the scriptures and other books should be given them, through the agents of the Bible Society and of the different missionary societies. Are there not returned missionaries, who would be very usefully employed by devoting a portion of their time to these neglected people?" BEFORE this page meets the reader's eye the annual meetings of our denomination in the metropolis will have taken place. They happen however at too late a part of the month to render it possible that any account of them should be given in the present number. In our next we hope to furnish a full account of them all. At this time only one has taken place, that of the Baptist Colonial Missionary Society, which was held at Maze Pond, on Friday evening, April 22nd. Dr. Carson presided, and the claims of Canada and other dependencies of the British crown were advocated by Drs. Hoby and Cox, and Chesham. Messrs. Russell, Fuller, Winter, Overbury, Tinson, Aldis, and Kelsall. APPROACHING ASSOCIATIONS. Marsh. May 16 & 17. OXFORDSHIRE. Many valuable societies, not of our de- Chipping Norton. Preachers, Messrs. Darkin, nomination, will hold their annual meetings in May. Some of the principal are mentioned in a list on the wrapper. Stalker, and Cubitt. May 17 & 18. ESSEX. Saffron Walden. Preachers, Messrs. Hirons Fisher. lard. It is important that the widows and orphans of ministers, wishing to participate in the profits of the denominational Selection of Hymns, should be apprised that the trustees Brough. Preachers, Messrs. Douglas and will meet in June, and that on or before the 15th of June, their applications should be transmitted, in writing, to Mr. A. Saunders, Portsea. Preachers, Messrs. Pulsford and Mil170, Regent Street, London. Owing to the increased number of applicants, the trustees will not be able to make grants to any cases unless they are recommended by two minisers who use the book; and if it be stated that the deceased ministers whose relatives Helston. apply for aid were pastors of churches in which the hymn-book was used, it will be an additional advantage. We have the pleasure to announce the arrival of Mr. Knibb from Jamaica, in good health. He reached London on the evening of the 22nd ultimo. Wellington. WESTERN. Preachers, Messrs. Trend, Singleton, Davis, and Foot. SOUTH WESTERN. Preachers, Messrs. Watts and Osborne. May 17, 18, 19. LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE. Rochdale. Our friend, Mr. Peggs, has recently issued Wokingham. a circular, soliciting attention to the deplorable state of the Lascars, or Asiatic sailors, in Preachers, Messrs. Griffiths, Foster, and Giles. Preachers, Messrs. Davies and Hew lett. June 7 & 8. WEST KENT AND SUSSEX. the port of London. Among these are Chi- Warminster. Preachers, Messrs. Shirley and PEMBROKESHIRE. BENARES. We are indebted to our friend Mr. Ellis, now in this country, for the following remarks illustrative of the annexed view of Benares, with a Brahman placing a garland on one of the holiest spots of this venerated Indian city. "Benares is, of all places in Hindustan, the most sacred. Every Hindu capable of procuring the means of so doing, makes to this city a pilgrimage or visit before he dies; by which foolish practice they vainly hope to secure the remission of sins and a dwelling in paradise. Benares is an ancient seat of Brahmanical learning and Hindu superstition, and is situated on the bank of the river Ganges, about 600 miles north-west of Calcutta. It contains a population of upwards of 200,000 persons; but during idolatrous festivals the concourse of people from distant parts of India is almost beyond calculation. 8000 houses are said to be occupied by Brahmans, who receive large contributions from the deluded visitors. The Muhammedans here form about a tenth of the population. In this large city, so wholly given to idolatry, labours our devoted and excellent missionary brother, Mr. Smith, who formed here a little church so long since as 1817, which contains now, we believe, fourteen or sixteen members. This number of converts may appear small, but those who go from hence among the heathen learn practically not to despise the day of small things,' knowing that mission-work, especially in Hindustan, is still a work of faith as well as a labour of love, while a very great deal of preparatory although needful labour has also been accomplished, and they rest confidently on the promises of God, and in the patience of hope wait for and expect the time when the little one shall become a thousand, and the small one a strong nation.' A prominent object in the engraving will be seen to be the Brahman or Hindu priest. The sign of their order is a cord, or rather six or eight cords tied together, hanging from the neck, resembling fine twine, tied here and there with mystical knots, and to which they attach a good deal of superstitious veneration. The Brahman has immense power over every rank of the Hindus, and is literally connected with every relation of life. They have among them different classes and employments; some being the astrologers of the people, priests of the family, and priests of the temple. The Brahmans differ altogether from the priests of Buddha, the other gigantic superstition of the east, the Brahmans being hereditary priests, without any regard to character or acquirements. Among the Hindus, religion, as embodied in the Brahmans and their literature, is not merely connected with the state, but really guides and controls the government itself, and no Hindu, high or low, is exempt from the ever present influence of the Brahman." An extract from one of Mr. Smith's letters, dated Benares, Oct. 22nd, 1841, will form a pleasing supplement to these observations. I have received your kind letter, informing me of the scriptures you have despatched for Benares, which I am glad to say I likewise received a few days ago. I gave thirteen copies of the Sanskrit Testament to the pandits of the Sanskrit College, a copy to each, with Dr. Yates's compliments. They were highly pleased with them, and present their warmest thanks to Dr. Yates. Since I wrote to you last, I have been to the following melas:-Lankkhadhara, Nangkua, and Barna, where I declared the message of God to a concourse of people, and distributed 150 copies of Sanskrit Gospels, 20 Psalms in Sanskrit, 160 Hindui Gospels, 30 Hindui Testaments, 40 Bengali Gospels, 50 Urdu Gospels, 12 Urdu Testaments, 12 Persian Testaments, and 20 Persian Gospels. I have la boured as usual in different parts of the city, ligious subjects, besides supplying their wants. and often taken my position in the verandas of Two brahmans expressed their wish to join the missionaries' chapels, where I get a good the church; they appear convinced of the many people to hear me, without being mo- superstition of their idolatry. I think of going lested. Several respectable Hindus and Musal- to Dadri fair next month; I much need your mans have called on me for the scriptures, with prayers. whom I had a good deal of conversation on re CALCUTTA. Our most recent intelligence from Calcutta is contained in letters dated Feb. 15th, 1842. Mr. W. W. Evans says:Our health, on the whole is very good. Another hot season, however, is approaching, and then our time of trial will come again; but our hope is in God, and to his gracious care and guidance we commit ourselves in faith and confidence. The church confided to my care continues to prosper and increase. Seven have already been added to the number of church members since January, and two were proposed last sabbath for baptism and membership. This will be a total of thirty-four since I accepted the pastoral charge of the church in Lal Bazar. Let the praise of this gratifying increase be wholly ascribed to the great Head of the church, from whom all future success and prosperity must come. In the state of the heathen around there are many indications of future success. Tracts and scriptures are received and read gratefully, and conversations on Christianity are sought now most eagerly. Under the same date, Mr. Pearce writes from Entally, as follows:It will afford you pleasure, I am sure, to learn that my health has been, on the whole, very good since I landed, and in some respects has considerably improved. The cold season, however, is just closing, and the trying hot weather is at hand. I trust, however, that He who has conducted me back again hither under so much mercy has yet something for me to do. You have already been apprised that the sphere of labour assigned to us soon after our return were the Native Christian Institution, vacant by the departure of brother Ellis, and the village stations formerly under my care. These two departments bring with them no small degree of labour. On our taking charge of the Native Christian Institution, we found in it forty-two boys and five students for the ministry; we have now fifty-two pupils and the same number of students. The village stations I found considerably reduced in number, owing to the depredations of the "Propagation missionaries," and still subjected to their unfair and unchristian attacks. I have reason to believe, however, that my return has had the effect substantially to check their depredations, for they have not been able to entice away a single individual since my arrival, although they have spared no efforts to do so. I have been twice to the village stations since my return. In these visits I was absent the first time from home six days; and the second one to Khari fourteen days. On both these occasions the people received me with much affection. At Khari we had the pleasure of baptizing one person. Ah! it is slow work, you will say, compared with the West Indies. So it is but what shall we say? Conversion work is God's. He is yet trying the faith and patience of his saints; but he has here some precious souls, and more will yet be given us, I am persuaded. Let us, however, have but men to preach to the people and labour among them, and then we shall see whether converts do not appear. Khari had not been visited by a European missionary for twelve months before my visit on this occasion; but this could not be helped: brother Wenger's health and engagements were such that he could not go, and there was no other person to supply his place. The confusion that has arisen in the villages is the consequence chiefly of the stations being left without the superintendence of a European missionary after my departure. I hope this may not occur again, and also that what has occurred will be overruled by the great Head of the church for the purification of our infant churches in this quarter. In a letter dated Calcutta, Jan. 18, 1842, Mr. Wenger gives an account of our operations in Calcutta, so detailed and yet so lucid, that it will afford the reader peculiar pleasure. It devolves upon me, as secretary to your Calcutta Auxiliary Society, to furnish you with a statement of the proceedings of our mission during the past year. I regret that, owing to the long delay which took place last year, as well to the peculiar circumstances in which I have lately been placed, it should not have been found practicable to get out our report by this month's mail; I will try to have it ready next month. Meanwhile I have compiled two statistical tables, which, when joined together, will furnish you, I hope, with a sufficient amount of correct information, brought up to the end of December last. The receipts of our auxiliary during the nine months from April 15th to December 31st, have been about 2,116 C. rupees or £211 12s. A correct list will be given in our report. Now, ad rem. 1. Distribution of missionary strength in Calculta. Dr. Yates has continued to devote his time and energies mainly to the work of translations. Soon after the commencement of the year he made an excursion to Benares, with a view to ascertain what kind of style should be adopted for the contemplated Hindui version of the New Testament, the printing of which was commenced almost immediately after his return. He has likewise preached to the church in Circular Road every sabbath evening, sometimes also on Thursdays, and superintended the concerns of the native church in South Kalinga. With Mr. Thomas's labours, incessant and multifarious, you are well acquainted. Besides the printing office, he carries on the correspondence with our brethren in various parts of the country, and superintends the Scripture Depository. Brother G. Pearce has taken charge of the Native Christian Institution (or Boys' Boardingschool) at Entally, and of the native churches at Entally, Lakhyantipur, and Khari. I have been engaged in assisting Dr. Yates in the Bengali translations, and superintending the village station at Narsingdarchok, besides frequently preaching in English and Bengali. Mr. Evans, whose health has suffered occasional interruptions, has been abundantly and successfully occupied in the church in Lal Bazar and the Benevolent Institution. Mr. Small, since Mr. G. Pearce's return, has confined his attention to the Native Institution (Heathen Boys' Day School) at Entally, together with the study of the language, and occasional English preaching. Mr. Gibson has entered upon his labours with promising prospects of acceptance and usefulness. rayan Sil preached the gospel to his countrymen in Bengali, generally four or five times a week. An interesting extract from his jour nal will be found in the Calcutta Missionary Herald for December, headed Missionary Scenes in Calcutta. The students at Entally have also been occasionally employed in a similar manner, especially since brother G. Pearce's return. And Mr. De Monte and Mr. W. Thomas, who spend about one week out of every five or six in Calcutta, never fail to preach to the heathen three or four times a week when they are here. In addition to all this should be mentioned the efforts made by several members of the church in Lal Bazar, the occasional services of our friend Shujaat Ali, and a few addreses delivered by myself in the Jan Bazar chapel. The people hear the gospel; the Hindus generally give their assent to its truths, the Mahommedans oppose it; but signs of repentance for sin and of a desire after salvation are rarely to be seen. We are to the people of this city at the best "as a lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear our words, but they do them not." 3. Native church in South Kalinga.-Pastor, Shujaat Ali.-This church is at present in a languid state. Several of the congregation, and even a few members of the church, with drew from its services in July, under the pretext that discipline was not maintained impartially. The real reason was, that some found the discipline too strict, and others were disappointed in their hopes of temporal support. A number of these people have, however, since returned. The attendance at the public services has lamentably declined since the time when our late brother, W. H. Pearce, was the pastor. They are now not all held in Bengali, Shujaat Ali having in compliance with the wishes of some members (chiefly East Indians), commenced to address the people in Hindustani on sabbath afternoons. Both he and Ganga Narayan Sil continue to do much good by private conversation both among Christians and Hindus. 4. Native church in Entally.-Pastor, Rev. G. Pearce. This church is intimately connected with the Native Christian Institution, to which most of its members belong. During three months after Mr. Ellis's departure, I acted as its pastor, preaching once every sabbath, whilst the other services were carried on by the elder students. The same plan is, I believe, still pursued. It is a pleasant sight to see the natives, most of them young, connected with the institution, assemble in their neat chapel, and it is cheering to preach the gospel to them. On the sabbath there are often three or four Hindus present; and in August, when we had a baptism, there were more than a dozen who witnessed the ceremony. 2. Preaching to the heathen. Our esteemed brother, Carapeit C. Aratoon, has during the past year suffered from repeated attacks of illness, which have rendered it impossible for him, especially since the month of July, to give so much of his time and energy to this his favourite work as formerly. Mr. J. Page joined our number just in time to take his place. Ever since the commencement of July he has been engaged in preaching, sometimes daily, but generally three or four times a week, either in the chapel in Jan Bazar, or else in the streets and public places of this 5. Haurah and Salkiya.-Rev. T. Morgan. vast heathen city. Whilst he addressed the In a recent communication Mr. Morgan writes, natives in Hindustani, our brother, Ganga Na-" For the purpose of imparting biblical know |