordered my pony by light, and rode around the base of the mountain. Before completing the circuit I came up with two separate parties, in each of which a man of about forty years of age was measuring his length around the mountain by successive prostrations. They were probably performing vows made, in time of sickness or trouble, to Supramanian, the presiding deity of Secundamalie; and, together with each prostration, two little boys in attendance chanted, in responses, the name of the deity.

"In these prostrations the mode of progress was as follows: Lying upon the ground with face downwards, the wor

shiper reaches his hands forward as far as possible, and describes with them, in the dust, segments of two circles; then, rising, he plants his feet on the marks thus made, and prostrating himself again at full length, again, with outstretched hands, marks his extreme length in the dust. Thus he continues to do till, by a succession of similar prostrations, he has passed completely around the mountain, a distance of about two miles.

"Neither of the two I saw seemed to have the slightest suspicion that he was engaged in anything ridiculous. On the other hand, there was every appearance of selfcomplacency, especially in the carriage of the more robust of the two, as he, though behind the other at first, by more rapid movements quickly came up with and passed him. The latter, however, not to be outdone, managed to keep near his rival by taking a good long step in advance of his mark each time, before making his prostrations. Thus was the pride and deceit of their hearts evinced in the midst of what are considered their most holy acts. Alas for poor human nature striving to atone for sin, or to cleanse itself, without knowledge of the one efficacious sacrifice.

"We are enjoying a few weeks in the health retreat of the mission on the Pulneys, and already feel ourselves reinvigorated by the cool air of these mountains."