at their meeting in May last, resolved on founding a similar institution somewhere within their bounds, and are collecting the necessary funds for the purpose. Besides these, there are funds to a considerable amount attached to the Colleges at Cambridge and Princeton, and to the Academies at Exeter, (N. H.) and Andover, (Mass.) for the support of theological students.

Institutions of this kind, and particularly for the purpose of educating missionaries, are established at Gosport in England, where in 1807, there were thirteen students; also at Hoxton, England, and at Berlin, in Prussia, where in 1805, were five students.

Note F. p. 23.

AMONG other establishments alluded to, which have in view the benefit of the inhabitants of this benighted quarter of the world, I have pleasure in mentioning, particularly, "THE AFRICAN INSTITUTION,” to which the abolition of the slave trade gave rise, and which was formed in London in April, 1807. Its members in point of rank, talents, wealth, and good influence, are among the first characters in England.

The objects of this noble institution, and the means of effecting them, will be best learned, by the following extracts from their Rules and Regulations.

"Resolved, 1. That this iceting is deeply impressed with a sense of the enormous wrongs which the natives of Africa bave suffered in their intercourse with Europe; and from a desire to repair those wrongs, as well as from general feelings of benevolence, is anxious to adopt such measures as are best calculated to promote their civilization and happiness.

2. "That the approaching cessation of the Slave Trade hitherto carried on by Great Britain, America, and Denmark, will, in a considerable degree, remove the barrier which has so long obstructed the natural course of social improvement in Africa; and that the way will be thereby opened for introducing the comforts and arts of a more civilized state of society.

3. "That the happiest effects may be reasonably anticipated from diffusing useful knowledge, and exciting industry among the inhabitants of Africa, and from obtaining and circulating throughout this country more ample and authentic information concerning the agricultural and commercial faculties of that vast continent.

4. "That the present period is eminently fitted for prosecutting these benevolent designs; since the suspension, during the war, of that large share of the Slave Trade, which has commonly been carried on by France, Spain, and Holland, will, when combined with the effect of the Abolition Laws of Great Britain, America, and Denmark, produce nearly the entire cessation of that traffic along a line of coast extending between two and three

thousand miles in length, and thereby afford a peculiarly favorable opportunity for giving a new direction to the industry and commerce of Africa.

"To prevent misconception concerning the views and measures of the African Institution, it may be proper in the first instance to declare, that it is the Society's fixed determination not to undertake any religious mission, and not to engage in commercial speculations. The Society is aware that there already exist several most respectable Institutions formed for the diffusion of Christianity, and means not to encroach on their province. It may also be proper to premise, that it will naturally become the duty and care of the Society, to watch over the execution of the laws, recently enacted in this and other countries, for abolishing the African Slave Trade; to endeavor to prevent the infraction of those laws; and from time to time to suggest any means by which they may be rendered more effectual to their objects; and likewise to endeavor, by communicating information, and by other appropriate methods, to promote the Abolition of the African Slave Trade by Foreign powers.

"The means which it is proposed to employ for the purpose of promoting civilization and improvement in Africa are of the following kind.

1. "To collect and diffuse, throughout this country, accurate information respecting the natural productions of Africa, and, in general, respecting the agricultural and commercial capacities of the African Continent, and the intellectual, moral, and political condition of its inhabitants.

2. "To promote the instruction of the Africans in letters and in useful knowledge, and to cultivate a friendly connexion with the natives of that Continent.

3. "To endeavor to enlighten the minds of the Africans with respect to their true interests; and to diffuse information amongst them respecting the means whereby they may improve the present opportunity of substituting a beneficial commerce in place of the Slave Trade.

4. "To introduce amongst them such of the improvements and useful arts of Europe as are suited to their condition.

5. "To promote the cultivation of the African soil, not only by exciting and directing the industry of the natives, but by furnishing, where it may appear advantageous to do so, useful seeds and plants, and implements of husbandry.

6. "To introduce amongst the inhabitants beneficial medical discoveries.

7. "To obtain a knowledge of the principal languages of Africa, and, as has already been found to be practicable, to reduce them to writing, with a view to facilitate the diffusion of information among the natives of that country.

8. "To employ suitable agents and to establish correspondences as shall appear advisable, and to encourage and reward

individual enterprise and exertion in promoting any of the purposes of the institution."

The subscriptions to this institution have been very liberal,* and the prospect of success encouraging. The aid of the United States, through theSecretaryof the Association has been solicited in a correspondence with the President of the Society for promoting the Abolition of Slavery in the United States, and with other American gentlemen of respectability. In one of his letters he states the strong reasons, which exist, to induce the American government and the American public, actively to co-operate in accomplishing the plans of this Institution.

"The success," he says, "of any endeavors for the civilization of Africa, must depend on the degree in which the continuance of the Slave Trade on that coast can be prevented. Much has been done by the legislative enactments of Great Britain and America. Your Congress however, do not seem to have been aware of the subtle evasions, which men, practised in this trade of blood, would have recourse to, in the prosecution of their nefarious practices. Accordingly, it appears, that American ships, using the Swedish, Spanish, and Portuguese flags, and some even sailing under their own, have appeared in the African seas, for the purpose of procuring slaves, to carry to the colonies of Spain, Portugal, &c. What is wanted in order to destroy this system is, in the first place, an act of Congress, rendering it highly penal in any American citizen, to be engaged in this trade, either as a capitalist, or as an agent, under any flag, or under any circumstances. But above all, a contract or agreement between Great Britain and America, that the cruisers of both nations shall be empowered indiscriminately, and mutually to enforce their Abolition laws. At present, the American laws prohibiting the foreign Slave Trade, are a dead letter, because they have no cruisers on the coast of Africa, or in the tropical latitudes, to carry them into effect. If once, however, it were understood, that these piratical violators of the laws of their own country, as well as of the dearest rights of humanity, were obnoxious to seizure by British cruisers, and to subsequent condemnation, much more would be done in a few months to remove the grand obstacle, to the improvement of Africa, than could otherwise be effected in a series of years. On this subject the gentlemen abovementioned have been strongly solicited to use their influence to produce a willingness, on the part of the government of the United States, to accede to such an agreement, to which I am persuaded there would be no objection on this side of the water; and from which many happy effects, not only to Africa, but to ourselves also, might be anticipated. The co-operation of the two countries, in one common purpose of benevolence would serve, it might be hoped, to draw more closely the bond of union between them, and would unquestionably

The first year they amounted to 29761. 2s Ed. sterling.

strengthen in the minds of all benevolent men, the existing motives for desiring a perfect amity to be perpetuated between them."

It is hoped that the American government and people are not wanting in a disposition to lend their legislative aid and private influence, to the accomplishment of an object, which, when understood in all its contemplated consequences, cannot fail to excite the warmest approbation, and even admiration, of every humane, upright, and liberal mind.

Note G. p. 25.

WE have received from Rev. Dr. Carey, an authentic account of the state of the translations, and printing the Bible, in Nov. 1809, as follows.

State of Printing and Translating the Bible, November 9, 1809.

O. Testament.
Exodus xxx.
Ditto

Job to Isa. viii.
Not begun

The whole

Ditto

Ditto

Rom. xii.

Mahratta,

Ditto

Job to Prov.

John's Gospel

Ditto

Isheetcompos'd Ditto

For a particular account of these translations, the reader is referred to the Panoplist, and Missionary Magazine, for June, 1810. p. 36.

To the above information we add, that the New Testament has been translated and printed in the Turkish language, by Mr. Brunton, a missionary from the Edinburgh Missionary Society in Tartary, and thus prepared to be distributed and read

* The copy is imperfect here.

(1) By Rev. C. Martyn and N. Sabat. (2) Printed by the Dutch Government, 1755. (3) By the Missionaries on the Coast. (4) By the Syrian bishop. (5) Uncertain. All the other translations are in our hands. May the Lord enable us to finish them.

1

throughout the Turkish Empire, which contains more than 24,000,000 of souls. The Bible has long since been translated into the Arabic language, which is spoken not only in Arabia, but has been extended by means of the Mahometans, through the eastern, and over a large part of the northern and western, coast of Africa. Missionaries and others acquainted with this language, might preach the gospel, and spread other useful knowledge, in almost every part of Africa.

"The Susoo language is spoken very generally on the coast of Africa, for about 150 miles to the northward of Sierra Leone. It is understood by the greater part of the Foulah and Mandingo nations; and is the vernacular tongue of the country of Jalonkadoo, a large kingdom, in the mountains, from which the Niger is said to take its rise."* A grammar and vocabu ́lary of this language have already been made by Mr. Brunton, and some Susoo tracts have been printed. These may prepare the way for a translation of the Scriptures into this language.

Note H. p. 26.

THE Portuguese, who visited Malabar, in the East Indies, in the seventeenth century, inform us, "That from ancient monuments, writings, and constant tradition, which the Christians they found in these parts preserved, they learned that St. Thomas came first to Socotra, an island in the Arabian sea, and thence to Cranganor, where having converted many, he travelled further to the East, and preached the gospel with good success, and returned to the kingdom of Coromandel, where at Malipur the metropolis, near to the mouth of the Ganges, in the gulf of Bengal, he began to erect a place for divine worship, till he was prohibited by the priests, and the prince of the country. But upon convictions by several miracles, the work went on. The prince himself embraced the Christian faith, and his example was followed by great numbers of his friends and subjects. The Brachmans fearing this would spoil their trade, and extirpate the religion of their country, pursued the Apostle to a tomb, whither he used to retire for his devotions: while he was at pray. er, they load him with darts and stones, and one of them ran him through with a lance. His disciples took up his body, and buried it in the church he had lately built, which was afterward improved into a fabric of great magnificence." From these early converts to the Christian faith, "there is said to have been a continued succession of those called Christians of St. Thomas in those parts, unto this day. The Portuguese found them in great

Religious Monitor, vol. vi. p. 43.