The other points mentioned in the reports under notice are not less interesting:

"Since Mr. Rhenius was here, we have been busily engaged in raising a Christian Village. The Christians will soon all live near each other; in a healthy spot; entirely separate from the Heathen Villages, and yet at a convenient distance from all of them. The Mission Schools are built there.

"I am engaged in establishing a gratuitous circulating library for the use of the Native Christians and others. I have already above a hundred books contributed to it. Allow me to apply through you to the Committee for a copy of the Missionary Register from the commencement; and one copy each of the Scriptures and Common Prayer in every language in which they have hitherto been printed.

"I observe in one of the Missionary Registers, that Mr. Schnarrè is directed to select twenty promising Youths for instruction, with a view to their future employment as Readers, Catechists, and Country Priests. Miglt I beg to be eutrusted with the instruction of five or six of these Youths? I should gladly devote a considerable portion of my time to them, if I found them likely to prove useful servants to the Society. I have already one Youth under instruction. He seems to me to have more real religion than I have yet witnessed among the Natives, and bears an excellent character. He is very desirous of understanding the Scriptures, and of proving himself a faithful servant of Christ. He is the Catechist's wife's brother. I hope shortly to be able to transmit such an account of his proficiency and good conduct, as shall warrant me in proposing to the Committee that something should be allowed him from the general fund, to enable him to prepare for future services."

The Committee partake of the concern, which Mr. Harper has felt, at quitting a field thus partially whitening unto the Harvest; but they trust that the benefits of his residence at Chittoor will not cease with his departure. They have already the prospect of his superintendence over the

concerns of the Society there, being, in some measure, supplied; and they trust that his removal will eventually be found productive of increased usefulness, in another sphere. He is followed by their best thanks for his past services, in the cause of the Society; and with their prayers for an abundaut blessing on his labours, wherever they may be henceforth exercised.

Palamcottah.

Amidst many painful interruptions of his various labours, occasioned by frequent returns of severe illness, the Rev. Mr. Hough has continued through this year to carry forward his numerous plans for the promotion of the Society's objects, at this station, and in different parts of the District of Tinnevelly, with unabated zeal and prudence; and, the Committee are thankful to be enabled to add, with increasing success.

The large town of Tutecoryn, on the sea coast of Tinnevelly, about forty miles from Palamcottah, had very early engaged Mr. Hough's attention. It is a Dutch Settlement, containing a considerable native population, a great propertion of which are "Purrawars," a class of Roman Catholics inhabiting the sea-coast of this district, and of Ceylon, and engaged chiefly in the coasting trade of that part of the country. He established a School there, with some prospect of success, at the beginning of the year; but the jealousy of the Roman Catholics, and the prejudices of the Natives, against a Protestant Christian Schoolmaster, defeated the plan.

A Roman Catholic Schoolmaster was then proposed to them; and the measure was approved of, at the time: but it fell to the ground, when it should have been carried into effect; and every attempt to gain a footing among them was disappointed, till a Heathen Schoolmaster was selected, who was instructed in the improved method of teaching, and was found willing to adopt the prescribed lessons and books. Uuder him the School still continues, but in a very low state.

From the Schools at Palamcottah,

Mr. Hough derives increasing satisfaction. Much suspicion and prejudice prevailed, for a length of time, against the use of the Scriptures and Books; and some modification of the lessons was, at one period, found unavo dable: but the jealousy of the people on this point has gradually lessened; and, so long ago as the mouth of March last, Mr. Hough reported that religious books were read with much more freedom than they were formerly; and, indeed, that there were several instances, where a lively interest appeared to be taken in their contents."

Tiunevelly, the chief town of the District, situated at a little distance from Palamcottah, was the next place to which Mr. Hough's attention was turned but the difficulties opposed to his making an entrance there were many; and, for a while, seemingly insuperable.

With the fickleness of disposition, which has been remarked of the Natives of Judia in a preceding part of this Report, some of the most respectable inhabitants of this place, after long evincing the greatest repuguance to the introduction of a School among them under EUROPEAN Superintendance, suddenly relented, and professed much desire for its establishment. Hardly were the necessary preparations begun, when their minds changed again, and every obstacle was thrown in the way. Three months elapsed before a house could be obtained, adapted for the accommodation of the School: but one was, at length, procured; and, on the 1st of June, an English School was opened, in which there were soon twenty Children.

At the beginning of the following month, another School was opened in the village of Tachiuoor, near Tinney elly, and forty Scholars were shortly collected in it.

In the month of December, another School was opened, with the full concurrence of the inhabitants, (one of whom appropriated a house for its use,) in a populous place called Mylappallyum, about three miles from Palamcottah, which, by the end of the mouth, con tained seventy children. At this period Mr. Hough reported on the state of his Schools generally, in the following terms:

"Our School at Palamcottah continues much the same, as when I wrote last. That at Tinnevelly is greatly increased; and there is every appearance of the people's coming to a better mind toward us. I have a Native of some ability, preparing himself to take charge of a Tamul School in that town; and fully expect him to be qualified in a few weeks. The School at Tachinoor continues as it was: the School-Room is finished; and we were under the necessity of building a house for the Master, in the village.

"The opening of the School at Mylappallum was a scene most gratifying to my feelings. Moormen and Hindoos flocked AROUND and IN the place, to hear the Christian Prayer that was offered to the Majesty of Heaven, invoking the Divine Blessing on our labours.

"The School at Tutecoryn still disappoints me. At one time since our last Report, there were seventeen Scholars ; but they have fallen away again; and the last account stated that the number was reduced to ten. Indeed if the report for December prove no better, I think of withdrawing the Schoolmaster, as the Gentleman who has hitherto superin tended the School is removed; and if it flourished so little under his care, there are but faint hopes of its prospering without him. I fiud the Roman Catholics, in every other case as well as this, far more perverse than the Heathen. I visit their Churches, converse with their Priests, and offer them books; but not one has yet accepted the proffered boon. I have, notwithstanding, the most pleasing encouragement to hope that these poor labours are not in vain.

"It has caused a stir among the Catholic PEOPLE. Several have intimated to the Catechist here, a wish to join our Church; and one, though a most perfect Nicodemus, has been to me several times, first to ask for a book, next to talk about it and beg a Testament, and next to inquire into the origin of the worship paid to the Virgin, and other parts of their Service, the legitimacy of which he evidently began to suspect."

The following Table shews the number of Schools under Mr. Hough's superintendence, and of the Scholars in each at the close of the year :

All these Schools have been hitherto carried on at Mr. Hough's own expense, and by contributions raised by him among the European residents of the Station; but the aggregate expense of the whole being now greater than the supplies from so limited a sphere can afford, the Committee have felt cordial satisfaction in granting, from the funds of the Society, a monthly contribution of twenty pagodas toward their future support. In order also to give permanency to Mr. Hough's plans in Tinnevelly, and to guard against renewed instances of the inconstancy of the people on whom their present occupation of the place depends, and to obtain a footing for further Missionary Plans, the Committee have sanctioned a proposal of Mr. Hough's for purchasing, for the accommodation of the School there and for such other purposes as may arise, at the expense of 300 pagodas, a commodious building and ground attached, situated in the town, from the possession of which he confidently reckons on the best consequences.

Besides the Schools for the education of all descriptions of Children in common, Mr. Hough has opened a Semi

nary for the particular instruction of Native Protestant Christians, for eventual employment in the Society's Missions, in which Seven promising Youths are now taught by the Catechist of the place, Mr. Hough has recently examined the pupils; and states himself well satisfied with their proficiency, for the short time during which the plan has been in operation. The sphere of instruction will gradually be moulded into a more systematic and complete form.

The intelligence that follows this account of the infant seminary for Native Missionaries, cannot be so well conveyed as in the writers own words,

"About six months ago, two Native Christians from Situmburapooram, a village about thirty miles to the Southward, brought me a complaint against the Heathen of their village, who interrupted them in the building of a Church and the performance of their religious duties. I sent them, of course, to the Collector, who immediately gave the necessary orders for their protection. Before their return home, I questioned them as to the state of their Christian Society, and their own views on the subject of Christianity. Their answers,

though simple, indicated sincerity; and, finding that one of them could read, I presented him with a Tamul PrayerBook, and a Tract containing the principles of Christianity. They begged for a Catechist: but it was not in my power to grant their request, before the month of October last; when I sent them a young Man, whom Mr. Kolhoff had directed to me from Tanjore. He came in quest of employment; and, finding him qualified for the duties of either a Catechist or Schoolmaster, I sent him to Situmburapooram, in company with the Catechist of this Station, to ascertain the disposition of the people, and the particulars about THEM and the neighbouring country.

"The substance of the Report was as follows:

"In the village itself there were seven men, who with their families made twenty-three souls, desirous of leaving the Roman Communion, and joining that of the Protestant Church. The name of the head-man is Royappen, to whom Mr. Ringletaube, late of Milaudy, gave a Testament, some time back; and it appears to have been from the careful perusal of this Sacred Volume, that they have formed their holy purpose. A short distance from this village is another, Kunrumgalum, in which are five Heathen Men with their families, twenty-seven all together, most desirous of receiving instruction, with a view to their being baptized into the Christian Faith.

"I could not ascertain that they had any motive whatever, but a pure desire to turn from darkness unto light. Under such circumstances, and as one man could easily attend to both villages, I desired the Catechist to remain there to form the Catholics into a Protestant Church, and to prepare the Heathen for baptism.

"They have not a Church yet; and I do not encourage the making of preparations for one, until I shall have been able to visit them myself, and fix on the most eligible spot of ground for the building. Royappen has offered the ground; and our Collector has again, of his own accord, proffered us his assistance.

"There, then the Church Missionary Society may consider itself as possessed

of another Station; and, as in the junction of two Villages in one Parish at home, we will call it ‘Situmburapooram cum Kunrumgalum.' The Catechist's name is Arulanum."

At every station where the Society has any footing, supplies of the Holy Scriptures, in different languages, have been sent, from time to time; and the copies have been scattered extensively among the people. What may be the blessing conveyed by a solitary copy of a Bible or Testament, given, it may be, incidentally, the occurrence in the village of Situmburapooram (were there not on record many similar occurrences, in various places) might serve to manifest. The circumstances which have attended the distribution of some of the supplies sent to Mr. Hough, will be known by the following narrative communicated by him :

"The supply of Tamul Testaments, which you sent me last, by sea, is more than half gone. Of the Gentoo Gospels, there are none remaining. As I never give away a book, without ascertaining first whether or not the person can understand it, you may ima gine that there must be some iute. resting cases; and such is, indeed, the fact. But, as they differ so little from many published accounts, I think it unnecessary to trouble you with them. Yet one that occurred yesterday is so recent, and so uncommon in this part of the world, that I shall relate it as one proof, among many, that your donations of Testaments to the poor people of this district are not altogether thrown away:

"A Roman Catholic, sixty-eight years of age, and the brother of a Roman Catholic four years younger than himself, came fourteen miles to beg for a Tamul Testament. His appearance, for his black face and breast were covered with white hairs, increased the interest which his request had excited; and, as he bowed his aged body to receive the boon which be craved, I could not but pray, that the Book which he held might lead him to bend before the footstool of mercy, to receive the salvation of his soul."

The Committee, after this review of Mr. Hough's exertions and success, in