FOREIGN MISSIONS.

Extract of a letter from a person in England to his correspondent in Phila delphia.

"THE effort, which is making in the New England States, to establish Auxiliary Societies in aid of the Missionary fund is no doubt most judicious; and, should it be the means of rousing public attention to the object, in the manner that the establishment of Auxiliary Bible Societies has done in this country to that object, it will prove a most efficient measure. Of this you will be convinced, when it is stated, that at the annual meeting [of the British and Foreign Bible Society] held last May, [1811] the sum reported that year from the Auxiliary Societies was £6,070. and the present year it will amount to no less than 24,800."

This is upwards of 110,000 dollars, independent of the permament funds, and the large annual contributions made directly to the Parent Society.

LETTERS FROM INDIA.

We have been favored with several letters from Missionaries in India to their friends in Philadelphia, from which we shall publish the most interesting and important rarts. Dr. Carey writes to the Rev. Dr. Staughton the same statement, with respect

to the translations, which appeared, in a letter to another friend, published in the last number of the Panoplist Sev. eral paragraphs on other subjects we quote.

"The state of religion in this coun. try, [Bengal] though still disproportionately below what is the case in England and America, is yet so much beyond what it was when I first arriv ed in this country, that a comparison can scarcely be drawn. Then a true Christian was almost unknown, now, besides the churches which have through mercy been collected, we frequently hear of individuals in situations where they would not have been expected. The leaven is diffusing itself through the mass, and will, I trust, continue to do so till the whole is leavened.

"Among the events favorable to the diffusion of the Gospel, I consider the Auxiliary Bible Socieiy, first begun in Calcutta the beginning of the present had the effect of calling upon the great, year, as one of the chief. This has selves for or against the Bible. A and inducing them to declare them. the settlement have joined the Society, great number of the first gentlemen in and its funds already amount to hear 60,000 rupees [about 33,000 dollars.] Its undertakings are proportioned to its funds; for it is now about to print at the mission-press a large edition of the Tamul Bible, a large edition of the Cingalese New Testament, and a large edition of the Malayalam New Testament. The Christians on the coast from Madras to Cape Comorin are in great need of Bibles. The Tamul is for them. There are 380,000 professing, or nominal, Christians in the island of Ceylon; and not more than thirty copies of the New Testament for them all. The Cingalese are for them. The Gospels, and, I think, the other parts of the New Testament, have been lately translated into the Malayalam language by, or under the superintendance of, the bishop of the Syrian churches, on the west coast of the Peninsula. The Malayalam version is for them. I doubt not but

other objects equally great will be undertaken when these are accomplish

ed.

"A second thing which will probably contribute much to the further extension of the knowledge of the Gospel, is the introduction of Lancaster's plan of education into this country. We have a free school for the education of the children of the poor in Calcutta, in which we have now more than three hundred, all of whom are instructed by two persons, viz. a teacher for the boys who are about two hundred, and a female instructor for the girls, now near one hundred. We hope this plan may be eventually extended through the whole country. In these schools the knowledge of the Scriptures is taught, and thousands will, I trust, be eventually brought to an acquaintance with the holy oracles.

"The work of translating the word of God into the Oriental languages is gaining ground, and translation and sacred criticism will, I trust, be attended to in a manner surpassing what we see in Europe. Several persons of ability have already set their hands to the work of translation; some of them to produce different versions in Some of the languages in which we have engaged, and some in others. Thus Mr. Martyn, a pious clergyman of the church of England, has made another version into the Hindoosthannee language. This, however, is widely different from ours, being in the Hyper-Arabico dialect only read by Mussulmans of learning, while ours, leaning to the Sangskrit, will be read by the body of the people. Nathanael Sabat has made a version into Persian, and another into the Arabic language, of which, being an Arabian, he is complete master. Another version of the New Testament has been made by Mr. Sebastiani, an Italian priest of the Romish church, and a man of great learning. We relinquished the Persian when Sabat's was begun. The Cingalese Old Testament is, I hear, in a course of translation on the island of Ceylon; and I hope the Syrian bishop will go on with the Malayalam. A gentleman, lately of Calcutta, has employed men, who have made rough dranghts of translations of a single VOL. V. New Series.

Gospel into five languages not yet touched by any one else. And our late brother Desgranges, who died at Vizagapatam, left versions of the three first Gospels in the Telinga language, in addition to our version in that language.

"I hope you will continue your communications, when the jealousy of nations permits an intercourse."

This letter is dated at Calcutta, Oct. 9th, 1811.

A letter from Dr. Marshman to Dr. Staughton, dated January 18th, 1812, (the last from India,) contains the following intelligence:

"The Mission is, on the whole, prosperous. Nearly a hundred have been added this year [i. e. the year 1811, we presume] to our different churches; and two or three brethren, natives of India, discover a love to the work of calling sinners. It is thus that we expect the word will spread through India. The elders, &c. whom Paul and others ordained in every city

were native converts.

"We hope to send a mission to Java, in a month or two. Brother Chamberlain is fixed at Agra with brother Peacock, (baptised in Calcutta) and they are going on hopefully in the heart of Hindoostan. A friend in the Mahratta country is gradually spreading the Scriptures and the savor of the Redeemer's name. We have a dayschool in Calcutta on Lancaster's plan for catholic Hindoos and Mussulmans, which contains 315 children. They are instructed in the Scriptures by brother Leonard, one of our deacons. In a word, let us have your prayers. It is the influence from on high that we need, and without this we are nothing."

A letter from another of the Missionaries at Serampore, to Robert Ralston, Esq. dated Jan. 15th, 1812, states, that they have in the press, and are casting types for, fourteen translations of the Scriptures in the different languages, five of which are under the patronage either of the British and Foreign Bible Society, or of the Calcutta Auxiliary Bible Society. The following sentences we quote:

"We have been blessed with a great

13

portion of health, and our translationwork is enlarging, and I hope is in a truly desirable state. We have added about 70 members to the church at Calcutta during 1811, and the new year began with the baptism of brother Carey's youngest son.

"I am sorry to inform you, that brother Mardon has lost his partner in life. She died at our house a few days ago. Brother Robinson is again married, and expects to go to Java to begin a mission there."

The letter from which these ex. tracts are taken is so much worn, that the writer's name does not appear.

Mr. Ward writes to Dr. Staughton from Serampore, Jan. 2, 1812, as fol

lows:

"I have the pleasure of sending you a box containing a copy of almost all our publications. I am quite grieved, that I cannot write you a long letter; but I am so oppressed with a multiplicity of affairs, that I know not what to do. These books and circular letters must supply my deficiences. All my brethren unite in love."

Mr. Gordon, one of the Missionaries of the London Society, writes to Dr. Staughton from Vizagapatam, Oct. 10th, 1811, that his family had experienced many trials; that the climate of Vizagapatam did not agree with himself, Mrs. Gordon, or their children; but that he derived consolation from the prospect of eternal rest. He adds:

"Just let me say that the lumen turpureum juventæ has taken flight no more to return, and has left a lurida frontis nubeculat which will attend me to the tomb, with which I have been of late much conversant. Yet all the days of my time will I wait till my change come. I do most earnestly desire to live a little longer, that I may see a new edition of the Gospels printed in Teloogoo; [commonly written Telinga;] for you must know, that our invaluable colleague, the beloved Desgranges, completed the three first but a few days before he was cal

The purple bloom of youth.
† A dismal paleness of countenance,

led away. These are now printing in Bengal under the superintendence of our brother Anunderayer. And I have begun John, at which I am laboring hard, and do hope to see it finished,. and with the three above printed, before I go hence and am no more seen.

"I design, if I can set it complete, to send you, (and I think it will be a curiosity,) the three Gospels on a native book, the leaves written "with an iron pen." The character is beautiful; and I think the language is rich, and in many instances elegant.

"The portion of health granted me for the past 12 months, though attended by many pains, and much distress, has enabled me to make that progress in the language, which is beyond any calculation of mine, and I ask my brother to thank God on my behalf."

Letters have been received from Mr. Lee dated Vizagapatam, Nov. 19th, 1811. The principal intelligence which they contain is embodied in the Account of Missionaries in the East, contained in our present number.

Several of the Missionaries express fears, that, if the English Missionaries should arrive in too large numbers at a time, the Government of Bengal might send them back to England. These fears have been manifested in many letters from India of which we have heard, and have occasioned some anxiety to the friends of the American Missionaries. We are rather inclined to hope, and believe, that no serious evil will be experienced from this source. From what has lately taken place in Calcutta in the formation of an Auxiliary Bible Society with large funds, and from the patronage which is afforded to the Missionaries at Serampore, we may safely conclude that the Government of India will not take a decided stand against missions. When it is consid ered that our missionaries were favored with letters and documents from British consuls, and from bishop White of Philadelphia, it is not to be seriously apprehended that they will be prevented from landing at Calcutta, and residing at Serampore, till they can get a suitable passage to the place of their ultimate destination.