to grant us serious minds; it is the principal thing indeed, and only God can grant it." Before leaving that place, some of the people desired us to sing a hymn, after which we distributed tracts.

Lord's-day. We arrived at Nursingpore ghaut, where there was a number of people waiting for the ferry boat. They were talking about the death of Rajah Pureekheet, which was caused by the sting of Tukhuk, the snake. A young man having said that the snake, Tukhuk, does not sting any man except he be holy, when we had an opportunity, we asked him, whether he was holy? He said that he could not do any good actions whereby he should be made holy, and acknowledged that he was a sinful man. We replied, "brother you know that we are all destroyed by the poison of sin, which like a serpent is stinging us daily; therefore we need a Physician." We then declared to them that Great Physician, the Lord Jesus Christ; and informed them, that whosoever shall believe in his death, shall be saved from the poison of sin. When they were gone, we had some further conversation with a brahmun, some mussulmans, and others.

Tuesday. Mr. D. went over with us to Rogunpore ghaut, where a melah was held for bathing in the Ganges, at which not less than five thousand people were present. We read Romans xii. 1. "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Adding, "not that by washing your bodies in the waters of the Ganges, you can be made holy: a sepulchre looks beautiful without, but within it is full of bones and corruption, so are your bodies and hearts full of iniquity; then what advantage can you expect by washing your bodies in the Ganges? But God has graciously revealed an atonement by his own Son, who became a ransom, and sacrificed himself for sinners: whosoever is cleansed from iniquity by being washed in his blood, shall be saved." Afterwards we prayed and distributed tracts. Brother Rottun also spoke to many in the way, and on his shewing to them the reasons of their ten Incarnations, many of them acknowledged that each of these incarnations came for the accomplishment of their own peculiar desires, and none of them did any thing for sinners. Some of them came conversing with us, and afterwards took tracts. Mr. D. enquired of one old man, among them, whether he had gained any advantage by bathing in the Ganges: He replied,

"No, nothing, it is a mere wandering."-We left some tracts at

Mr. D's. factory.

Thursday. On our return to Serampore, went up to Culnahgunge, and, after reading a portion from a tract, observed that men in general are far from thinking about salvation, but for the happiness of this world they are very earnest : days are passing by, and we have to think on what will occur at the end, and where our souls will be fixed after death. The Lord Jesus Christ will descend as a Judge, we then being sinners, how shall we appear before that holy and upright Judge? We must appear before Him, because this is fixed, and God has commanded that whosoever shall sin must be brought to judgment; therefore we ought to prepare ourselves for that day: God is full of love, and from his love towards mankind gave his own beloved Son, who was sacrificed for sinners. Whosoever shall believe upon Jesus, shall be saved, beside Him there is no remedy for sinners. The people heard the word with much attention; and none opposed: afterwards we distributed tracts.

BENARES.-Extract of a letter from Mr. Smith, dated Feb. 11, 1824:-"On the 12th ultimo I left Benares for Allahabad with brother Kassee, and on our arrival at Chunar, Mr. Bowley was kind enough to accompany us. On our way we addressed the Gospel, in several villages, to crowds of people, and gave away some copies of the Scriptures to those who applied for them. On the 17th, we arrived at Allahabad and laboured with brother Mackintosh, in the melal, and several other places, until the 27th.

"In one instance, while we were addressing the Gospel in the fair to a crowd of people, a brahmun of superior ability, after listening for a while, argued with Mr. Bowley, endeavouring to support his own system, and saying that he is a God, or a portion of the perfect being; but not being able to defend his way of thinking, he gave up his opinions, and appeared, all in a sudden, favourable to the Christian religion, saying, that, "there is nothing in the Hindoo religion to make a person humble, all their ceremonies are to puff up persons in pride." The brahmun has given up his caste, and is with Mr. Bowley under instruction. I was much pleased to see the chapel quite full with Hindoos and Mussulmans on Lord's-days and several persons were standing outside listening with the great

est attention. I understand they are regular attenders. May the Lord bless the means for the conversion of their souls.

"I have not seen, nor heard of any persons drowned this year. It seems this cruel practice has ceased. On the 28th we left Allahabad and safely reached my station on the 31st. I left brother Kassee at Allahabad to assist brother Mackintosh for some days. On my arrival here I received a parcel of publications, for which I beg you will accept my sincere thanks."

DELHI.-We have received a letter from Mr. Thompson, dated Jan. 8, 1824, containing a review of his labours, during the past year, from which we give the following extracts :- I think it ought no longer to be a question with those who have observed the course of events in this country for the last twenty years, whether the cause of Missions be deserving of patronage or not for the contemplation of the great things that have taken place, in the translation and distribution of the Sacred Scriptures, in breaking the chain of caste, in planting the Church of Christ in these lands, must form the most powerful of all appeals to the minds of such as are disposed to favor the ways of Zion.

"Christianity now has not only been planted, it has through divine grace taken root, and borne fruit, in the holy lives and happy deaths of many converts of Indian growth, and in the accessions its Indian converts have been the means of making to the church. To suppose, after all this, that Christianity may die away, is to suppose an impossibility. For we must then suppose that the Divine Being, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to take no interest in the spread of that gospel, by which he himself is honored and glorified in the highest degree among men, and respecting the success of which He has caused it to be solemnly recorded, 'When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand; He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.' We must suppose too that the emancipated natives (increasing every year) have received no advantage of consequence, in point of character, from the superior morality of their lives, their being chaste husbands, affectionate fathers, diligent servants; and in point of wealth, themselves enjoying the fruits of their own industry without experiencing the taxation of brahmuns, the demands

of caste, or running into extravagance with dissipated companions: not to say any thing of the joy with which a stranger intermeddleth not,' arising from the consciousness of having obtained a Saviour, from enjoying communion with God, having sin forgiven, the heart sanctified, the promise of grace given, and enjoying the gift of the Sacred Scriptures, which carry with them the evidence of their divine origin, and exhibit blessed examples drawn from all ages. To think, for a moment, that Christianity may be rooted out, notwithstanding all this, would be to suppose, I say, that God is indif1 ferent to his promises and his oath, or that the great things effected do not mark his hand. Let no one therefore refuse to contribute towards it on the supposition that this great undertaking may prove abortive.

"If it be asked, But what is now doing towards forwarding or perpetuating the work? I answer, that such methods are pursued as are likely to ensure success, and which in some instances have been already crowned with success, which, though small in quantity, is like the first fruits before a plenteous harvest. These we esteem, not only for their being good in themselves, but, as indications of the divine mercy and of the Redeemer's presence with us. The labours pursued are, preaching, the distribution of books, conversations; and recently schools.

"The foolishness of preaching is said to save them that believe; and 'faith cometh by hearing.' The preaching at the ghaut has been attended with this good, that it has, beyond any former year, drawn great numbers to hear the word; stirred up the minds of many to argue on subjects connected with religion, and about gospel truths in particular; and induced such topics to be discussed with no small degree of interest, in the various circles of the natives, in shops, at feasts, in melas, &c. That the good will not in all probability end here, I have every reason to hope. Ram-churun, first heard of missionary efforts at a feast, and Mohun-sing, in a distant part of the city, had the news of the preaching frequently carried to him by some who used to return from the ghaut. These are instanees that have come to our notice: but may we not, without presumption, hope, that as faith comes by hearing, many a Hindoo sinner has been made to receive the truth in the love of it, and amidst the general mortality, has fallen asleep in Jesus? It is not too much to hope that there are now here persons continuing to hear in whose hearts

there is much serious thought. places where the gospel is preached faithfully and constantly; and European conversions prove how many are the means often used steadily to produce one conversion. Word upon word, line upon line, here a little and there a little, must be the method pursued. Not only at the ghaut, but in the streets, and at melas, preaching has tended every where to excite a lively attention. One man, hearing me in the streets a year ago,has conversed with me frequently since, confessing we have the truth on our side, though he has not sufficient -trength of mind to embrace it. In the beginning of the year several persons, both Mussulmans and Hindoos, offered to become Christians; but the event has proved that they did not understand what Christianity was, and what they would have received from it Of all who offered themselves, one person only has approved himself a sincere inquirer after the way of salvation, and has accordingly joined us. A single such instance may be deemed but a small increase to the church; but it is that of a soul for whom Christ died, having, as we would humbly hope, been enlightened, turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. He is not perfect, but he has given himself to the Lord Jesus Christ, to his ministers and people, that he may be instructed by them, and attends upon the means of grace, which are given for the perfecting of the saints. Though the increase be small, the effect on beholders is not small. They see herein an actual extension of the Redeemer's kingdom, more strikingly than in beholding a host of European Christians newly come.

Such there are, I believe, in most

"At the several melas, or religious Hindoo and Mussulman assemblies at Hurdwar, Garh-mookteswar, Nizam-ood-deen, and within Delhi, I have had pleasing opportunities of making known the word extensively. The city itself furnishes constant inquirers after divine truth, and at the melas I had no small number. Attention, deep interest, and occasional disputation follow exertions every where. From a Hindoo, who heard me at Hurdwar, I have since had letters by dawk, and a messenger. The attachment such occasional hearers shew to the word, seldom amounts to conversion, but it is an indication of good things: and if it will not prove that such persons, are 'not far from the kingdom of God,' it will be allowed that they are a people preparing for the Lord, and that 'the fields are white already unto harvest.'