die unnoticed and uncared for ; in others, public halls were established, where provisions were served out, and their wants were attended to. So numerous were the contradictions and anomalies in the Chinese people, that it was difficult to give any intelligible account of them But he would try. They had been accustomed to think and speak of China as though it were one comparatively small country, like England or France, composed of one people; whereas it was composed of sixteen or seventeen different nations, all living under one patriarchal form of government. That they had had so many and contradictory accounts of China was in consequence of those who gave them having visited different, and each only one, portion of the country. The Chinese had been represented as an unchangeable people. What could be more absurd than to suppose that thousands of men could reach a certain point and then stand still? China had had her changes as well as other countries. She had had her periods of Augustan excellence and mediæval ignorance-she was now undergoing great changes, and it was more than probable that at no distant period that vast empire would crumble to pieces. The barbarism which pervaded the larger portion of the lower classes was gradually extinguishing a high state of civilization, and when a man who had lived there but a short time spoke of the degraded population of China, he would say to him, " remain a little longer, and you will find in the upper classes a degree of refined civilization which you could not expect." Benevolent institutions had been known in China for centuries. When he was last at Shang-hai, he visited a foundling hospital, the report of which he now possessed. It was a singular and interesting document. The first eight or ten pages contained a history of the institution, by which it seemed that it had been founded originally by a rich merchant, about 140 years ago; but the endowment not being sufficient to meet the expenditure, an appeal was made annually to the public for its support. Then came the rules; the number of inmates; and next, the appeal to the public, in which the managers say"Let all act from benevolent motiveslet there be no compulsion." came an account of the receipts and disbursements; a list of subscribers under the head of "Account of the good and faithful who joyfully subscribe;" and then, unlike many of the societies here, there was a balance shown in its favor. Then On one occasion, he went with Dr. Lockhart into a large building in one of the streets of Shang-hai, which on inquiry they were told was the hall of the Imperial Humane Society for the recovery of drowning persons; and in one room they were shown a great black-board, on which were inscribed the names of several persons who had been rescued from the river. In another room, a number of couches, or beds, to which the rescued persons were taken, in order that suspended animation might be restored. And in another were a number of coffins, and they were told that when persons who were drowned were not claimed within twelve hours, they were buried at the expense of the institution. There were also hall of universal benevolence; and no sooner had the mission established their medical hospital, than the rumor of it reached a great city in the interior, containing 3.000,000 of people, and in a short time the benevolent men of the city of Luchow-foo established a similar hospital; and in a parcel of books which he had received from China about a month or six weeks ago, he found the first report of the hospital. The Chinese were not to be spoken of as savages just emerging from barbarism. They possessed institutions which we thought the boast of our own country, and our own age. The inquiry arose how long these institutions had been in existence, and what was their origin. Some persons ascribed them to the Jesuit missionaries. But the missionaries had nothing to do with them. A native writer traced their foundling hospitals back to 1,137 years before Christ. He (Mr. Farebrother) believed they had existed from the patriarchal times-that they sprung up in remote antiquity—that although heathenism had extinguished them in every other country, it had failed to do so in China. ENERGY OF HEATHEN FAITH. Rev. Dr. Vaughan, in an address delivered at the last anniversary of the London Missionary Society, made the following impressive remarks: You see that Hindoo mother there. Could you pry into the history of her heart, perhaps you would find in the story of it strong proof of what I have ventured to state. The marks of deference, and the marks of inferiority which she exhibits, in common with all Hindoo females, to the other sex, might seem to the grave of a broken-hearted mother, defer it at least, until I am gone."" Why do I mention this? Oh, could we but call into existence, in the heart of European females,-mothers and daughters and sisters,--an attachment to their faith as strong, and a zeal to sustain and diffuse it as powerful as may be witnessed often in the case of these Hindoos, why, we should need but little of such say that the Hindoo female mind can exert but little influence on the mind of India: it is a great mistake. It was my privilege very recently to converse with a Hindoo Rajah-a man who had become a Christian, a man of finer native intelle t, of finer disciplined intellect, of more philosophical acuteness in relation to everything belonging to the laws of the mind, than I had ever met with in connection with India, either by person-meetings as we have here to-day. It is al intercourse or through books. He allowed me to become acquainted with the changes through which his spirit had passed in early life. When a child, his mother, and the females to whose care he was intrusted, had his mind stored with volume after volume of what may be called the religious literature of Hindostan-the tales, the fables, the roman : because our higher creed does not produce upon us anything like the deep effect it ought to proluce, that our missions are not tenfold more effective than they have been hitherto. A Spanish correspondent of the London Evangelical Christendom, in reply to some suggestions as to the circulation of the Bible there, draws a sad picture of the condition of the people. Amidst the great demoralization and unenlightened atheism of the people, an effort has been made to bring about a reaction in religious matters, rather to keep up the inveterate abuses, forms, shows, pickings, and farces of the church, than to give an impulse to the cause of true religion. A new saint has just been imported from Rome. Altars have been raised to it in several churches, and processions and festivals have been set on foot for this new idol, which has already wrought the most wonderful miracles. So fashionable and popular has this santa become, that most of the female children born within the last six months have received her name. ces, the histories, the poems that have RELIGIOUS CONDITION OF SPAIN. ccme down for two or three thousand years along with Hindooism; and these were made familiar to his ear, not on special occasions only, but every day, almost every hour. The effect upon him was precisely that which takes place ordinarily under such influences. The attachment of Hindco youth to their religion becomes such, that the last thing expected or feared in their case commonly is, that they should desert the system that has been made, as it were, to inwork itself so thoroughly with their nature. This Rajah, however, did desert it the diffusion of Christian ideas, and of European teaching, gradually alienated him from Hindooism; then he halted in a vague kind of Deism: at length he became a Christian. Then was the point when he felt how it would be with that mother, as he should have to profess himself a disciple of Christ. She had watched the change that had come over his mind, and which she saw clearly had alienated him from the religion of his fathers; she had tried with all the ingenuity of a mother's feelings to get at the strange thinking that could have led to such a result; but with little effect. At length, however, he had to tell her that the time had come in which he must profess himself a Christian. "Oh," he said, "she threw herself on my neck, she wept, she sobbed; her heart beat and beat that I thought surely it would break: still I bore against it, and then she cast herself at my feet, and there, with all the eloquence of a mother's grief and breaking heart, entreated me to reconsider my course; and, when nothing else could be hoped for, she said, If you would not stand at my grave a convert to the gospel, and have soon, very soon, to look into it as Thus the priests exert themselves to regain their influence, and to bring back the former superstitions of the people, both materially shaken by the last convulsions. I suppose you are aware of the late general jubilee granted by the Pope to all the Spanish people. By confessing twice in a fortnight during the jubilee, and submitting to some other ceremonies specified in the Pope's bull, all past crimes and sins have been washed away. I leave you to judge of the pernicious influence such a jubilee must have upon our present state of corruption. Under such circumstances, the British Bible Society, and philanthropic men at large, have rather a rough field to work upon. But something might be done, if support were afforded to their efforts by philanthropic, intelligent, and enlightened Spaniards. Our nobility and gentry are so ignorant and dissipated that they show a remarkable indifference to religion and religious matters. Intoxicated in idle pursuits, pleasure, and dissipation, they feel reluctant to devote any of their leisure time to the reading of instructive books, whether scientific, moral, or religious. Their favorite reading, when they do read at all, is that of novels, and those of the most popular or immoral kind. Most of them are apparently attached to the forms and ceremonies of the church. They hear mass, many occasionally confess, pro forma, and all of them encourage priesteraft. Very seldom do any of them omit the absolution of the priest when on the bed of death, dying like the best Catholics, and more especially if they leave in their will something to the priests for masses. To such parties as these, the reading of the Bible would be intolerable, and I know it from experience of what I have seen. As to the middling classes, many of them are free-thinkers or atheists, partly from a false conviction, and partly from fashion or indolence. Many, however, are sincerely attached to the Roman religion, yet very few are domineered over as formerly by the priests, whose immorality they deplore. The formerthe free-thinkers and atheists-could not be easily brought to read the Bible, for, being disgusted with priestcraft and its impositions, they believe nothing and will hear of nothing. As to the latter, many of them will read the Bible without scruple, and understand it, but others would not, from fear of infringing the priest's prohibition. It should also be borne in mind, that true, but unenlightened Catholics, are very apt to consider Protestants as heretics, and judge therefore that the Bible coming from their hands must be received with fear or suspicion. As to the lower orders, the distribution of the Bible among them would be time and money lost, as very few of them can read. Moreover, it is as easy to convince them that the book is a bad one as a good one, and in the former case the priests and their adherents have the advantage on their side. AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSIONARY UNION. THE MISSION PRESS. Works in Siamese. The following enumeration of works in the Siamese language, published by the Siam Mission, is from memoranda by Rev. J. T. Jones noted prior to Dec. 1846, and of course includes none of more recent date. 1. A CATECHISM. 8 pp. 12mo. The first printing ever executed in the Siamese language. A translation of Mrs. Judson's Burman Catechism, prepared under her supervision at Rangoon and printed at Serampore about 1820. The type was small and imperfect, and the composition scarcely intelligible. 2. A TRACT prepared by Rev. C. Gutzlaff, printed at Singapore in 1830-1, on type also very imperfect. 3. The CATECHISM, re-translated. 4. SERMON ON THE MOUNT. Matt. v. to vii. inclusively. 5. GOSPEL BY MATTHEW. The three last mentioned were printed at Singapore in 1835, under the supervision of Rev. J. T. Jones; press of the A. B. C. F. M. 6. ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, 4to. 1836-7. 7. SUMMARY OF CHRISTIANITY. 24 pp. 8vo. 1837. The Summary commences with an account of the character and attributes of the true God, and proceeds with the creation, fall, and subsequent state of man, the advent and teaching of Christ, the principal requirements of the Bible, and a somewhat extended statement of the difference between a Christian and one who is not. The 5th edition, of 5,000 copies, was nearly exhausted in 1846. 8. STORIES OF JOSEPH AND MOSES.Compiled from the Scriptures. By Mrs. E. G. Jones. Illustrated with cuts. 1st ed. 5,000 cops. 1838. 2nd ed. 1,000 cops. 1840. 9. STORY OF DANIEL. By the same. Prepared as above. 2 editions. 10. NEW TESTAMENT. Printing commenced in 1839, completed in 1842. Of the Gospels and Acts, 5,000 cops.; of the larger epistles, 3,000 cops.; and of the smaller, 1,500 cops. 11. THE GOLDEN BALANCE. 1st ed. 24 pp. 8vo.-2d ed. 36 pp. Prepared on the basis of the Burman tract of the same name, composed by Mr. Judson, with omissions and additions. 12. SEA CAPTAIN. Translation of an English tract entitled Cabin Boy, with the addition of excerpts from various sources. 1st ed. 12mo.-2nd ed. 8vo. By Rev. R. D. Davenport. 13. OUTLINES OF OLD TEST. BIOGRAPHY, incorporating Nos. 8 and 9. 1st ed. 3,000 copies. 136 pp. 8vo. The work embodies the principal and most important facts of the Old Testament, and was designed as an introduction to the New Testament, facilitating the understanding of its allusions, &c. Nos. 8 and 9 had been found to be exceedingly popular with the natives, which suggested the desirableness of a larger work constructed on the same principles. 14. EFFECTS OF GAMBLING. By Rev. R. D. Davenport. Translation of a sermon from an American divine; with additional facts and arguments. 15. NEW TESTAMENT. The 2d edition, 3,000 copies. Revision and printing commenced in 1845. All of the above, with the exception indicated, were prepared by Mr. Jones. There have also been published “First Lessons in Siamese and English, composed by Mrs. E. G. Jones; and a "Vocabulary of Siamese Terms," ascribed to Mrs. F. G. R. Davenport. Several valuable tracts were published in the Siamese language by missionaries of the A. B. C. F. M.-On Opium-Intemperance-Inoculation and Vaccination, &c., by Dr. Bradley; others on Ecclesiastical History, by Messrs. Robinson and Caswell; and on Geography and Astronomy by others. Also, a translation of the four Gospels and Acts, by Mr. Robinson; and of Genesis and Exodus. DEPARTURE OF MISSIONARIES. The company of missionaries designated for Burmah and Assam, consisting of Rev. E. and Mrs. Kincaid and Dr. J. and Mrs. Dawson, for the recommencement of the mission at Ava; Rev. J. and Mrs. Wade for the Burmese mission, and Rev. J. H. and Mrs. Vinton for the Karen mission at Maulmain; Rev. M. and Mrs. Bronson, and Miss M. S. Shaw to the station at Nowgong, Rev. S. M. and Mrs. Whiting, and Mrs. Cutter to Sibsagor, and Rev. William and Mrs. Ward to Gowahatti, in Assam ;-sailed from this port in the Washington Allston, for Maulmain and Calcutta, July 25. Besides the missionaries and assistant missionaries enumerated, the Assamese youth, for a time resident in this country, and members of several mission families, made up a total of twenty-eight passengers. There was a public meeting at the Tremont Temple on the evening of the 24th, at which interesting addresses were made by the several missionaries, after which they were briefly but feelingly addressed by Rev. Dr. Sharp, who commended them to the divine protection. On the morning of the 25th a large assemblage was gathered on board the ship and upon the wharf adjacent, to take leave of the departing band. After singing a hymn, Rev. J. Lansing Burrows, of Philadelphia, delivered a short but animated and fervent address to the people and to the missionaries, on the real greatness and importance of the transaction in which they were engaged, and assuring our brethren and sisters that they would be followed in their voyage and in their labors, in their successes or their discouragements, by the constant sympathy and the ardent prayers of the churches at home. Rev. Robert Turnbull, of Hartford, offered prayer, and the exercises the benediction. The final greetings were were terminated by the doxology and then exchanged with the missionaries, the vessel was towed out of the harbor by the steamer Robert B. Forbes, bearing hope for thousands, followed by the prayers and blessings of multitudes, and to be welcomed, we trust, by the greetings of many who wait for the salvation of our God. 302 DONATIONS. RECEIVED IN JULY, 1850. Maine. Bangor, 1 ch. Royal Clarke tr., to cons. Anthony Woodard L. M. $100;" Soc. to aid Assamese Orph's," Miss H. A. Wood tr. (of which 25 is for of Samuel L. Caldsup. well in Assam Orph sch. and 6 for a chapel in Nowgong) 31 Wiscasset, John Sylvester 20; Miss Margaret Waters 1.25 131.00 21.25 $152.25 named Carleton Par ker, 25.09 32.09 Roxbury, collected by James Tripp for chap el and building Orph. Inst. 22.77 119.00 Soc. for sup of a child in Mrs. Cutter's sch 25.00 12.37 12.00 6.00 3.50 Massachusetts. 200.00 Sturbridge, ch., for sup. of Z L. Leonard in Karen Normal sch. 17; do. 1; per Rev. Mr. Vinton 18.00 Salem, 2d ch. A lady for Assam Orph. sch. 5; two ladies for do. 2 7.00 -1,157.00 151.00 Boston, Moses Grant, for chap. and buildi'gs at Nowgong, Assam, 100; A friend" 50; a friend, by Jas. Tripp for Nowgong ch pel, do. Tremont ch. Fem. Miss. Soc., Mrs. C. Drew tr., for Mrs. Wade's sch. 53.92; Sab. sch., William A. Holland supt., 7.50 do. Rowe St. ch. Mrs. Susan D. Reynolds 50.00 do. Union ch. G. W. 61.42 Chipman tr., to cons. James French L. M. 100.00 do. 1st ch S. G. Shipley, to cons. Mrs. Cordelia S. Ward L. M. 100; a member to send the Bible to the desti- do. Charles St. ch. mon. 200.00 12.00 574.42 43.00 50.00 |