their hair. Many were ashamed to be seen by me, and would positively deny "We that they were going to the feast. are going to visit our friends," was the common affirmation. I fear it was to little purpose that we instructed or exhorted; their minds were preoccupied. Though the mass of the people of Dong Yan go as spectators, or participators in these scenes, few have any more idea of gaining religious merit there than men have of worshipping God in a theatre, or of gaining religious instruction at the race-course. I have been to several of the surrounding villages on preaching tours, but find the people everywhere listless. I occasionally meet steady men, but " the devil has so enlarged himself this season that they cannot think of becoming Christians at present. So I have more particularly endeavored to instruct, comfort, and establish the church members. With a few exceptions they are doing well. Bahmee's wife has promised to do better, and for the present he is pastor of the church. Moung Te Lau is missionary. Jan. 15, 1850.-Left home, in company with br. Benjamin, for a visit to Mata. 17.-Passed through the village of Tahkheta, a few hours distant from Mata, .where they have lately erected a new and very pleasant appearing zayat, and where I was sorry to disappoint the people, who, it seemed, had expected we would spend the night there. But I had sawyers and coolies in our company, who are to be employed in repairing and altering the chapel at Mata, and are under pay; and I could not afford to lose a day, especially as it is very doubtful whether, with all our efforts, we shall do more than prepare the material this year, and leave the rest to be done next season. We arrived at the chapel about sunset, and there was a congregation of about thirty, who reside mostly in the houses near the zayats. Chapel repaired-Importance of the station. 18. With the aid of a few Karens, we had performed, when the evening set in, a pretty good day's work. A saw-pit had been erected, trees felled, logs placed upon the saw-pit, &c., one of them of the most durable wood in India, far heavier than oak or teak, and nearly as hard as lignum vitæ, measuring at the butt a little over three feet by two feet eight inches. The chapel built here some fifteen or more years ago, has become somewhat dilapidated. The posts are still good, and will be, perhaps, a hundred years hence, but the sides and floor are of bamboo, and ever have been; of course they need occasional renewing, the cost of which, with the roof of leaves, falls pretty hard upon the present residents of the place, who are now few in number compared to what they were when the chapel was originally built. Many who fled from the cholera in 1836, have never since returned, though some of them live in the vicinity, and are only a few miles distant. Others have settled and created new villages, some eight miles, and some more than that, away from Mata, and of course have their own zayats to build and keep in repair. This place being a central one, it seems very desirable the zayat should be kept in repair; for this is the place of all others in this region for a general gathering, whenever it is desirable. From this central point, the missionary may by water go east, or north or south, and find many villages of the Karens, some of which are wholly without schools or a single Christian convert. Another reason for our repairing the zayat consists in the fact that many who once lived here are scattered in the jungle, and that others wish to scatter, and will do so unless they see we are determined to keep up this place. The efforts at concentration have met with less success than was desirable. (It is found that even the Karens who are hopefully converted, and many of them very good Christians, have old habits and predilections still clinging to them, and do not, nor can we suppose as yet they should, appreciate all the blessings of civilization and Christianity. There are too many who still prefer to wander in the jungles, shooting monkeys with poisoned arrows, rather than read the New Testament and other books they possess, whereby the mind could be improved, even if the body was deprived of a favorite delicacy. Present state of Karen churches-Difficulties. A few years since evangelical labor among the Karens was comparatively easy, as they had a disposition to listen to the gospel; partly from its novelty, but more, we would hope, from a real belief in the blessings it conveys. The day of the trial of their faith seems to have arrived, and many give cause for great anxiety on their account, lest they have only changed their views and practices, and not been really changed in heart. But we would not hastily judge; man looketh on the outward appearance, but God looketh on the heart." rant unbeliever is ready to exclaim, "Our nats protect us from sickness as much as does your God, and why should we not serve the one as well as the other?" Again, there are difficulties of a more serious character this year than usual, among the disciples themselves, and of greater magnitude in proportion as the individuals implicated are influential. Many of these difficulties were known before our leaving home, and never has there been a time since the gospel was first proclaimed on these mountain sides, when more wisdom and grace were needed by those who visit these regions. Religious services-Panic from sickness. 20. Lord's day.-The morning prayer meeting was pretty well attended. At the 10 o'clock service there were about 140 present, who were addressed from Rom. viii. 1. In the afternoon, collected a Bible-class, when over thirty were present, and as promising as could be expected. The pastor here, Ko-la-pau, was taken down with the prevailing fever to-day, and is laid aside from labor for the present. 26. Our meetings have been continued during the week as usual, with a pretty fair attendance. Fevers are frightfully common. Two or three cases of cholera were reported in a village about a day's distance from here among the Shan Karens, none of whom are disciples; and they all fled to the jungles. In one case, a father and mother left a grown-up daughter in a nearly dry water-course without any aid, because she was attacked by the disease; and there she died, with none to see her die but the birds of the forest. The panic extended to the Christian village of Tahkheta, and to my disappointment they all fled also, and left their houses unoccupied. The village is only half a day distant from this place, and when we are here, many of the people usually come down for worship on the Sabbath. The faith and stability of the professed disciples in this region, have been sorely tried, and the ordeal is not wholly passed. Last year they were fearful of the smallpox; it was all around them, though very few took it or died with it. This year the cholera is on their borders, and they are fearful on that account. It is truly an uncommonly sickly season this year. Perhaps the whole truth is not told when it is said that every third person in all this region is ill or has just been ill with jungle fever. It has been the happiness of the writer to visit these regions almost annually for the last fifteen years, and he can safely say he has never known sickness so 27. Lord's day. The attendance prevalent. As the disciple and the un- less to-day than is usual. No one from believer are equally affected, the igno- | Tahkheta, and it is difficult to find where --- the people have fled to, though it is said they are in the jungles, one family here and another there, as they fear to be together. This makes it very hard for those who are ill with fevers, as they are much neglected, and must, more or less, take care of themselves. The people are being tried in one way and another, as they never were before, and we earnestly pray that these unpromising circumstances may all be overruled for their eternal good.) 30.-Letters and periodicals reached us from America, and serve to enliven the monotony of jungle life. (31.-Br. Benjamin left us in order to return to town and make preparations for a removal of his residence to Mergui, in accordance with the tenor of letters received from Boston. He is desirous of going to Mergui immediately, to be ready for the schools in the rains, and could not remain here as long as I expect to. Feb. 1.-Have felt symptoms of fever for several days; had unmistakable evidence of it to-day, and have been obliged to keep my cot. Am constrained to be my own physician and nurse, though the natives are kind and do what they can, so far as they know. 3. Lord's day.-A much better congregation to-day than any previous time this year. Addressed the people from 1 John, ii. 13. The people were very attentive, and I endeavored, though in much weakness, to impress upon them the worthlessness of the world and of the things that are in the world. In the afternoon a bible-class, as usual. About 4 o'clock there was a heavy thundershower, and the rain came down in torrents, so much so that, dry as the ground is, water surrounded the zayat and was ankle deep around the stairs. Karen joinery. 9.-The week has passed without any very stirring incident. The sawyers have been at work as usual in the pit; some of them have fever, as well as the people here;-but to-day was completed a bona fide board table, with legs planed and tenoned; and all the work of a Karen. It is a curiosity, as being the product of the jungle. It is twenty inches wide and three feet long;-so the old bamboo table has been set aside. These people have ingenuity, and can do some things well if they please; but like all eastern people they are very fickle. I am in hope, as there will be many little bits of boards, &c., left, as well as slabs from the saw-pit, some of the younger ones will try their skill in joinery. One man, at my recommendation, has already bought a pit-saw, and several have worked so much with the Burmans while here, that they can draw the saw up and down after a fashion, and will improve if they practise. Benches and tables, as well as bedsteads, would be a great improvement for Karens. We must not despise the day of small things. I have seen great improvements since I began to come into the jungle, but they are all inferior to those above mentioned. 10. Lord's day.-Meetings as usual, and far better attended. But fevers are fearfully prevalent. Two of the sawyers from town are ill with it today. 11. The sawyers have completed their work, and the Karens have brought up and put on the chapel floor,-33 floor boards, ten inches wide and fifteen feet long, as well as some scantling and clapboards. Covenant meetings-Gambling-Eclipse of the sun. To-day commenced the covenant meeting preparatory to the communion. In the examination had to-day, one confessed that he had a few times been guilty of playing with dice for money, though he did not acknowledge it was sinful; if both parties were of the same mind, he said, it was only a contract, like a sale of goods, &c. As he has been in mission-schools more or less from his childhood with Mrs. Wade, and two years with Mr. Cross, it was not in me to believe he was so ignorant or so innocent as he wished to be thought, and after much conversation and instruction on the matter it was left to be taken up | spend the next rains at Laulu. God again hereafter. grant he may, and be made useful. 12. Soon after noon the sun was eclipsed, and as the people had been forewarned and furnished with smoked glass, all had an opportunity of seeing it distinctly. Their old ideas of eclipses were connected with nats and nat worship, and they feel relieved to know there are none of those transactions taking place in the sun that tradition has told them of. Evidence of progress-Aitee. 15. As our covenant meetings are nearly over, it may not be amiss here to state that it is in these meetings, as well as by personal intercourse, we learn the state of the people as to their spiritual concerns. Though there are some who give us pain, and of whom we stand in doubt, there are many who show by their life and conversation, that they are growing in grace and making progress onward to glory. It is peculiarly gratifying to find some who express their minds in scripture language, and who, by repeated quotations, indicate that the word of God is read as well as meditated upon. Some said, apparently with feeling, that they often felt sad during the rains, because they were in their fields so far from the chapel that they could not attend worship on the Sabbath so often as they desired. This evening we had an animated discourse from Aitee, once a student under Mr. Mason, and one of the most natural and eloquent speakers we have among the Karens. The death of his first wife, and his second marriage, have thrown him into the shade; as it is a custom with the Karens that whoever marries a daughter becomes a resident in the father's family; and his father-in-law unfortunately lives in a remote nook in the jungle. We have been making efforts for three years past to get him into another location, where he could be employed again as an assistant, but it has thus far been without success. There is some prospect, however, that he will Examination of the school-Candidates for baptism. This afternoon examined the school; though not as many pupils have attended the past year as before, good progress has been made, and several have learned to read. In arithmetic and geography there has been some advance, but there is room for much more. Many of the pupils have made proficiency in scripture history, and attained a pretty fair hand in writing. 16. This morning examined several candidates for baptism, fou of whom were received. As not so many people have attended the meetings this year as had been usual, although we know very many are detained by fevers, it is thought best to appoint a committee of nine, who are to report next year in regard to absentees. In this way we hope to know bette the state of the church, which is desirable; and also be able to make a report to the Association, which meets here next year. During the covenant meetings, all those who had been led astray by playing with dice confessed their guilt, and none seemed disposed to ever practise the like again. We had made up our minds, (without any one knowing what we purposed,) that if any had gained money by this vice, however small the amount, he should make restitution; but on inquiry it was found that every one had lost, some half a rupee, some a quarter, and some a rupee or more. As but few had ever tried their fortune more than once, and all were apparently fully satisfied that the practice was sinful, and the act would not be repeated by them, the matter was dismissed. After meeting I was laid upon my bed again by a return of fever, which racks my system with the strength of a giant. After sunset, made an effort, and an effort was necessary, to get up and take a little gentle exercise in walking;-as I have found by experi ence that I feel better for it, and have often recommended it to the natives under similar circumstances. I desired to show them that in this, at least, I practised as I preached. Was too ill to attend the evening meeting. Sabbath services-Baptism and communion. 17. Lord's day.—At 9 A. M. preached to a congregation of about 200 from Ps. cxvi. 15; after which another candidate was examined and received; we then repaired to the banks of the Tenasserim, and the five new disciples were baptized. In the afternoon, we assembled for the celebration of the Lord's Supper; 150 communicants present. It was a time to be remembered; seriousness and solemnity pervaded the assembly. Scenes that were transacted more than 1800 years ago were remembered, scenes that filled the angelic hosts with wonder and delight, and completed the work whereby man might be redeemed from ruin and made happy forever. Letters of absentees. Many who lived in sight of the chapel were prevented from attending our services by fevers in their own persons or families. As a specimen of the feelings of many who could not attend, a literal translation of two of the numerous letters sent into the church, is here given. (1.) "As to me, I think in my mind my delinquencies are very many. And why? I eat and drink and sleep, and still forget God. And now I am ill with cough and fever, and cannot assemble with the church and teacher. Why? I am fatigued if I go down on the ground, and my eyes are dim; and more than this, two of my children are ill with fever, and I cannot even take care of them. Therefore I bear my sins, and put my mind in the hand of God. O, beloved brethren and sisters and teacher, pray to God for, and bear with me. I cannot this year come to the Lord's table. Do not forget me, but pray to our God for me. "I, Tai-ka-mu, send this letter." (2.) "As to me, brethren and sisters, and teacher, I look at my whole mind and my whole body very carefully, and find I am full of sin. And why? When I consider my words, my eating and drinking and sleeping, I come to the conclusion that I am all defiled with sin. Why? Sometimes I am impatient with my wife and child, and the ills of this world. As my mind is often thus, I think I am a great sinner, and more than this, last year I played once at a game of hazard. As to this, I then thought it was not wrong, but after considering I now think it is wicked. I now think I shall never sin any more in this manner. The teacher and some of the disciples say it is wrong, and I consent it is so, and have firmly resolved in my mind never to do so again. O, brethren and sisters and teacher, pardon me, and pray to God for me. Now I cannot assemble with you. Why? My wife and my daughter are very ill with fever. When you have the Lord's Supper do not forget me, but pray God to pardon and forgive my sins, O disciples and teacher. ) "The letter of confession of A Mai." Tahkheta School-Hot Springs-Temperature of Mata and Tavoy. 19.-Closed up matters to-day in the saw-pit, preparatory to a return to town. With my aid the Karen carpenter made another table to-day, and one considerably in advance of the other. They are both new things for the jungle. 20.-Left Mata for Tahkheta, a pleasant village, where we arrived a little before noon. There are more houses together here than in Mata, and this is an important village; the most of whose residents are members of the church at Mata. Examined the pupils in the school. There were only twelve pupils present, but they have made better progress than those of any other school I have examined for a long time. The progress in geography and arithmetic was very gratifying. In the evening, the chapel was well filled; the address from John iii. 36. |