down blessings on my head, and follow me to their little Church, where I speak a few words of kindness to them. Such has been my reception in three of these villages, which are the property of one of our Church societies, and are in fact little Christian colonies. Each has a resident catechist, and they are regularly and frequently visited by the missionary of the district, who knows his sheep and is known of them. The men are almost all "climbers" of the palmyra, which is to them almost what a cow is to a poor man in England: the women are generally employed in weaving the coarse cloth of the country; and the catechist is in the habit of assembling them under the shade of the wide spreading tamarind tree, where he explains to them some passage of Scripture as they work. The women consequently are better instructed than the men, who are necessarily occupied apart from each other by their daily labour; but great care is bestowed upon all, and the parochial system is in full activity.

The Churches are very simple buildings, and certainly have not the ecclesiastical character I could wish them to have; and this I am told

is the case throughout Tinnevelly. A noble Church, however, will shortly be built at this place through the liberality of our noblest "friend in need Society," the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. Moodeloor is a large village entirely Christian, the population consisting of one thousand and eight souls, more than nine hundred of whom have been baptized. This, I ought to mention, is not the case in all the Christian villages in Tinnevelly, where many of the inhabitants have not yet been admitted to Baptism, but are still in a state of catechetical preparation for that holy Sacrament. The drum-we have no bells-is beating for Church, where I am to hold a Confirmation.

The Confirmation is over, and I am thankful to say that I went through the service with comparative ease. There were two hundred and thirteen candidates; may they be enabled to keep the solemn promise and vow which they have taken upon themselves, thus "openly before the Church!"

Nazareth, January 7.

My time is so constantly occupied, that I have seldom leisure to continue my rough and hasty notes since I entered Tinnevelly, where all that I see and hear in connection with our missions is highly gratifying to me.

At Meignanapoorum, the residence of the reverend J. Thomas, I confirmed two hundred and seventy persons; and wherever I go, I am assured that the poor people participate in this Apostolic ordinance with delight, and are most gratified that such a privilege is accorded to them. My reception at Meignanapoorum was very pleasing. The catechists and congregation met me about a mile from the place, and conducted me to Mr. Thomas's house, singing a simple and pretty hymn, while one of them scattered flowers before me. These little tributes of oriental respect for their bishop, which in England might appear extravagant, belong to the country, and I receive them as such in the spirit in which they are offered. On my arrival, the head catechist in the name of his brethren and himself read me

an address, which Mr. Thomas assures me was entirely their own composition, and which I cannot resist transcribing.

To the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Madras. The Catechists and Christian schoolmasters in the Meignanapoorum district desire with all reverence to offer their humble address and congratulation.

As in the primitive ages of Christianity the Apostles were the instruments of communicating strength of faith and joy to the churches of Antioch, Ephesus, and others; so by the mercy of God, your lordship has been brought into our country in health and safety in order to inquire into the state of the Churches, and to confirm them: and now that we have seen your face, and are about to be made partakers of those high privileges which we have not hitherto enjoyed, we desire to offer to Almighty God our most unfeigned thanks.

That the prayers which your lordship is this day about to offer in the sanctuary on our behalf; the Confirmation; and those exhortations which we shall hear;-that these means

of grace may bring down upon us the abundant blessing of God, we beseech your lordship in your secret prayers constantly to supplicate the throne of grace in our behalf.

That your lordship may enjoy health and length of days, and be permitted to administer to other congregations those blessings which you are about to confer upon us this day, and moreover be spared to come again among us, we are not only in duty bound, but are also full of desire to offer our prayers to Almighty God.

Signed, &c.

It was composed of course in Tamil, and this translation, or rather paraphrase, is by Mr. Thomas, and is shorn of its honorifics and other orientalisms, which are very copious in the original, leaving its spirit however untouched.

Thirty years ago the Church at Meignana poorum was a devil temple. I naturally alluded to this fact in my Confirmation address, and reminded them how very thankful they ought to be, as I am, that in a building which not