Klip Fountain we found the men concealing themselves behind rocks, and the women fled unto the mountains because they had reason to dread an attack from the plundering Africaner. Only a few remained by the fountain. Our approach alarmed them, but when they knew who we were, they came to us, rejoicing like men just delivered from the jaws of death.

22.-On conversing with the people respecting Africaner, I resolved to visit his kraal, to endeavour to persuade him to live at peace with his neighbours; on which I sent several persons to discover where he was to be found.

25. As the place where Africaner at present is has not been discovered, I resolved to go myself, accompanied by some of the people, but none of them would consent till I wrote a certificate, that should I be killed, I considered them my friends, and that I was going to Africaner, and should I lose my life, it was likely to be by him.

26.-Early in the morning we commenced our journey. At noon met several people from the kraal where Africaner had been, which place he had left two days before. They informed us that he had no powder. On hearing this, the people who accompanied me were anxious to attack him, and force him to give up the cattle he had stolen from them; but having brought no provisions with me, and my horse being unable to carry me any farther, I was obliged to return during the night.

27. Fleremius, the chief, and all the people in bis kraal, besought me not to forsake them, or they must be obliged to leave the country.They held me, and said they would not suffer me to go away, but keep my oxen, waggon, and myself. I told them I wished to begin a mission at the mouth of the Great River, near the sea, that goods might come to the Missionaries by water, which would prevent the Missionaries leaving their stations. To which they replied, that another teacher might be sent there, and I must not leave

them, else they should be like sheep without a shepherd. So I was obliged to remain with them, which filled their hearts with gratitude, and they took my waggon to the Great River to bring my goods.

Aug. 3.-Commenced a school ; near forty children attended.

14.-Discoursed to the people from Matt. xxiv. 30, 31. The word of God seemed to be attended with power and might. One after another began to sob and cry as I went on speaking. Some became unable either to stand or sit, but lay on the ground trembling, as in a fit: others went out crying and praying; some were carried out; at last nothing was heard but cries-I could not even hear my own voice. I have never seen any thing of this kind before. It is not now and then that there is this kind of melting, but almost every time we meet. Most of them are greatly concerned to have an interest in the salvation of Christ. At whatever time I awake in the night, I hear some of them at prayer in the field, and most of them, morning and evening, when they leave the public meeting, retire into the field to pray. Sometimes I can see from twenty to thirty lying close together, each praying for himself, not only men and women, but children from three years old and upwards. In the evenings they meet in each other's houses, where they unite in praise and prayer; sometimes they have three prayers before they separate. I often think, that but for their prayers, God would banish me from them, I feel so unworthy to address them.

25.--Most of my hearers were this morning drowned in tears. Several were carried home, being unable to walk. My hands are full of work.-There are about 140 children in my school every day. Our meetings for worship are continually crowded.

29.-Began a writing-school today We proceed in the following manner four or five children bring a sheep-skin, which is made smooth; on this they spread fine sand, which I have prepared for the purpose.

I

This serves instead of paper. cut a reed into the shape of a pen, with which they are to write; on each skin I write that which they are to copy, A, B, C, &c. and go from one skin to another, to point out how they are to hold the pen, draw the lines, and write the letters. Sept. 1.-At the morning prayermeeting I read the second Psalm, accompanied with a few remarks. When I stated the nature of Christianity, and remarked that our friends in Europe, and every part of the world, were probably approaching the throne of grace along with us, and had been doing so long before ever they had heard of the true God, almost the whole congregation burst out into a flood of tears, sobbed, and cried. Some were so much affected, that they fell upon the ground; at length, nothing within or with out was heard but weeping.

6.-A lame woman, hearing of what was going forward at our meetings, begged to be carried there also, for she could not remain any longer away, but must hear the word of God also. They first came and asked if they might bring her to the meeting. I reproved them for not having brought her before.

14.--My interpreter had a deep sense of what was said, and was so much affected, that he could interpret no more, but went out weeping and crying. I went on, setting *before them the love and righteousness of our Saviour, which appeared to melt them down before him as at his footstool. My wife and another woman read the 18th chapter of Isaiah in the school, on which I made some remarks, which caused the tears of many to flow freely. A Namaqua from a little distance told me he had heard the word of God formerly with one ear, and now said he, I have no rest, but must come to hear it again with both ears, that it may be brought nearer to my heart.

23. In our evening meeting the

word was attended with power. Most of my hearers were drowned in affectionate tears-some fainted away, and were carried out.

I observe amendment in external things. Some of them who had two or more wives agreed to separateothers came to me, that I might settle matters between them. They tell me, we are convinced of our sinful conduct, and can no longer remain as we are, for we blush every time we appear before God in prayer.' They always keep their first wife, and dismiss the others; but pay them something, that they may obtain a living.

28. It is surprising to me how my hearers are affected from time to time. Sometimes I have no sooner begun to speak than their tears begin to flew. Several fainted this evening, and were carried out; others went out, weeping, of their own accord, and retired to the bushes.*

Three bushmen visited us from the neighbourhood of Africaner's kraal, with whom I wished to send a letter, but they would not take it.

In a letter which I received in 1792,

(says Mr. Campbell) from the late Mr. Newton he makes the following remarks, in reference to a revival in N. Wales, which are not inapplicable to the beginning of religion in the Great Namaqua Country.

When such sudden and general awakenings take place among a people who are ignorant and unacquainted with Scripture, they are more or less attended with blemishes and misguided zeal. The enemy is watchful to sow tares among the wheat. Thus it has always been-it was so in the Apostle's, day. Offences arise, and they who wish to find something at which they may stumble and cavil, by the righteous

judgment of God, have what they wish

for. But they who love the Lord, and have a regard for precious souls, will rejoice in the good that is really

done; and can account for the occasional mixtures, from the present state of human nature.”

BIBLE SOCIETY.

FINLAND.

From the Third Report of the Finnish Bible Society.

Abo, March 28, 1815. Through the goodness of Divine Providence, and under a Christian Sovereign's mild government, the Finnish Bible Society has arrived at the conclusion of another year, during which, in the progress of its well-meant endeavours for diffusing a more general knowledge of the Holy Scriptures among the inhabitants of Finland, it has had reason to entertain the consolatory hope, that the Father of lights, who has begun so good a work among us, will perfect it till the day of Christ. And although it is much to be wished that the Society could have attained the object of the Institution sooner, and engaged more actively in the work of distributing the word of God than has hitherto been possible; the Committee are bevertheless convinced that the short Report now presented to the public, will prove satisfactory to all the Members of the Society, and confirm them in the joyful assurance, that the Lord is with us, and that his blessing rests upon the work of our hands.

The Society's principal endeavour has hitherto been to complete the octavo edition of the Finnish Bible on standing types. It is with peculiar pleasure that the Committee can state, that, in consequence of the very great liberality of his Imperial Majesty, and the British and Foreign Bible Society, as also the voluntary subscriptions of all classes of their fellow subjects, there is every reason to believe, that the funds of the Society are already equal to the expenses of this edition. The New Testament is al ready printed off, first in St. Petersburgh, and now here in Abo; 24

sheets of the Old Testament are composed, and partly printed off, in St. Petersburgh.

In the Report for last year, it was observed, that, beside the L.750 which the British and Foreign Bible Society had presented to the Society in Finland, for printing the Finnish

Bible on standing types, they had most generously presented them with L.200 for distributing Swedish Bibles among the Swedish inhabitants of Finland. With this money, 1350 Bibles have been procured have been distributed gratis, and the from Stockholm, of which 250 copies remainder have mostly been sold at cost prices. The money received for these Bibles is designed as a separate fund, for the purpose of procuring a fresh supply, as needed, for this class of our fellow-subjects."

The Rev. J. Paterson, who forwarded the above communication, adds. "From the above Report it appears, that our Finnish friends are very active; and, considering have come forward with great lithe poverty of the country, they berality. The subscriptions amount to three times the sum any of us expected. No part of the Report affords me more pleasure than that concerning

the Swedish Bibles. Never were L.200 better employed by your Society. They have made a good use of the talent you entrusted them with. It has awakened a desire in the people to have the Scriptures in their own, the Swedish language; and, poor as they are, they cheerfully pay for them; so that I hope, ere long, every Swedish family in Finland will, by means of this small fund, be furnished with a copy of the Bible. We have begun

the distribution of the Finnish Testament in the Government of St.

Petersburg. I expected the edition would have lasted us for several years; but the demand is so great, that we cannot get the Testaments bound quickly enough, and the whole When a quantity arrives in a village, edition is already nearly exhausted. all the inhabitants assemble, and can off the Testaments by force. They scarcely be restrained from carrying have been famishing for want of the Word of Life, and now they are almost insatiable.

"We have recently received 300 rubles, which have been subscribed

Since the Report was drawn up, 600 additional copies have been ordered from different parts of Finland.

by the Ingermanland Russian Regiment, besides 130 rubles from their Colonel, for which they require one Russian and one Polish Bibie. This gift is peculiarly valuable, as coming from Russian soldiers. The Roman Catholic Metropolitan has published two pastoral letters to his flock, recommending the reading of the Scriptures among them generally, and ordering the Clergy to promote the circulation of the Society's editions. This is an important document. Our Committee ordered it to be published in the Gazettes, that it might be as generally known as possible. A copy of it will be sent you by our friend Pinkerton, as soon as he can get it translated for you. I hope it will have its effect on the Roman Catholics with you, and in Germany. We have also received from his Imperial Majesty freedom to send all letters and packages, free of expence, by post, so that we can now send our Bibles to the re

motest parts of the Russian Empire with the greatest facility."

RUSSIA.

*

The

multitude of interesting communications and liberal subscriptions laid before the Committee this day, from different distant parts of Russia, none afforded us so much pleasure as the following most interesting observations, respecting the establishment of an Auxiliary Bible Society in the sea-port town of Theodosia, in the Crimea. communication was written by the Governor of that city, his Excellency Bronefsky, and is accompanied with a list of from 30 to 40 subscribers, of whom six are subjects of the Sultan of Constantinople, and a petition for instructions towards the establishment of a Branch of the Bible Society in that ancient city, formerly called by the Turks, Kafa.

From the Rev. R. Pinkerton.

St. Petersburgh, June 15. 1815. Having received the printed Report of the Moscow Bible Society with the last post, I have lost no time in translating a few extracts for the gratification of our British friends. The Report itself is drawn up in a masterly style of language, and is full of piety and zeal for the advancement of the good cause. As it will be widely circulated, we hope it will greatly promote the interests of the Society. Among other striking facts mentioned in it, I give you the following:

"According to the most authentic sources of information, it appears, that during 234 years, since Bibles were first printed in Russia, no more than twenty-two editions of the Slavonian Bible have appeared, consisting in all of but about sixty thousand copies !

"Should we even suppose, (though it be impossible,) that all these copies still exist, yet alas! how few Bibles are to be found in Russia, for the use of so many millions of people; and what a vast number of precious souls, during this period, have departed into another world, without ever having had it in their power either to obtain or to be benefited by that Book, which contains the only pure source of Christian doctrine! In the Bible alone

we learn the way to happiness in the present life, and to bliss in the world to come. And how many millions of souls, for which the blood of Jesus Christ was shed, are still deprived of the possibility of being benefited by this heavenly gift! Surely then, while involved in such circumstances, we may well consider the institution of a Society among us, which has for its aim the furnishing every person in Russia with a Bible, as a new mark of the livine blessing upon our land. Let is therefore bow down and acknow edge the infinite goodness of God, and offer up hearty prayers to our Lord and Saviour, that he would pour down his blessing upon his own word disseminating in our extensive native country, and that we may be reckoned worthy of beholding such distinguished mercies poured out on Russia, and see the word of the Lord increase more and more, and bring forth fruits of righteous mess in the hearts and lives of our fellow men."

From the Rev. J. Paterson. St. Petersburgh, Aug. 11, 1815. Two pleasing circumstances were this day brought before the Committee. In a letter from the Archbishop of Georgia, he mentions, that some of the Mahommedan tribes in the Caucasus have requested that persons might be sent to teach them So read, that so they might be able to make use of Christian books. The other was a letter from the Prince of a Mongolian tribe in the eighbourhood of Irkutsk, to whom one of our Directors had sent a sheet of the Calmuc Gospel. He lamented, that, being written in the Calmuc character, he and his people were incapable of reading it, as they make use of the Mandsheu character, and expressed a sincere wish to have our sacred books written in a character they could understand, when they would read them with pleasure. It

was resolved to write to the Governor of Irkutsk, to find a person capable of making a translation inteligible for them.

The Committee of the Russian Bible Society expend with as liberal a hand as they receive. Our expences from the last regular meeting of the Committee were more than 47,000 rubles, and our regular income was something more than 17,000.* The purchase of paper for the stereotype edition made our expenditure more than usual. The next subject which came before the Committee, was, the necessity of doing something for the inhabitants of Moldavia and Wallachia. This was fully discussed, and it was resolved to print 5000 copies for the inhabitants of the ancient Macedonia. This will make our sixteenth language.

"From the same.

Sept. 2, 1815. Mr. Pinkerton is busy at present in making arrangements for printing the New Testament in the language of Moldavia and Wallachia, and has got all ready; but, alas! not a copy of the Scriptures in this language can be found here. It was reported that there was a copy in St. Petersburg, and he has been hunting after it, but hitherto in vain.t A copy has been written for from Moldavia, and we fear we must wait till it can arrive. This is a great disappointment. We had lately a letter from a Russian Priest, from the borders of the Ice-Sea, begging most earnestly to have a Bible. He says, that there is not a Bible in all that tract of country. He is 800 versts from the market town; but even there no Bible is to be found. Had there been no Bible Societies, this poor Priest, like many millions more must for ever have remained without a Bible.

*The British and Foreign Bible Society has granted to the Russian Bible Society an additional donation of L.1000, for the general purposes of that Institution.

The British and Foreign Bible Society has recently granted to the Russian Bible Society, for the Moldavian and Wallachian Scriptures, L.300.