ance with their characters, to speak with certainty of them. Various considerations have suggested the propriety of having a place for the reception of inquirers; and for this purpose we intend to accept the offer of a piece of ground, for three years, from a kind friend, and to build upon it a house adapted to the accommodation of such interesting characters. In the course of a month or six weeks, we shall commence building.

In the English department we are still labouring with much the same success as when we last addressed you. The congregation at Lall Bazaar chapel, fluctuates much. Sometimes we have few hearers, and on other occasions we are well attended. Many strangers are to be found in the congregation, who never make themselves known to us.

The Tuesday evening lecture, generally preached by our venerable brother Dr. Carey, has lately been resigned to the resident pastors of the church. Dr. Carey expressed his desire, on account of his declining strength, to relinquish this weekly exercise. He had, for many years, been engaged in this, to the great satisfaction of the church and congregation, and it is our earnest prayer that he may soon feel himself so much established in health as to resume this exercise. Our weekly prayer-meetings are sometimes well attended, especially the one held at the house of our highly-esteemed deacon and friend, brother Gordon. It is his delight to open his doors for the worship of God: his house has undergone much alteration, and has been considerably enlarged to accommodate those who attend. And not only in this manner does our valued friend countenance and support the social band in his own house, but he never fails to set the example of constant attendance wherever our other prayer-meetings are held: indeed, some of them would much decline, if not altogether die, but for his

exertions.

While on the subject of prayer-meetings, we cannot refrain from mentioning, that on the second Saturday evening in each month, we meet with our esteemed brethren Townly and Keith, for the purpose of imploring the Divine blessing on our labours as missionaries, in Calcutta. This meeting is undoubtedly productive of good, and serves to strengthen the cords of brotherly love. It is entirely distinct from our public monthly missionary prayermeeting this is well attended, and often these seasons are very refreshing.

Our congregation in the Fort has gradually increased, and there are many pleasing appearances of the power of Divine grace in the 59th regiment. On July the 2d, early in the morning, two of the soldiers were baptized, and on then next sabbath day were received into the church. Many of the women in the regiment have attended divine service for a long time past, and a serious concern for salvation seems to prevail amongst them. Several began to inquire in earnest for their eternal welfare, and formed a private meeting

amongst themselves for reading the scriptures and prayer. Their meetings were held in the quarters of the serjeant-major of the regiment, who is a serious man, and whose wife is at the head of this band of women. They have been visited two or three times, and examined respecting their religious experience: at this meeting about 16 or 17 attend. Many of the brethren have been much afflicted of late, which has caused us to visit the hospital. A place of worship has been allowed the religious soldiers there, and sermons have been preached to the emaciated inhabitants of this house of mourning; and lately one brother departed this life in peace, giving much satisfaction to his surviving comrades. Our Calcutta Baptist Auxiliary Society will, we hope, ultimately be an efficient agent in accomplishing your benevolent plans in India: its subscriptions at present amount to about 100 sicca rupees per month. This sun is small, it is true, and the Society itself has to struggle with difficulties; but we believe it is destined to live, and to be a great blessing to the heathen around Two Branch Societies to this have been formed: one is amongst the heathen in Fort William; the other amongst the brethren of the 24th regiment at Dinapore. This last bids fair to be a flourishing one indeed.

us.

Having thus, esteemed brethren, given you an account of our circumstances and prospects, we again affectionately entreat your advice and assistance in our future proceedings. We pray that God himself may bless you, and render you the means of communicating abundant blessings to the heathen; and when the spirit of prayer and supplication is poured out upon your assemblies, and when in secret you supplicate the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom in this benighted country, we hope you will not forget,

Your affectionate fellow-labourers and

servants for Christ's sake,

P. S. We are sorry to have to condole with the Society, in the severe and alarming affliction of one of the most useful of missionaries, our esteemed brother Chamberlain. He has for some months been labouring under a severe attack of asthma, that has totally laid him aside from all exertions, and brought him to the brink of the grave. We sincerely pray that God may dissipate our fears, and for the welfare of our Mission, and in compassion to the heathen, restore him to health, and prolong his valuable life. The last accounts from Monghyr respecting him have been very gloomy.

It is also with poignant sorrow we have to inform you of the death of our lamented sister, Mrs. Sutton. She departed yesterday morning, the 21st, at 7 o'clock, after a struggle of about seven

hours. Brethren Adam and E. Carey, upon our receiving the intelligence, went immediately to Serampore, to visit brother Sutton in his distress. Her confinement was a remarkably favoura ble one, and nearly a fortnight had elapsed, and no alarming symptoms had been observed by any one. Her change was sudden and astonishing. She was not sensible for several hours before she died, but nearly in the last conversation she had with brother Sutton, expressed her firm confidence, that God would do what was right with her and hers. May our compassionate God comfort and bind up the heart of her afflicted and aged mother!

CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

State of the Jews at Jerusalem.

Mr. Burckhardt writes--"The Jews of Jerusalem are under seven Chiefs, called Procurators or Deputies, who are nominated by the Jews themselves. These persons settle causes at law among their countrymen. A Jew, desirous of buying a Hebrew Testament, did not venture to do so till he had shown it to one of the Procurators. Their religious affairs, in general, are under the government of the Rabbis, who had formerly the right of nominating the Rabbis of the neighbouring towns; but, for about 20 years past, this practice has ceased.

"It is said that the total number of Jews amounts to 12,000; but this varies, as many of the Jews come to Jerusalem to stay only for a limited time. Among the Jews are many old men ; as people advanced in age come from all parts of the world to die there, hoping to escape certain pains after death, which they suppose to be remitted to them who finish their days in the Holy Land."

Remarks on Holy Places in Palestine.

"Of course, I did not fail to visit several holy places; such as, the Holy Sepulchre, and the Place of the Nativity. If you should ask me whether I felt any thing very great at the sight of them, I must answer, "No." I know not whether it proceeds from a hardness of heart, or from the circumstance, that I am in general averse from that sort of religious emotion which enters simply by the senses, and where the spirit finds no substantial nourishment. All this curdling of the blood, this trinket-selling, and these holy perfumeries, seem to me not to have the value of one single truly religious thought. When I desire to see and hear the Lord Jesus in person, it is not that I may gaze upon the traits of his countenance, or hear the sound of his voice; but

rather it would be, that I might see Him act; and listen to his words, to penetrate into the sense of them.

"It may be said, and with some reason, that objects of sense serve to rouse the thoughts; but I think that a good Sermon, of half-an-hour's length, on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, is better suited to excite and keep up a lively devotion, than fixing the eye for a whole day on the Holy Sepulchre; for what enters by the sight strikes us strongly but for a moment; while the word spoken is able to interest us a hundred times longer. I saw an Arminian Priest reading by himself near the Holy Sepulchre. If he was reading, as I suppose, the History of the resurrection, he might exclaim, at every line-This, too, took place on this very spot.' Truly this must needs be a rare pleasure; but when Religion is the subject, rarity is not the thing to be aimed at, but fruit for life.

"It is remarkable that the external actions rendered sacred by Jesus Christ, are actions which may be performed in almost every place and at every time: on the contrary, there is but one Holy Sepulchre in all the world; and, supposing that to be destroyed, who can make a new one? We may observe, also, that we never read of Jesus Christ's having consecrated an Altar or an Image, or any material substance: which proves to me that such things ought not to be considered as essential or necessary. If, in reality,the Holy Sepulchre is a holy thing, then I maintain that all the Europeans and Christians in general have been, ever since the Crusades, the most irreligious, the most inconsistent, and lax characters in the world, for not having rescued this supposed inestimable jewel from the hands of the Turks.

All this, notwithstanding, I am in no wise disposed to depreciate the pious sentiments felt by those devout souls who kiss a hundred times the Holy Sepulchre-the greater part of them perhaps with a sincere love for Jesus Christ"

The Advantages of Printing at Places reputed Holy.

While we may learn, from the just views of Mr. Burckhardt, to estimate the comparative value of Holy Affections to Holy Places, he will teach us still to avail ourselves of the reputation of such places in conferring the highest benefits on others.

"It is to Rome," he observes, that all the Levant has been indebted, for many ages past, for a quantity of books printed there in the Eastern Languages, for the use of the Orientals; while the other nations of Europe have forgotten the natal country of their religion, now in slavery. Such books as are destined for the Christians of the Levant, should be printed in some place renowned in Sacred History; because these Christians, priding themselves on their natal place, which they believe to be far more holy than all other spots in the world not mentioned in the Bible, despise all those things of a sacred nature which do not

emanate from a place holy like their own. For this reason, I wish the Arabic Printing Press of Malta, when such shall exist, the best possible success-the Island of Malta being a Holy place."

DOMESTIC.

Third Anniversary of the American Bible Society.

On the 13th inst. the Third Anniversary of the American Bible Society was celebrated in this city. The Officers and Members of the Society met at the New-York Institution at 10 o'clock, A. M. and proceeded to the Assembly Room of the City-Hotel, in Broadway. At 11 o'clock, the Hon. ELIAS BOUDINOT, President of the Society, took the Chair. The 96th Psalm was then read by the Rev. James Milnor, Rector of St. Georges's Church in this city, and Secretary for Domestic Correspondence of the Society, and the meeting opened by an impressive, affectionate, and fervent Address from the President.

The Annual Report of the Society, containing an interesting and highly satisfactory account of the proceedings of the Board for the past year, was then read by the Rev. James M. Matthews, pastor of the Dutch Church in Garden-street, in this city. By this document it appears that the Society have printed, during the last year, 47,329 copies of the Bible, and 24,000 copies of the New Testament, and during the three years of its existence 105,270 copies of the Bible and Testament. The amount of its funds received during the past year is $42,723 94; of which have been paid by Auxiliary Societies $27,919 78, and $6,771 92 by congregations and individuals for the purpose of constituting their pastors members for life, and the residue by contributions from members, donations, bequests, &c. The number of Auxiliary Societies is one hundred and ninety-two.

After the Report had been read, the following Resolutions were unanimously adopted, viz.

On motion of the Hon. Jonas Platt, one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the state of New-York, seconded by the Rev. Gardiner Spring, of the Presbyterian Church, in Beekman-street, in this city:

Resolved, That the Report now read be received and adopted, and that it be published under the direction of the Board of Managers.

On motion of the Rev. Dr. Neill, of the Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, seconded by the Rev. Dr. M'Dowell of the same church, Elizabeth Town, New-Jersey:

Resolved, That the thanks of this Meeting be given to the