used as class-books by the students. The Bible, indeed, is not put into their hands; but they find in these books frequent mention of it, and passages taken from it; and this leads them to seek a copy of it for themselves. Constantly are the Missionaries being applied to by young men of this class for copies of the Scriptures. Such applications have often been made to myself. A young man has called at my house, or has spoken to me after I had been preaching to the heathen in the native chapel, and asked me to give him "a Holy Bible," as they are in the habit of calling it. "Well," I have said to him, "and who are you, and why do you want the Bible?' “O," he would reply, “my name is so-and-so; I am a student of such a class in the Hiudu College, or in Babu Mati Lall Sil's College, or in the Hindu Charitable Institution" (both of them established by the bigoted rich natives of Calcutta, in the hope of destroying our Missionary Institutions), "where I am reading Milton's Paradise Lost; I find a great many things in the poem that are taken from the Bible, but we are not taught the Bible in our school; so I want you to give me one, that I may read the histories for myself, and know all about them." Thus, for the better understanding of Milton and Bacon, and other English writers, are the youth of India inquiring for the Word of the living God. And in this way have many others of their number, as well as M. S. Dutt, become acquainted with those truths "which are able to make them wise unto salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ." Many know the truth, but have not courage to profess it and forsake all for Christ. Others, like the writer of the following verses, have been enabled to do this, and even to break "affection's tenderest ties" for the sake of the blessed Saviour.

But if, through God's mercy, we have had some converts to the faith amongst the pupils of those schools where no

Christian instruction is given, we have had many more, as might be expected, from our Missionary Institutions where the Bible is read every day, and its truths carefully taught. There are many such in different parts of India, in a very flourishing state, attended by thousands of the young; and the number of converts from these schools-though still, alas! small compared with the multitudes who attend—is, I am thankful to say, greatly increasing.

Another month, I may say something about one of these Institutions belonging to the London Missionary Society at Bhowanipore, Calcutta ; where God has been pleased of late greatly to bless our labours, by the conversion of several of the pupils, and by disposing the young converts not only to become Christians, but also to devote themselves to the work of preaching Christ to their countrymen. Let me entreat the readers of this Juvenile Missionary Magazine earnestly to pray to God that he will convert the youth of India by his grace, and make them zealous for the spread of his gospel all around them.

J. H. PARKER.

Long sunk in superstition's night,
By sin and Satan driven,

I knew not, cared not, for the light
That leads the blind to heaven.

I sat in darkness; reason's eye
Was shut, was closed in me;

I hastened to eternity,

O'er error's dreadful sea.

But now at length thy grace, O Lord,
Bids all around me shine;

I taste thy sweet, thy precious word,
I kneel before thy shrine.

I've broke affection's tenderest ties
For my blest Saviour's sake;
All-all I love beneath the skies,
Lord, I for thee forsake,

THE

JUVENILE MISSIONARY MAGAZINE.

OCTOBER, 1854.

PREACHING IN INDIA

INDIA is a great and beautiful country. It is fifteen times as large as our own island home, and contains more than seven times as many people. How sad to think that, while we have several thousand ministers of the Gospel to preach to us, the hundred and fifty millions of ignorant, perishing Hindoos and Mohammedans have only about four hundred and forty Missionaries to tell them of a Saviour, and show them the path to heaven. Yet, though the preachers of the Gospel in that distant land are so few, their labours have been so blessed that many thousands of the natives have given up the worship of idols, and serve the living and true God, through Jesus Christ whom He has sent.

If our young friends were to visit one of the Mission stations in India on the Sabbath, they would be greatly delighted. It could not but pain them indeed to see the heather crowding the streets, buying, selling, getting gain, and thinking nothing about God's holy day. But then their hearts must rejoice as they looked VOL. XI.-No, 125,

I