the Baptist. The ordinary number of, feelings of any by the omission of a hearers at the Baptist place of worship is fifty. At Aix, another small village near Orchies, there is also a mixed Baptist church of seven members, of whom all but one have been baptized. There are here also some National Protestants, who form a part of the church of the same name at Nomain. The whole number of protestants at Aix is seventy-five. I did not visit this place. token to which the people here attach a high conventional value. The services were all interesting, solemn, and attended by a respectable auditory. At Baisieux, a league and a half from Lannoy, is another Baptist church, consisting of twenty-two members, including four who have not been baptized. This village contains 1800 inhabitants, and among them sixty-eight protestants. The usual number of those who assemble for worship on the Sabbath is forty. There are here some persons giving evidence of piety, who, it is thought, will receive baptism before long. M. Thieffry is of opinion that the church here will thus soon come to embrace as many as thirty members. I did not visit this place. The preceding details in respect to the present state of the Baptist churches in this region, have been gathered with much care, and will, I trust, be found generally accurate. It will be perceived that these churches are all feeble; that they are in most instances very imperfectly organized, the baptized and unbaptized assembling together around the table of the Lord to partake of the memorials of his love; and that, consequently, they greatly need the assistance which we are offering them. Belonging to the peasantry of the country, they are generally quite poor, gaining their daily bread only by the sweat of their brow. Deprived in most instances of early instruction, it is only since their conversion, that they have come to acquire much knowledge of letters, so as to be able to read profitably the word of God. On Tuesday, P. M., the 12th inst., the missionaries spent a few hours at the house of M. Moutel, aided by him and M. Dusart, in examining br. Joseph Thieffry, who desired to be ordained to the work of the Christian ministry. The result of this friendly conference was a full conviction that he was a proper person to be ordained. In reply to the interrogatories of the missionaries, he gave a full and distinct expression of his views in regard to the doctrines and ordinances of the gospel, and in respect to the constitution and discipline of the church. Satisfied that his views on all these points were just and scriptural, we agreed to attend to the services connected with his ordination, on the Thursday following, at Lannoy. He is 38 years of age, and so far as we are able to judge, a man of very decided piety, without much education, but of calm judgment, and a diligent and prayerful reader of the scriptures. On Wednesday morning, the 13th inst., we left Orchies for Lannoy, and arrived there the same day, having in our way passed through Lille, the principal city of the Department du Nord, containing a population of about 70,000, and, like all the large cities in this part, very strongly fortified. Lannoy is about two or three leagues from Lille, and contains between 1500 and 1600 inhabitants. The number of protestants here is eighty-seven. The Baptist church reckons nineteen mem-ing, and furnished them with many usebers; but four of them have not been baptized. The average number of hearers on the Sabbath is forty. The Baptist is the only protestant church in the place. We met on Thursday, the 14th inst., at half past three, P. M., for the ordination of M. Thieffry. M. Dusart preached from 1 Tim. iv: 16. Prayer, accompanied with imposition of hands, was offered successively, by Messrs. Dusart, Willmarth, Willard, and myself. Br. Willmarth gave the right hand of fellowship, after which we all gave him the accustomed salutation; not choosing to offend the But the gospel, wherever it has come in its saving power to their heart, has produced a marked change among them. It has operated a very perceptible melioration in their intellectual habits, has introduced some love of religious read ful ideas and subjects of reflection and conversation. It has taken their minds out of the stationary, I might say, stagnant position in which they were before often held, as connected with the Romish church, and occupied principally with crucifixes, images and confessions, and has put in healthful motion the current of thought and religious emotion. They need certainly, as I have already intimated, much additional instruction; enthusiastic errorists of high pretensions, such as the followers of Irving, for example, do not find it difficult to beguile some of them from the Extracts from Rev. Mr. Rollin's Journal-Letter from Rev. E. Jones. 201 simplicity of the gospel; but this, how- | ever much to be lamented, is what no company of untaught believers has ever been protected against, while there have existed the persons to abuse their credulity; and on the whole I cannot but think that the Board have sufficient encouragement to prosecute still more extensively, the benevolent operations which thus far have produced much good. In a letter lately received from Mr. Will marth, mention is made of the admission of one individual, an unmarried woman, to the church at Paris, who was baptized by Mr. Willard on Sunday, the 3d of April. Western Creeks. EXTRACTS FROM MR. ROLLIN'S JOURNAL. March 20, 1836. A large collection at worship. Good attention to the word preached, by the whole assembly-deep feeling manifested by some in tears and sobs. The Lord water the seed sown-may it spring up and bring forth an abundant harvest. 26. The brethren met to-day according to appointment. The individuals mentioned Feb. 27, were present, and renewed their request. They were received as candidates for baptism. 27. Lord's-day. The assembly was solemn in the house of prayer, and at the river side where prayer was wont to be made. The two Africans were baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, by br. Davis. Returned to the house of worship, and the church sat down to commemorate the sufferings of Jesus. The scenes and duties of this day have been impressive and deeply interesting. April 3. A good assembly at worship. Br. Davis preached to an attentive congregation in the morning, I preached in the afternoon. 7. To-day visited some members of the church; found one of our Indian brethren sick, but enjoying a happy state of mind. In answer to questions which I proposed, he said "It is my choice to leave the world, if it is the will of the Lord." "I feel as though some one had been teaching me of late, I hardly know how ""I have been anxious to see you, &c." 10. Our place of worship was nearly filled with attentive hearers. I was pleased to see among others an Indian woman of the late emigration, who informed me she had a letter from the Baptist Church in Concord, Alabama, and that it would be her privilege to unite with us. Sickness has prevented her attending meeting before this. Some of the Indians appear much interested in the plan of reading in their own language, according to the system introduced among them by br. Davis. We have of late made use of some of his hymns in our seasons of worship. It is very interesting to see those who a few months since were unable to read, stand up in the solemn assembly with their books in their hands, to sing the praises of God. I think, by prudence and perseverance, all opposition will be overcome, and every objection silenced. Br. Davis is much interested in introducing the plan among his countrymen and in teaching them to read, in their own language, the wonderful works of God. Sister Rice left us yesterday, and embarked on board the steam-boat, intending to join br. Bingham, and resume her labors at the Sault. Her health has been improving for some weeks past. She has been free of the fever and ague nearly two months, but on the whole felt it her duty to leave us. Our prayer is, that God would go with her, and grant his special presence and protection during her long journey, and make her a blessing to the people where she expects to labor. It may be my duty to remove from this station at some future time. The fever and ague has hung about me all winter, and thus far through the spring-notwithstanding, I am unwilling to leave this dear church, and this benighted people now. The future I desire to leave with the Lord. My own views of duty and those of my companion are the same. We feel it our duty to stay, and make further trial of the climate. Mrs. Rollin recommenced her school March 14: she has had from ten to fifteen scholars. Cherokees. EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM REV. E. JONES, DATED VALLEY TOWNS, MAY 23, 1836. The peculiarly embarrassing situation in which we in common with the whole community have been thrown, in consequence of the scarcity of corn, has deranged our regular course of operations, to a considerable extent, and has added other cares both for ourselves and the people. We are encouraged, however, to hope that the Lord continues to bless his word. Although we have had some meetings thinly attended, on account of the people being scattered in search of provisions on other occasions, the congregations have been large and attentive. Since my last, eight Cherokees have been added to the church: one female at Tusquitty, one male at Galaneya, (a very interesting old man, who in his declining years gives pleasing evidence of a change of heart,) and four females, and two males at Dseyohee. Under date June 13, Mr. Jones writes as follows: Since my last, I have visited all our preaching places, but one. The distress for provisions continues and increases. The people are consequently scattered about, in search of corn, which has of course made the congregations small. They have, however, been serious and attentive, and the members appear steadfast, and patiently to submit to the dispensation of Providence. The Rev. Mr. Posey left us yesterday. In his visit, he accompanied us in a short tour through the mountains. I trust the Lord will crown the word of his grace with abundant success. Several persons are expected soon to devote themselves to the Lord in baptism. News has reached us, that a treaty has been ratified, by which the whole of the Cherokee lands are ceded. This news is spreading gloom and consternation through the community. I hope that the Lord, who reigns in the kingdoms of men, as well as in the armies of heaven, will turn all these things to the advancement of his glorious kingdom. say, the prospect of settling the difficulty satisfactorily, is not encouraging; but we hope for the better. Before these difficulties arose, (by the influence of the Gospel) our people were building comfortable meeting-houses and camp-meeting places, &c.; but in these difficulties, the white people were suffered to settle among us: they were of such a character (with few exceptions) that they have taken away these places of our worship. And we also had a temperance society, the influence of which was so visible in places, the sale of ardent spirit was much checked, and also the use of it; but these people have brought in a great deal into our country, which has been very destructive to those of our people that suffered themselves to drink. But there is one great consolation amidst these trying moments with the Cherokees; they that have believed unto salvation, and they that heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ, are have been made heirs of God, and joint These troubles teach them that this now manifesting their love to God. world is not their home; these make them look forward to that city which and maker is God; these teach them, hath foundations, and whose builder that they are but strangers and pilgrims in this world. This is my consolation for my brethren in the Lord. While this is the case with Christians, to our sorrow they that were halfhearted in the service of Jesus have turned back unto the beggarly elements of this world. from my brother, Do-yar-nu-gee-skee, I received a letter some time ago or Beaver carrier: perhaps you have not heard of him before; he is laboring in the field I occupied. He states that there is an increase in the attention of the people toward the Gospel of our Savior. I have received another letter since from my sister, giving me the names of them that have joined the church since I left home. I received another yesterday from the same brother; he states about the same that he did before,-the number is six. I have baptized several since I saw you last, but I am not able to give you the exact number now. JESSE BUSHYHEAD, a Cherokee. P.S. I have no need to ask you to pray for your Cherokee brethren, for I am persuaded that it is your constant employment at the throne of grace. Letter from Miss Bond-Proposal for forming a Comparative Vocabulary. 203 quested to come earlier. The chief replied that they had a meeting among themselves, before leaving the village, and were not aware of its being so late. The wife of one of the Indians who went to Washington, came before the church at our last meeting.-We think she gives evidence that her heart has been renewed by divine grace. She will probably unite with the church next month. Miscellany. COMPARA PROPOSAL FOR FORMING A The following article is the one alluded to of the Roman character to the Shan language, (p. 194,) and is extracted from the November No. of the Calcutta Christian Observer. By adverting to the table of vowel sounds, it will be perceived that the new orthography adopted by the writer in regard to some words, which we give unchanged, does not materially affect their usual pronunciation. I wished to get more acquainted with the Indians, and gain their confidence by convincing them of the interest I felt in their welfare, and that I had come to live among them for their good. I also wished to see how they lived when away from us, that I might form some estimate of the things in which they most needed instruction and advice.-I spent ten days at the chief's camp, in the follow-by Mr. Brown in reference to the application ing manner. We rose early, and while breakfast was preparing, the chief talked with his family on religious subjects. At nine o'clock the children | from the neighboring camps came to be instructed. The afternoon I spent in visiting the different camps, and trying to speak what little I knew of their language, and endeavoring to learn more. At sunset a horn was blown and more or less from all the camps came to attend evening worship, which was conducted, by having a portion of scripture read and explained by the chief, after which they sang, and closed with prayer. I spent two Sabbaths there. The Indians assembled at the usual time, and the chief took Mr. Slater's place in giving instruction. The evening service was a conference meeting, at which I was asked to speak through an interpreter.I commenced school at the village, the first of May. My average number of scholars is twenty: some days I have more. I walk to the village in the morning, and return at night, usually spending the time between schools in studying the language, or in some way assisting the Indians. At our A. M. service on the Sabbath, we usually have quite a number of white people present, and while the Indians are assembling Mr. Slater reads and explains a portion of scripture in English. At noon we have a Sabbath school of thirty children. At half past two preaching again in Indian, and at five, a conference meeting at Mr. S.'s house, for white people and Indians together. Last Sabbath the Indians came rather late, and at the close of the meeting they were re The affinities between different languages, which are only a subject of curious inquiry to the literary man, are of great practical importance to the Missionary. Language is the instrument by which, under God, the Missionary carries on his work of beneficence. Like every other workman, his first care must be to "learn the use of his tools;" and in the same way lar instrument will assist him in his trade, as a mechanic inquires how far any particuthe Missionary seeks to learn how far any particular language can be made the medithe heathen. Whoever therefore ascertains um of communicating the word of life to that any particular language prevails to a greater extent than it was before supposed to do, although he does not make any new translation, yet he points the way to a wider distribution of the existing translations, and establishes the fact of the existence of an uniformity or similarity of language between different countries, the knowledge of which aids in many ways the dissemination of truth. To illustrate what we mean; Asám is a of Bengal; Siam is familiar to us as a well known province on the eastern frontier country on the shore of the China seas, and of certain "Shán Tribes," inhabiting the insome of us may have seen scattered notices terior of the Barmese empire; but till very lately it was never generally understood that these countries had any connection with each other. Recent inquiries, however, have demonstrated that the Sháns and Siamese are essentially the same people, while the ruling race in Asam are an offset from the same root that one language, with only certain variations of dialect, is spoken from Sadiya in Asam to the southern extremity of Siam, and that even the names of the three countries can be traced, by an easy interchange of letters, to a common origin. The Barmese call the whole race to which these remarks refer Syán, which the Portuguese turned into Siam, and gave that name to the independent kingdom, so called, which was the only part of the country inhabited by the Syans with which they were acquainted. On the other side, when this same people broke into Bengal, the Indians, according to their usual custom in similar cases, prefixed a vowel to the two consonants, and called the province which had been colonized by the Syáns, Asyán, or Ashám, which we have turned into Asám. In the mean time, the bulk of the nation, who continued to inhabit the country between Asám and Siam, long remained unknown to us; and when they were at last brought to light by the advancement of our frontier to Sadiya, in consequence of the event of the Burmese war, we called them Sháns (Syán); but till very lately we remained in a state of profound ignorance of there being any connection between them and our old friends the Asámesc and Siamese. They are, however, the parent-stock of both; and although at present subject to foreign rule, are a very numerous people, who not only compose the bulk of the population of all the northern provinces of the Barmese empire, but also extend far into Yunán, the westernmost province of China. Their ancient capital was Mogaum, but their independence fell before the rising fortunes of the Barmese. It is not easy at present to estimate the full importance of this discovery, but thus much is certain,-that, as it has been ascertained that only one language prevails in the countries between Asám and Siam, the same books, with only some slight modifications to suit the variations of dialect, will answer throughout the whole of this tract, and the population open to the influence of our Missionaries in that quarter exceeds by many millions what was at first imagined. For instance, the translation of parts of the Scriptures lately executed at Bankok and Singapur, instead of being confined in their application to the kingdom of Siam proper, may now have a currency given to them, bounded only by China on the one side and Bengal on the other; and we may also expect that the influence of preaching will rapidly spread among a people bound together by the sympathy of a common language. It is also deserving of remark, that the country inhabited by the Shán race, forms a belt extending across the Indo-Chinese Peninsula, and separating Barmáh proper from China; and while the Barmese dominions are in a manner insulated by it, the Missionary station about to be formed at Sadiya will by the same means be brought into connection with those on the shores of the China sea. There will soon be a Missionary establishment at each end of the belt, viz. at Sadíya on one side, and Bankok on the other; and if a third establishment were to be formed at Mogaum, or some other central point in the Barmese Shán provinces, the chain of connection between the Brahmaputra and the China sea would be complete. Mr. Kincaid of Ava has, we understand, lately begun to turn his attention to the Shán language, and we have no doubt that the views now stated will meet with full consideration from him. This line of action opens to our prospect an avenue into the heart of Eastern Asia, and if we can secure our position upon it, we shall be able to enter into communication with the inhabitants of the Chinese and Barmese empires, from an exactly opposite quarter from that in which we have hitherto had access to them. Barmáh will be placed between the new stations in the Shán country and the British provinces of Tenasserim and Arákán; and Yunán, the great Western province of China, will be placed between those stations and Canton; and we may hereafter make advances to points even beyond this, whence the Chinese empire will be more completely laid open to our influence. Although at present they appear distant, these prospects lie fully before us, and if proper means are adopted to gain the good will of the Barmese government, we may expect ere long to see a Missionary station fixed in the Shán country, which will at once form a central point of communication between all the Indo-Chinese Missions, and furnish a new and important opening for the evangelization of the great Chinese empire. We have been unconsciously led, by the interest with which we regard the subject, to wander from the particular purpose with which we took up our pen. As an impor tant advantage has been already gained by a slight attention to the connection between the languages of that quarter, we consider it our duty to prosecute the inquiry, until we succeed in obtaining the means of making an accurate comparison of all the different languages and dialects which are spoken in the Indo-Chinese peninsula, or in other words, in the countries situated between India and China. For this purpose, Mr. Brown the American Missionary, who is now on his way, with his family and Mr. and Mrs. Cutter, to Sadiya, has already prepared a short vocabulary, composed of such words as are likely to be radical in the different languages, and a few easy sentences, printed copies of which will be duly |