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HOUSE IN WHICH THE OPERATIONS OF THE BAPTIST MISSION AT FALMOUTH, JAMAICA, WERE COMMENCED.

ASIA.

CALCUTTA.

Our information from India, this month, is unusually scanty. Mr. Fink of Chittagong, who is sojourning at Serampore with the view to the improvement of his health, which has suffered periodically the last eleven years, has had a milder attack than usual, and says, "By the blessing of the Lord, I am at present pretty well, insomuch that I am able to go about among the heathen around, and last Lord's day morning I had the privilege of performing worship in the native chapel at Jannagur, and preached to a large congregation. I also preach every other Lord's day afternoon to a good congregation of natives in the college.” Mr. Pearce says, "Pardon me for reminding you how earnestly I have entreated the Committee to send out without delay men to be devoted entirely to native work in the native language, missionaries to the heathen in the proper sense of the word." Mr. Morgan, of Howrah, writes as follows:

Through the tender mercies of God, I am still permitted to work, although I am ploughing and sowing in hope, without much tangible success, yet there is cause for gratitude, for without cultivation there cannot be any rational hope of harvest.

This week the Jubilee School must be closed, through want of funds. Those that did support it are either dead, removed, or changed in their circumstances, that they cannot any longer help us. I tried others, and the answer was, that they could not do it consistently because they are churchmen and we are baptists: so it is better for the children to grow up ignorant churchmen than to have their minds cultivated by baptist missionaries. Since the commencement of the year many persons belonging to our congregation have either died or removed. Among them there were some whom we hoped would be soon numbered among the followers of the Lamb. At present we have not a single candidate for baptism in either the English or the native church. In the latter there is much to comfort, though the poor people are much tried in

various ways.

The native congregation on sabbath morning presents a cheering aspect, through the presence of the teacher and a goodly number of the children from one of the schools a mile off. These boys now come as a matter of course, and I really wonder that the parents let them come, for I repeatedly failed to set up a school in that place.

A few weeks ago I received a visit from my first convert, Hurrish Chunder. A brief account of him will give you some idea of our trials in India. Hurrish was a brahmin from a respectable family. At the age of sixteen he sought protection at my house,

which was granted. A mob came to rescue him. Hurrish told his relatives that he had eaten Christian food, and refused to go home with them. After that men were set in all directions to take him, dead or alive, so that be could not go out unless I was with him. During the first year I supported him at my own expense. Within the two years that he was with me, he went through a great portion of Euclid, read the Greek Testament through, and could at last, with ease, bring up a hundred verses, and was, on the whole, a promising lad. At this point he was enticed away by the agents of the Propagation Society with a promise of admission to the Bishop's College. I then addressed several letters to the Bishop of Calcutta, through the press, and Hurrish was not admitted to the college, and came back to Howrah, and was received on trial. After some time a native Christian of some property offered him his daughter in marriage, which he accepted. When he called the other day he informed me that he was in government employ, at a salary of fifty rupees a month. He expressed his gratitude to me in strong terms, and said that though not now connected with the mission, yet he does not neglect the opportunities that he has of making Christ known. Since his marriage, proposals were made to receive him into the church of England by sprinkling. His answer was, "If you give me this church, and all the property belonging to it, I never will be baptized again."

The heat has been most trying for India97° in the house, with closed doors and windows. Brother Lewis, with his family, has arrived. They are a lovely pair, and truly glad we are to see them.

BENARES.

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In this important city, which contains above 200,000 inhabitants, among whom superstition has long exercised a peculiarly despotic authority, our brethren are labouring with great diligence. As they receive assistance from local contributions, they have published for circulation in the district a Report of Schools and other Missionary Operations, carried on by the Agents of the Baptist Missionary Society at Benares, during 1846;" an abstract of which will be acceptable to many of our readers. After expressing their thankfulness to friends by whom they have been enabled not only to meet all the expenses connected with the educational and other schemes for usefulness commenced in previous years, but also somewhat to enlarge their sphere of labour, they say:

Another ground of thankfulness to the Author of life is, that neither by death nor by sickness has any member of the mission families been removed from the station, or necessitated for any considerable period during the year to be absent from his post or alter his usual course of occupation. Only one change of consequence to be recorded has occurred with regard to the disposition of the forces, in the removal from Benares to Chunar of the Rev. Mr. Heinig and his family. This latter place has hitherto, that is during the last thirty years, been regarded as a substation to Benares, having never till now enjoyed the benefit of a missionary of our Society resident on the spot. Mr. Heinig, originally one of Mr. Start's missionaries, had, after labouring for several years at Patna, taken up his abode at Benares in the beginning of 1846, and entered with much zeal on the duties of his new station. But much as his active co-operation was there esteemed by his missionary colleagues, the strong claims of Chunar, backed as they were by a call from the lively little baptist church at that station to Mr. Heinig to become their pastor, induced them to join in a recommendation to the parent society to sanction his removal thither, which took place in the beginning of October last.

In noticing further particulars concerning the mission, we begin with labours among the young.

1.-Bangálitolah School.

such a seminary. His other engagements, however, did not permit him to be present above three or four days in the week. He had reason in general to be satisfied with the progress made.

2.-Sudder Bazár Schools.

These schools were commenced soon after Mr. Heinig's arrival in Benares, and during the eight or nine months of his stay were entirely under his superintendence. They consist of an English, an Urdu, a Persian, and a Hindi department. For these, as for the three departments at Bangálitolah, there are three teachers. The attendance on the whole has steadily continued to increase, the average at present being above 80.

3.-Chauhatta School,

being near Rájghát, where Mr. Smith resides, has been for the most part under his particular charge.

The attendance has been pretty uniform throughout the year, but on the whole the average is higher than at its commencement, being from 35 to 40. This, as also the Sudder Bazár Schools, is used as a sort of preaching station whenever any considerable number of persons gather about the verandah to hear the children catechized and their lessons explained and impressed.

Mr. Smith's boarding school has gone on as in former years. On the sabbath forenoons Mr. Smith's son-in-law, a deacon of the church, has conducted a Sunday school, consisting of about a dozen young people connected with the church or congregation, Mr. Smith's boarders, &c.

In this school there are three departments, the English, the Bengali, and the Hindustani. About two-thirds of the scholars are Bengalis, Mrs. Small continued to take charge of her and of these nearly three-fourths are brah- little English school down to the end of mans. The attendance has fluctuated a good August last, when the misbehaviour of her deal during the year, but latterly the average female assistant (previously a member of the has been decidedly above what it was a church), the diminution in the number of her twelvemonth ago, there being seldom under pupils from the commencement of the hot 100 actually present. This school has con- weather, and the failure of her own health, tinued to be under the particular superintend-induced her to give up entirely for the preence of Mr. Small, whose previous residence sent this important means of usefulness. She for four years in Bengal, having the charge purposes however, God willing, to open a of the Intally Institution at Calcutta, pecu- native day school at Rájghát about the comliarly qualified him for taking the oversight of mencement of the coming year, for which

considerable extra funds will be required, with the schools, the study of the languages, and special contributions are respectfully solicited.

II. PREACHING TO THE NATIVES, which is undoubtedly the grand object for which missionaries are sent forth and supported, has not been neglected in the midst of the various other engagements with which, as this report will show, the time and attention of the missionaries are occupied.

In this department Mr. Smith has continued to be the principal workman. Born in the country, intimately acquainted with the habits, feelings, and notions, as well as the language of the people, and having been for between thirty and forty years fulfilling the office of an evangelist, he feels both thoroughly at home and indefatigably interested in this important and blessed occupation.

Mr. Smith has furnished the following brief account of his engagements generally during the past year :

and English preaching, he has been unable during the year to engage to any great extent in proclaiming to the natives in their own tongues the wonderful grace of God. He has, however, about once a week at an average, taken part in the services at the different preaching places in the city, and every Monday morning during most part of the year, he was in the habit of giving a short address, from some portion of scripture, to a collection of mendicants, who then assem bled at his bungalow, and received each a small portion of grain. The average attendance on these occasions was eighty, exclusive of the members of his own household. To these last Mr. Small has continued to read and expound the scriptures in order, they being all assembled daily for family worship. He has on several occasions also conducted native services at Mr. Smith's chapel on the Lord's day, and taken his turn at the monthly missionary (Hindustání) prayer-meeting.

Mr. Heinig, during his stay at Benares, "The Lord has preserved me up to the was most regular in his attendance, almost close of this year, and has enabled me to daily, at one or other of the native chapels in make known the unsearchable riches of Christ the city. In this, his much-loved work, he among thousands of the deluded heathen and was indefatigable, being gifted with strength Mohammedans. At the Allahabad fair, in of lungs and physical constitution in no comJanuary, I, in company with brother Mack-mon degree. Much of his time, too, was intosh, and our late native preacher Bhagwan spent during the day in conversing with Dás, as well as several other missionaries of other societies, declared the message of God to crowds of people and distributed a large number of scriptures and tracts, in several languages. On my way thither and returning, I also visited a good many villages, preaching the gospel and giving copies of the word of God and tracts to those who were able to read them,

“My little chapel and the verandah con. tinue to be filled every Lord's day, when about 150 natives, mostly Hindu beggars and devotees, are present, and appear to listen always very attentively.

"At present I preach at the Blind Asylum every Monday morning, where I have a very attentive audience of from forty to sixty infirm or destitute natives. On Tuesday morning I visit the Bangalitolah School. On Wednesday preach at a chapel in the city: on Thursday visit the Chauhattá Bazar School: Friday preach at another chapel (Britkal): Saturday visit the schools at Sudder Bazar, Secrole; and on the Lord's day preach, once or twice, in my little chapel at Rájghát."

Mr. Smith, in the evenings, usually walks along the banks of the river, and preaches or engages in religious conversation with the natives that constantly frequent that place of universal resort. And in the course of the day he often spends hours in conversation with natives of all grades and creeds, who are in the habit of visiting his well known domicile.

Mr. Small's time being chiefly occupied

native inquirers; and twice a week at least he visited the Sudder Bazar Schools, for preaching as well as examining the scholars. In the evening he frequently visited the Sepoys' Hospital, whither Mr. Small also occasionally accompanied him or went alone.

Much of Mr. Heinig's time has been occupied in carrying on translations of one or two valuable works. We specify particularly Wenger's Scripture Doctrine of the Church, and Clark's Scripture Promises, both into Urdu, and part of the former also into Hindi.

III.-ENGLISH PREACHING.

The English services continued as last year to be held on sabbath and Thursday evenings at Mr. Small's bungalow, near Secrole, till on his removal thence to Rájghát about the end of the year, the Lord's day services connected with the church were all transferred to Mr. Smith's chapel there, and the Thursday evening meeting to the newly openeds chapel connected with the London Mission at Secrole, where Mr. Small will continue to officiate alternately with one or more of his brethren of the London Missionary Society. It may be mentioned here that this week-day service had for several years previous to Mr. Small's arrival in Benares been wont to be held at the London Mission House, and it was only from circumstances making it more convenient that during the last two years the meeting took place at Mr. Small's bungalow in the immediate neighbourhood. The attendance on the whole,

on these evenings, has been encouraging, there forced to lave recourse from their great being generally from thirty to forty persons deficiency of funds, sent out instructions in present. But the parties for whose benefit the beginning of the year, that in future all particularly it was originally instituted, viz., travelling expenses must be defrayed from those connected with the army, formed gener- the private finances of the missionaries or ally but a very small proportion of the local contributions, Mr. Smith was obliged, audience. This arose chiefly from the cir- from want of pecuniary means, to forego his cumstance of by far the greater number of usual missionary tour this year, and to be the soldiers in the station being papists, and absent for the first time during the last thirty also, it is to be feared, from the paucity, even years from the annual mela at Dudderi, among professing protestants, of persons well which occurs generally about the commencedisposed. There were generally, however, ment of the cold season. On this account two or three officers present, and occasionally alone the distribution of tracts and portions of some of the artillerymen, and it is hoped that the scriptures has been much smaller than the labours of the missionaries on these occa- during the previous year, it being chiefly on sions have not proved in vain. these occasions that any considerable number of such portable, and often very successful little evangelists, are sent forth amongst the deluded natives, to accompany them, it may be, hundreds of miles, and enter and find a hearing in houses and hovels where foot of missionary never trod nor light of revelation ever shone.

IV. THE CHURCH

It has already been stated, however, that Mr. Smith was enabled to vist the Allahabad mela, in January, and a number of others occurring in the course of the year in the immediate neighbourhood of Benares, at all of which, along with the other occasions in the

at Benares now consists of twenty members, of whom only five are pure natives, the remainder being European or East Indian. This is an increase on the whole, compared with the returns at the end of last year, of four. The church had the painful duty in the course of the year to excommunicate, at distinct periods and for different offences, first the native catechist, afterwards his wife, and lastly his step-daughter, who had acted for some time as assistant to Mrs. Small in her little female school. The catechist sub-course of his ordinary ministrations, he calcusequently obtained employment in connexion with another mission at a station at some distance, and from all accounts appears to be giving satisfaction.

The members added to the church by baptism are a son-in-law of the Rev. Mr. Smith, and an East Indian gentleman who had long been an attendant at the Circular Road Church in Calcutta, but who has spent the last two years at Benares.

Connected with the church, besides the English and native services already referred to, there has been a prayer-meeting on Saturday evening (originally on Monday) either at Mr. Small's or Mr. Smith's abode. And on the first Monday of each month the members of the mission families and church have been in the habit of uniting with those of the London Society in their chapel at Secrole to implore the blessing of the God of missions on the labours of his servants. On this occasion the missionaries of the two societies take their turn in conducting the service and delivering a suitable address.

The following is a statement of the increase and decrease of the church at Benares during the year :

Baptized 2. Restored 0. Received by dismission 7.

Died 1. Excluded 4. Dismissed 3. Total number of members 20,-viz., native 5. European, &c., 15.

V.-DISTRIBUTION OF TRACTS, &C. The Baptist Missionary Society having, among other expedients to which they were

lates (at a very moderate computation) that he has given away about 500 portions of scripture and 700 tracts of all descriptions. It is to be regretted that neither Mr. Smith nor Mr. Heinig kept an accurate account, during the past year, of scriptures, &c., given away, but the following statement may be received as a near approximation to the truth :

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VII.-PROPOSED NEW MISSION Chapel.

It was intimated in our last report that a commodious chapel in connexion with the mission, and the property of the society, was felt to be a great desideratum. During the past year a subscription has been set a going to enable the missionaries to supply this deficiency, and through the liberality of friends, upwards of 1000 rupees have already been put in their hands for this object; but about twice as much again will be required. In the appeal put forth some time ago it was stated that 2000 rupees would be quite suffi

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