LIVING BY FAITH.-It is as possible for you as it was for St. Paul "to live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved you, and gave himself for you," to live a life in which every curse entailed by man's first disobedience becomes a blessing; for, to him that believeth, tribulationing and erecting the blocks. The objects of their erecperfects repentance, confirms faith, magnifies grace, and adds assurance to hope. Labour becomes a discipline of patience, fitting for the rest and service of heaven; and death is a joyful entrance into the perfect vision of Christ. -Bigge.

MISSIONARY RECORDS.

No. CCXC.

NOVEMBER 14, 1868.

"Seek the Lord, and ye shall live.”—Amos v. 6.

increasing for them to be snapped asunder and abolished altogether. A great harvest of souls is preparing to be reaped. The Spirit of the Lord is moving amongst the people; and multitudes are beginning to be anxious for better things than idolatry can bestow, and, though MARKED DECLINE OF HINDOOISM.-"What is the perhaps in many cases unconsciously, are yearnopinion of educated Hindoos on the worthless- ing and feeling after God, if haply they may ness of idolatry and the necessity for radical find him." With reference to the education of changes in the prevailing system of religion? youth, the same writer observes: "The young In a lecture in the English language delivered men of our schools being well trained in the by a learned brahmin before a literary society bible, and taught the strict knowledge of in Benares, composed largely of Hindoos of high western nations, step by step, and often unconcaste and of good social position, are the fol-sciously, lose their respect for Hindooism, and lowing remarkable statements: "Then we come to the Augean stables of our religion, the neverfailing source of all our misery, of all our demoralization, of all our deterioration, in short, of our ruin and fall. We cannot blame our ancestors for building such a system of theology for us; but, as intelligent and rational beings, it behoves us to examine whether our present religious ideas are consonant with reason, and whether they are calculated to give us happiness both here and hereafter.... Is it not the greatest insult we can offer to the Almighty by representing him in any shape? Can we represent him? We lie, we steal, we deceive; and early in the morning we bathe in the Ganges, whose filthy waters wash away our sins, and then worship our idols, who pardon us. Preposterous and absurd! There cannot be a more conceivable folly than this. Purity of personal character is nothing to many of us: the Ganges and our idols help us to heaven. ....... All this nonsense is the fruit of endless and superstitious priestcraft under which we groan.' It is undeniable that a work of the highest importance has been accomplished in Benares, the sacred city of India, not merely in the gathering in of converts, but also in the unsettling of many minds on the subject of idolatry. Great changes are apparently at hand. The transition state, to which not a few Hindoos have attained, cannot last. The old ties of idolatry are being loosened, and the desire is No. 1983,

begin to cherish sentiments of admiration and
reverence for Christianity. At length they be
come so unsettled in spirit that some feel them-
selves to be secret believers in Jesus; others
repudiate the glaring folly of idolatry; while,
as a class, they are no onger honest and hearty
worshippers of idols." The rev. James Kennedy
makes the following truthful observations re-
specting these young men :"The educated
young men, chiefly Bengalis, who have broken
the trammels of caste and idolatry, but have not
embraced the gospel, form a most interesting
class of the community, whom we regard with
a mingled feeling of hope and fear. They have
escaped from the slough of Hindooism, but they
have not reached the firm standing-ground of
divine truth. They are in great danger of sub-
stituting a mere barren vague deism, which
gives no explanation of sin, and knows nothing
of a Saviour, in the place of wild legends, the
gross notions, and the foolish practices of their
fathers. They part, in many instances, with
the pride of caste, to fall under the power of in-
tellectual conceit. There are, undoubtedly,
among them true earnest inquirers after truth;
and all are more capable of weighing the claims
of God's word than they were in the days of
their ignorance. From every Christian heart
the prayer must arise that they may know God
and his Son Jesus Christ, whom to know is life
"Not a few, espe-
eternal." Again, he says:
cially of those who have been taught in Chris-

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VOL. LXV.

slaves have contributed most numerously. In the congregations thus formed the materials of a native agency have been found; and ten Syrians and one brahmin have been ordained. The precise number under instruction in this mission amounts to 12,396, of whom 10,898 have been baptized; the communicants being in number 2,906. During the year there has been an increase of 700 under instruction, and of 560 baptized persons" ("Church Missionary Record").

tian schools, are not only convinced that Hindooism is false, but that Christianity is true." The rev. J. Lambert, another missionary, for merly at this station, writes in the same strain: "In missionary schools, at least [native], youths are being grounded in the facts of the Christian religion and trained in the study of the bible, in such a way that but few of them leave the school without carrying away ideas that their fathers would have trembled to entertain for one moment. The least that these schools do is to rob the minds of Hindoo youths of all faith in idolatry, and supply them with a far sounder and more comprehensive education than ever their fathers knew. But our missionary schools have been and are doing more than this." On the general results of the work in Benares the rev. W. M. Blake remarks as follows: "Sys-demon-worship. In former years it was comtems which, for years, had held a baneful sway over the minds of the people are beginning to relax their hold, and to give indications of decay: men educated in our schools and colleges are questioning their ancestral faith and groping for more light; while their wives and sisters, shut up in their zenanas, are feeling, though it may be as yet but slightly, that there is a stir in the mind of the community in which they are not uninterested. Our success has hitherto been but limited; and we do not shut our eyes to many gigantic obstacles. It has been hitherto only the season of sowing: the time of harvest is not yet; but the question must still force itself upon the minds of thoughtful labourers whether we are preparing as we ought for the mighty harvest which, with God's blessing, may be ripening for the gospel sickle" (The rev. W. M. Blake's corrrespondence with the London Missionary Society).

SOUTH INDIA.-The rev. J. Thomas, of the Tinnevelly mission, writes to the committee of the Church Missionary Society: "In comparing the present time with the past, nothing strikes one more palpably than the great change which has taken place among the heathen around as to mon in these parts to hear tom-toms and the shoutings of the people engaged in sacrificing to demons. In travelling at night, fires might be seen in different directions, where the orgies of heathen worship were being performed; but now these things have all-but disappeared; and this may, I think, be taken as a sign that the hold of these debasing superstitions upon the heathen mind is greatly relaxed. There is, too, very much more of intelligence among the heathen generally than in former years; and I hope we may augur that desires will be felt for that spiritual knowledge which alone can satisfy the cravings of the immortal spirit. In these districts the increase in the number of converts during the year has been 154. The social condition of the people generally is improved, compared with past years. There is no longer room for the reckless oppression and robbery which the higher classes used to practise upon the TRAVANCORE AND COCHIN.-"This field of la- lower. The new police system has undoubtedly bour is alike interesting and hopeful. The contributed greatly to bring about this result. population numbers about two millions, not There is now a fair amount of protection to perhomogeneous, but consisting of diverse races. son and property; and the people are secure and There are Syrian Christians, holding commu- at ease, unfortunately content to enjoy the nion with the Jacobite church, to the number of blessings of this present life without any care 120,000; Romanists, proselyted by the Portu- for the future. Our great present want is a guese from Syrianism to Romanism, 140,000; plentiful out-pouring of gracious influence upon Jews, 1,500; Nambouri Brahmins, 14,000; fo- the hearts of the inhabitants, leading them to reign Brahmos, 36,000. Then there are the discover their spiritual destitution, and guiding Nairs, an influential class, to which belongs the them to Christ as the only Saviour of the lost. reigning family of Travancore; Chogans, ser- In the retrospect I see much to be thankful for. vants to the Nairs; slaves, no longer legally but I am not disposed, however, to regard all that as yet actually so; and the Araans, dwelling on has been effected as entirely satisfactory. It is the slopes of the western ghauts. The mission true I am surrounded by a large community of was directed in the first instance to the renova-professed Christains, amounting to upwards of tion of the Syrian church-a dead and lifeless mass, which, in, the midst of surrounding heathenism, bore no witness for Christ. This was persisted in for twenty years, with much patience. But the old church became impatient, although nothing could exceed the kind and unpretending way in which the missionaries sought to compass their difficult undertaking, and declined further interference. They then turned to the general population. This new direction was given to the mission in 1838; and since then the work has been greatly blessed. Twelve thousand persons of all classes have been brought out of religious error, and united in a profession of scriptural Christianity. To this body of converts the Syrians, Chogans, and

11,000. Some thousands of these have been won from heathenism since I settled down in this locality. I have baptized large numbers, and admitted hundreds to the Lord's-table after personal examination. I preach every Sunday, and have done so for twenty years to a congregation from 1,100 to 1,300 souls. Churches or prayer-houses have been erected in a great number of villages in every direction, and catechists appointed to reside among the people as their pastors: schools for boys and girls have been established in every considerable congregation: the machinery is complete. Well, so far so good; but all this may only be the 'wood, hay, stubble.' The great question is, How many souls will appear at last to have been saved?

This is indeed enough to make one tremble, and, exclaim in the language of St. Paul, 'Who is sufficient foa these things ?' Our only resource is to confess that we are unprofitable servants, and to cast ourselves upon the mercy of God in Christ Jesus. If permitted to labour longer, I trust every sermon I preach will be directed more than ever to impress on my hearers the necessity of personal conversion, of a divine change, with the present enjoyment of salvation by Christ, and the utter folly of resting in the observance of outward means and sacraments. And now, after thirty-one years' experience, I would affectionately say to my younger missionary brethren in every section of Christ's church, who may from year to year enter upon this blessed work, Labour from the first for the true conversion of all your people, and never rest satisfied with anything else”.”

CHINA. The Romish Mission. The Romanists have had a mission in Chi-nan for more than two hundred years, and are now again occupying property which they had acquired before their expulsion. We visited the bishop and his companions (of whom we saw three), and received a warm and sympathizing welcome. They seemed heartily glad to see European faces, and more willing to let us know the details of their work than is usually the case. It was specially interesting to me to find them complaining of just the same trials and difficulties which trouble their protestant brethren. Among other matters, school-work was discussed. They unanimously pronounced it a failure, and that in spite of the fact that they devote a large share of time and care to this department of labour. Had our time permitted, they would have taken us to see their orphanages, which contain 200 children. As it was, we were obliged to be content with a hasty inspection of one-a school for girls-who, as the bishop expressed it, "are devoted to God." We found here about twenty girls of various ages, under the charge of one or two native women. It may be questioned whether the teaching here amounts to more than the committal to memory of prayers, &c.; but certainly the appearance of the children, who were happy enough, indicated that they were well cared for. With native nurses (or teachers-one hardly knows what to call them) a considerable amount of dirt was to be expected. Close to the school was the chapel-a long narrow room, made by taking down a number of partition-walls in an old house. It had the usual gaudy accessories around and upon the altar, pictures and crucifixes upon the walls, and simple mats for the worshippers to kneel upon-no seats. A little farther off we found the new stone church which has already taken three years in building, and may probably take two more, being still far from finished. Though very small (it will hardly hold 200), it will be a most expensive building. The works are not advanced enough yet to enable one to form much idea of its ultimate appearance. The style appears to be intended for Gothic, the building comprising nave and aisles. Latin inscriptions are cut over the entrancedoor and elsewhere, one of which declares the place consecrated to the blessed and immaculate

Mary, the mother of God. The stone is brought
from the neighbouring hills. The priests at
Chi-nan are Franciscans, and all Italians. Their
order appears to have charge of the provinces
of Shantung, Shensi, and Honan; while Chili is
left to the Jesuits--at least so I understood
them. By partitioning the empire among the
various orders the papacy prevents collisions
between them. There are few Roman-catholics
in the city of Chi-nan; but the fathers spoke of
having a hundred and fifty preaching-places in
other parts of the province, most of which, how-
ever, are very small. It was amusing, and yet
sad, to hear them talk of the baptism of over
2,000 infants annually as one of the most im-
portant parts of their work; for it is considered
by the church of Rome especially meritorious to
baptize infants, and rightly so, were it true that,
as they hold, the rite confers salvation upon its
recipient. Hence they have made an order of
“baptizers”— -men and women commissioned by
any and every means to swell the roll of the
saved. If the baptized child dies, it is consola-
tory to them to think of it as a member of the
'one true church. If it reaches mature age, they
doubtless often find its early baptism gives them
a lien upon its allegiance, which they can use
with effect.

MADAGASCAR.-Mission of the Church Missionary Society.-The rev. H. Maundrell thus adverts to the changes and prospects in Madagascar: "It affords me great pleasure to write to you again from Andevorante. I should have done so sooner after my return from Mauritius, had I not been anxious to gain reliable information first as to the state of the capital subsequent to the change of government, and the influence that change has had upon Christianity. You will be happy to know that everything has turned out to the furtherance of the gospel. The new queen and her primeminister are decidedly in favour of the spread of the truth. It is commonly, and I believe truly, reported that they think seriously of becoming Christians themselves, and that they have avowed their intention of building a royal place of worship within the palace-yards. The national idols, if not altogether baanished, are discountenanced. Pigs, formerly forbidden from the capital, are now sold and eaten there. Some of the chief supporters of the old conservative party have been reduced in rank on account of their hatred and opposition to Christianity. Thus this beautiful country is wonderfully opening to Christian teaching and civilization. Already the services are much better attended than formerly. On Sunday last I had as many as eighty persons in the morning, and sixty in the evening; and in the morning I baptized a Betsimisaraka family, consisting of husband and wife and two children. I am further happy to state that we receive cheering accounts of the work commenced by Mr. Campbell and me at Vohimare, on the north-east coast of Madagascar, which we left under the superintendence of John Ratsiza and Ratsitera, the only natives we baptized while there. Though Mr. Campbell and I were prevented from building school, church, or house, and great opposition was raised against all v

Madam, May you be blessed of God for ever.
We visit you and your friends. We cannot see
one another's faces, but we are astonished at
your love for us. What was our joy when we
were told by Mr. Pool and rev. W. E. Cousins
of your prayers to God for us, and of your gift
to help us to erect a new and good house of
prayer! For we were glad, indeed, madam, and
we thank God the Father of Jesus Christ our
Lord, whom you wish to be served, aud whose
kingdom you seek to advance. Yes, because of
our joy and gladness of heart we love you,
madam, and thank you in our joy; and may
God listen to the prayers you will offer on our
behalf, madam. Your gift to help us has stirred
up some of us to build a new church; and I
think it will become the means of leading many
to act according to the words of our Lord,
which say, 'Let your light shine before men,
that they seeing your good works may glorify
your Father who is in heaven.'
For I am
sorry when I see the state of some here in
Antananarivo, who spend their property upon
whatever will please them, and yet are unwil
ling to give anything for the advancement
of the kingdom of Christ. And, in reference
to the state of our present house of prayer, it
is full every Sunday; and sometimes the people
are crowded together very uncomfortably; and
it is quite difficult for any one to move from his
place, for most of the people sit upon mats upon
the ground. And the house is quite low too,
and when the day is hot the people perspire
with the heat; and, although we are so crowded,
we often see fresh people who come forward to
be Christians. We counted the people present
one Sunday, and made them to be 1,498. Then
the Europeans said, 'You have made a mistake
in your numbers; for the house will not hold as
many as that.' So we counted again on an-
other Sunday, and found 1,337; but there were
fifty of whom we knew, who were not present.
When we look at the outside of the house it
does not look large enough to hold so many;
but, when we see the inside, and the people are
crowded together, we are astonished. In the
spring, there is scarcely a Sunday without
some one fainting with the heat; and this is
why we desire a new house, both higher and
more roomy, that we may bring into it many
who wish to become Christians, and may keep
our heads cool on the hot Sundays. But, al-
though there are so many people in the congre-
gation, not many are able to give much money;
for many are poor, and widows, and slaves.
Aad this is why our money alone would not
have been enough; for a large house takes a
large sum of money to finish it; and the land,
too, is not large enough for a larger chapel than
the present; so we must buy a fresh piece,
which will cost a large sum of money. But,
although the work is difficult, we do not despair
of finishing it, for we intend to do whatever our
means can accomplish, and to ask God, too, to
bless our endeavours"" (Correspondence of the
London Missionary Society).

were desirous of embracing the truth, and tananarivo.-Antananarivo, July 31, 1867.finally we were called to another part of Madagascar, yet we have now great joy in feeling that our sixteen months' sojourn at Vohimare was not in vain, that the Lord's work is prospering there, and that the two native Christians mentioned above are zealous in the cause of Christ, and appear to do all in their power to make him known to their fellow-countrymen. They have succeeded in building at Amboanio, the residence of the governor of Vohimare, a a commodious place of worship; and earnest are their entreaties to us that one of us may return to them. The following is an extract from a letter I received from John Ratsiza a few weeks ago: This is what I have to say to you, our church is finished; and we request one of you, whichever of you can, to come and preach to us. Do not, therefore, tarry, but be quick, for we know that you will be glad to see the church that we have built. And this also I say to you, we have built also two country churches, one at Neatenga, and one at Ambohitrandriana. There are many children whom you could teach, and you would certainly be astonished to hear them respond in the litany. Simon Ratsitera is not yet able to visit you; for his business is to teach at Ambohitrandriana. Though he is in distress, as regards the means of living, he is strong in the strength of the Lord. The people give him confidence, saying that they have found a man who preaches good tidings to them, and will not suffer him to want.' In a subsequent letter, John Ratsiza sent me a rough sketch of the church, which was drawn, I believe, by captain Brown of her majesty's ship 'Vigilant', or by one of his officers, when he visited Vohimare during the past year. If ever Mr. Campbell and I get the opportunity, we shall esteem it as a bounden duty and great privilege to pay a visit, if only a flying one, to this interesting part of Madagascar. There is plenty of work at Vohimare for one missionary; and I see no reason why the society may not wisely and safely spare one man to labour there. The visit of the queen of Madagascar, to Andevorante did much to remove the fear of persecution which has so long kept the natives of the provinces from embracing the gospel. They witnessed each Lord's-day the crowds of Hova Christians who assembled in the open air, in the queen's camp, for the purpose of worshipping God, and this has done much to assure them that none will be henceforth seriously troubled for becoming a Christian. I think therefore that, on the whole, there is a movement on the coast in favour of Christianity, at the least, in the mind of a few at Andevorante and Vohiboaazo. I have often felt that now is the day of grace for Madagascar. No one can preach the gospel in this country without some measure of success. The fields are white already unto the harvest" The church in the capital, to which the following letter refers, is under the pastoral care of the rev. W. E. Cousins, with whom is associated, among other native pastors, Andriambeloi, a translation of whose letter to a liberal friend in England is ABYSSINIA.-Perversion of the Lord's Supper. here inserted: "Translation of a letter from-Proof of this is given in one of the sketches Andriambelo, native pastor at Amparibé, An- of the "Illustrated London News" correspon.