this. We act on the principle that evidence of the regenerating influences of the Holy Spirit is an essential prerequisite to baptism."

The English church now numbers but twenty-three. There are two applicants for baptism, and others appear to be seriously disposed. Five have been dismissed to join the church at Madras. The church has never been strong in numbers for any long continuous period, the male members generally having employment in some department of government, and removing from time to time to other parts of India. The whole number enrolled on the church records since 1830, is 270, including 57 females. Seventy were Eurasians, and a few were natives from Madras, exclusive of a large number baptized by Mr. Kincaid in H. M.'s 45th regiment. A Sabbath school is connected with the church, numbering about 30 pupils.

The church at Amherst is composed mostly of Christians baptized elsewhere, who have removed thither. A few residents, however, have been converted in past years, and their families being thus brought under Christian influence, some of the children also have been added to the church on profession of faith in Christ. Of late years there has been an evident decline, owing in part to the want of a resident missionary. The native Christians have become in some degree discouraged; some have removed to other places more favored, and others are with difficulty restrained from following them. Meanwhile the Roman Catholics are gaining in strength, and have recently purchased an eligible site to enlarge their operations. The station demands succor. "Sufficient success has been vouchsafed to the evangelical efforts bestowed, to call forth devout gratitude and to encourage to perseverance." Light has also been diffused by the preaching of the word through the surrounding region. Of the Karen church in this vicinity, twelve members were set off from Amherst church. The present number of its members is 30.

With respect to the heathen population embraced within the Maulmain Burman Mission, especially at Maulmain, the encouragements for preaching the gospel are said by the native assistants to be altogether greater now than a few years since. Dispute and violence, formerly encountered, have latterly ceased. The power of the priests and of religious customs over the people has been greatly weakened. Opportunities continue abundant to sound forth the gospel both in town and country. The reports of the assistants give 20,000 as the number to whom they have personally addressed the gospel, and 500 "inquirers."* Full half of the 20,000 are said to have been from Burmah Proper, and a still larger proportion of the inquirers. In this manner the gospel has been conveyed to other thousands. And not in vain. "Individuals from Shway Kyen, who had heard the gospel in Maulmain, on their return home communicated the things they had heard to others; and about thirty individuals, it is reported, believe the gospel and meet together (though secretly, for fear of the rulers,) to worship the eternal God. At Shway Toung there are said to be twenty who do the same. From Yanan-gyoung a similar account has been received in regard to eight or ten individuals."

By the term "inquirers," as above used, are meant those "who listened with apparent desire to know the truth, and not those who through conviction of the truth were seeking personal salvation."

Schools.-The Burmese boarding and day school has been reduced in numbers and efficiency by causes already alluded to, especially the removal of Mr. and Mrs. Stilson who had had it in charge, and the marriage of the superintendent of the female department. At the date of the mission report the number of pupils was 118, of whom 38 were boarders. More recently it has become substantially a day school, the few remaining boarders having removed to the house of Mr. and Mrs. Simons, who superintend the school temporarily till a principal shall be appointed.

There are six other day schools in Maulmain, five superintended by Mr. and Mrs. Simons, and one by Mrs. Ranney. They are all conducted on strictly Christian principles and at comparatively small expense. Every child is taught the catechism, the ten commandments, hymns, &c.; and what they learn at school they carry home. A day school at Amherst is similarly conducted by a Eurasian teacher. The Maulmain teachers are natives, twelve in number, including those in the boarding and day school, and all members of the church except oné, who is wife of a Christian teacher. Aggregate number of pupils in the six day schools 210, and in Amherst school 45: total in all the schools 373.

Contributions.-The Burmese church, with the aid of the missionaries, have supported two of the preaching assistants during the past year. The contributions of the church alone have supported one, besides defraying the expense of lighting the chapel four or five evenings each week, keeping it in order, and supporting in whole or part several poor members. Average contribution of each member about one rupee four annas, or seventy-five cents.*"It is part of the general policy of the mission, in its several departments, to train the natives to do for themselves all they are capable of, in the way of contributions and personal labors, that as far as possible they may stand alone and independent of foreign aid."

Publications. The principal work in this department has been the Burmese and English dictionary; the execution of which has been so far completed that the printing has been commenced. Various considerations have urged the expediency of expediting the task, aside from the compiler's reluctance to protract it unnecessarily. The manuscripts left by Dr. Judson were not only exposed to ordinary accidents, to fire, theft, &c., but being written in pencil (not cipher) they were liable to become illegible in the damp climate of Burmah by mould. "The removal of the mould would almost unavoidably be the removal of the manuscripts, as the pencil marks would be removed with it." The time that had already elapsed since the work was begun, interrupted by absence and sickness and death, was also a motive against further delay. Other works in progress have been a Concordance to the Burmese bible, designed specially for the benefit of theological students; a History, a Geography with Atlas, a Burmese Reader, Scripture Stories for Sabbath schools, and the monthly Religious Herald. Of the Geography, compiled by Mr. Stilson, about eighty pages had been printed, when

*The poverty of some of the members is extreme, where the generous will is not wanting. One aged man bequeathed to the mission at his death his whole property," the staff which for years had supported his trembling limbs," requesting that it might be sold for the benefit of the mission. The bequest was accepted, and the avails, four annas, (nearly 12 cents,) were added to the mission funds.

the work was suspended in consequence of the failure of his health. The following is a statement of the printing done at the Maulmain press from Jan. 1, to Oct. 1, 1851,* making the aggregate of books and tracts printed 13,425, and of pages 1,103,900. Total, from the beginning, pp. 98,004,537.

PRINTING AT THE MAULMAIN PRESS.-JAN.-OCT. 1, 1851.

There were also in press at the date of the report, Draper's Bible Stories, in Sgau Karen, 16mo, 200 pp. printed, and a Pwo Karen Hymn Book, 2d ed., 16mo, 300 pp. printed; with several smaller works. An important change has been made in the Pwo Karen character, assimilating it to the Sgau, which necessarily has led to the making of many new punches and matrices, and the casting of two new fonts entire, for that language.

The issues from the depository have exceeded those of former years, a fact of gratifying interest in view of the supply on hand and as indicating an increased demand. The call for bound volumes especially, has at times nearly outstripped the means of supply, notwithstanding the large force employed in the bindery department. Among these were more than 2,600 bound vols. of the Old and the New Testaments in Burmese, Peguan, and Sgau Karen, about 600 bound volumes of Burmese tracts, and nearly 1000 copies of the Sgau Karen Hymn Book. The following is a table of the aggregate issues to the several stations; making an aggregate of books and tracts, of 37,800, and of pp. 3,288729.

The report adds, "We have now a call for books from Burmah Proper, and in the report of 1852, we hope, the column of issues at Rangoon will show a large distribution in that benighted region of country."

Exclusive of job work.

ISSUES FROM THE MAULMAIN DEPOSITORY.-JAN.-OCT. 1, 1851.

Native Assistants. The assistants in the mission are such as have been appointed by the whole body on careful examination, the examination being often repeated in after years. Those at Maulmain are also under the constant supervision of the pastor of the Burmese church; to whom they make semiweekly reports of their labors, stating where and to whom they have preached during each preceding period of three days; while their general deportment is open to the observation of all. At the close of every year the conduct and character of each individual assistant again comes under review of the whole mission, when support for a definite number of assistants is about to be called for; and then especially, (as also at any other time during the year,) an opportunity is afforded for any one to bring forward objections, if he has any, to the continued employing of any assistant, and also to make suggestions in respect to the general management of all. The assistants are led to understand "that their support is derived from benevolent contributions of Christians in America, who are anxious that the gospel should be preached every where, and who are waiting with interest to hear of the success of their individual labors." The missionaries have "endeavored also to make them feel their responsibility to God." None are denominated "assistants," who are not employed either in the preaching or translating departments.

The regulations adopted in regard to the assistants, the mission remark, "work well." At the same time they are "deeply convinced that neither those nor any other system of rules can effect the object most to be desired in native assistants a hearty and unreserved selfconsecration to the great work of winning souls and building up the kingdom of Christ. The Holy Spirit working in them, and that only, is a power adequate to this end; and for this gracious gift to be bestowed upon the assistants and on themselves also, the mission earnestly solicit the fervent supplications of all their brethren."

MAULMAIN KAREN MISSION.

MAULMAIN (Newton); thirteen outstations.-Rev. Messrs. J. H. VINTON, N. HARRIS and W. MOORE, their wives, and Miss M. VINTON. On her way to this country, Miss H. E. T. WRIGHT. Three native preachers and fifteen other native assistants. RANGOON.-One native preacher and fifteen other assistants.

Two stations, thirteen outstations; three missionaries and five female assistants; thirty-four native assistants.

The Rev. Wm. T. Biddle, whose missionary appointment was stated in our last report, and who subsequently was designated to this mission, had nearly completed his preparations to embark with his wife when he was arrested by disease, and after a short illness died, Sept. 16. The announcement of his sudden death was a painful shock, especially to our missionary brethren, who in their reduced numbers and multiplying cares were eagerly looking for his promised arrival. "The death of br. Biddle," writes Mr. Vinton, "is one of the darkest providences with which the mission has ever been visited; it was so unlooked for. It occurs too at a time when there is more work to be done and fewer men to do it than at any previous period." The mission has been also afflicted in the protracted illness and consequent withdrawal of Miss Wright, who in 1850 was associated with Miss Vinton in the charge of the normal school. She had given most gratifying proofs of her ability and faithfulness, but her strength was unequal to the service in that climate, and she has been compelled to seek a restoration of health in her native land. The Executive Committee are deeply impressed with the necessities of this part of the missionary field, especially in connection with the reöpening of Burmah Proper, and are taking measures for its more adequate occupancy. Several of the lately appointed missionaries are destined, with leave of Providence, to join the Karen missions; and the Committee are not without hope of reëngaging for a limited period, if the health of his family permit, the services of Mr. Binney.

Schools. The theological school, as stated in our last report, was left under the care of Mr. Harris; who continued to instruct it till the close of its eleventh semiannual term in January; when the oldest class, numbering six, were finally dismissed, four to preach the gospel in Burmah Proper, and one in Maulmain province, and the sixth to become an assistant teacher in the seminary. The twelfth term commenced April 15th and closed in October; number of pupils 34, under the

Beɛile those connected with Rangoon.