and represented the case, and begged of him to interfere and throw the offender out of caste. Fortunately the party appealed to was liberally disposed, and refused to interfere, otherwise the young man would have been reduced to beggary. Phatagar, a place eight miles distant, was our next stage. Soon after our arrival a large market assembled close to our tent. Having partaken of a little refreshment, we went among the people and proclaimed the "unsearchable riches of Christ," answered questions, argued, conversed until quite exhausted, and our throats sore. engaged in prescribing medicines for diseases from which some of them were suffering. He invited me to sit down, and with his friends paid great attention while I made known the inability of man to be saved by man, and the folly and wickedness of trusting in any one save the Lord Jesus for salvation. He is one of the most humble, communicative and obliging men of the class that I know. He was very much attached to brother Lacey, and made many enquires about him, and seemed quite sorrowful on hearing of his decease. The Lord grant that he may not have known and conversed with our dear departed brother in vain, but soon forsake his wicked calling, and become a sincere and devoted disciple of the blessed Saviour. We next met with some very zealous worshippers of Choitanya, a Hindoo reformer who lived about 250 years ago; they insisted, notwithstanding unanswerable arguments to the contrary, that he was an incarnation of the true God, and able to save them. Some haughty bramhins turned away in disgust at the idea of salvation only being obtainable through faith in one who was crucified. Many however paid great attention, and gladly received tracts. The following two days were spent in visiting and preaching in five of the surround-gation, making known in his own pecuing villages, also in addressing those who came to the tent. In one village an aged, respectable man furnished me with a cigar, spread a mat, and invited me to sit down. He then went into the house, and soon returned with a copy of Matthew's gospel, which he appeared to prize as great a treasure. He said he had had it several years, and was anxious to have some parts of it explained. I had therefore the pleasure of making known to him and his friends what had proved difficult, and exhorting them to repent and put their trust in Him who was the sum and substance of the book. I left another book with the old man, for which he seemed very grateful; and we parted on the most friendly terms. Before our departure I went to see the Principal, or Mahant, of a math near to our encampment. I found him surrounded by about twenty of his disciples, male and female, who had come to see him and present offerings. He was just I am reminded that this was the first place we encamped at on the first tour I made with brother Lacey. Though now nearly seven years ago our visit is as fresh on my memory as if it were yesterday. I have him now before my mind, stand-· ing as he did then, in the midst of the market, surrounded by a large congre. liarly attractive and impressive manner, "Christ and him crucified," while his hearers, with eyes intently fixed on him, alternately smiled, sighed and wept. Honoured and beloved brother! how often hast thou traversed these jungles and plains, gazed upon these scenes, and proclaimed the gospel to the inhabitants of these regions; though now thy work on earth is finished, and thy crown of glory is obtained. Fragrant and precious indeed is thy memory, nor will it soon be fogotten in Orissa; generations yet unborn will with gratitude refer to thee as most worthy to be denominated, the apostle of their once idolatrous but then evangelized country. Jan. 1st, 1853.-I have been unable to write more, and it is now the last safe day for overland letters, so I must close, and give you an account of the remainder of our tour next month. With kindest regards, I remain, affectionately yours, W. MILLER. REMARKABLE MOVEMENT IN SIERRA-LEONE. WE are thankful to insert the following The state of the popular mind at SierraLeone, indicated by so general an abandonment of idol-gods as is here narrated, is a signal evidence of the effect certainly produced, sooner or later, by the steady maintenance of the testimony of Christ. We may hope that such a movement will spread in the adjacent parts of Africa; and, coupled with the recent advices from the Gold Coast, the details of our present publication hold out the most cheering prospects for the Western portion of that long REMARKABLE MOVEMENT IN SIERRA-LEONE. unhappy continent. Missionaries in other countries will see, in what has occurred in Sierra-Leone, cheering evidence that, in their fields also, after the seed-time has been faithfully improved, a time will come when, by special influence of the Holy Spirit, they will suddenly reap a great harvest. 195 ences upon them, and urged them to give it up at once, and allow us to take the objects of their worship away, so that they might have a clear course to the house of God. To our surprise, they permitted us to take them. Often they had been spoken to, but never yielded. They were both old men, sick and infirm, and long residents at It is necessary for our readers to bear in at Aberdeen; and one, in particular, a nomind that the peculiar observances of idola- torious character among the people, and a try here referred to were practised, especial- leading man among his profession. When ly with a view to obtain luck, or to send ill- I went into his idol-house, he followed me, luck to enemies, and were, therefore, a source but uttered not a word of objection. I of considerable profit to the parties who kept took out his wooden god, &c., called O-batthe "country fashion," and to whom others alla, and carried it into his house, and was resorted for the exercise of their influence putting it down in order to pray with him; with the occult powers. So debasing are but he said, "No! go carry 'em, go carry the effects of this superstition, that, by a 'em." We put them on one side, then law in existence in Sierra Leone, the prac- sung two verses, and three engaged in tice of it is proscribed, just as fortune tell- prayer on his behalf, that God would ening is among ourselves. But it appears lighten, bless, and save him. Afterwards that this law had fallen into disuse, so that we made preparation for the service, had a many openly followed their rude necro- very large congregation, and great attention mancy, and still had sufficient credit among was paid to the word preached. On the the people to make numbers of dupes. In following morning, after we came out of reading the recital of the surrender of so the prayer-meeting, we went round to the many instruments of the most degrading other idolaters, and succeeded in getting the form of "the black art known in the "country fashions" of four other men, world, many will be reminded of what is who had long been addicted to them. recorded respecting Ephesus; "And many the afternoon we took idols from two that believed came, and confessed, and other old men, leading characters, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also men of influence over others. I had sevewhich used curious arts brought their ral times visited them before, secured their books together, and burned them before confidence, and had got them to go to the all men; and they counted the price of house of God; but I had never pressed them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of them much to let me take their idols; and silver." The negro wizards are not suffi to do so now I found was not necessary: ciently advanced to have books of their art; I had only to tell them, that, as they went but it is cheering to see them abandon to to meeting now, they must give them up, shame and destruction the miserable idols or God could not bless them. The reply whereby they had deluded so many, and made by the priest was, "Daddy, you savy kept up a system which could not exist where they live, go take 'em." I did so; without being a curse. and they also gave us their drums. One of the idolaters I found was so afraid, that, during the night, he threw his things away into the sea. The following are the names of some of their gods: namely, E-fahs Shango, A-sew, Os-sauin, Opella, O-batalla, Ojuga, &c. So remarkable a day of the kind had not been seen at Aberdeen before. The attention of the people was aroused to what was going on, and many have been led to feel after God, and to enquire what they must do to be saved. Rev. Richard Fletcher, Freetown, Dec. 27, 1852, writes: "As a mail is leaving for England today, I feel it to be my duty to write to you again before the close of the year, and to give you an account of the great stir which has recently taken place among the idolaters of Freetown and other places, in the surrendering of their idols. The movement was such as was never known in this colony before, and I believe never anticipated on so large a scale. It commenced on the 17th of Nov., at Aberdeen. It was my turn to visit the place, and, as usual, I called upon many of the people before the evening service, accompanied by some of the Leaders. Two of the parties upon whom we called were idolaters, one of the Poh-poh, and the other of the A-ku, nation. We spoke to them upon the folly and wickedness of idolatry, its degrading influ 66 SPREAD OF THE MOVEMENT TO In Knowing that the news would spread from Aberdeen to Murray town, which is near, about the idolaters giving up their country fashion," I saw it was the time to do something; so on the 19th of Nov., after I returned from Aberdeen, I went there in the afternoon, communicated my design to the Leaders, who were quite ready to co-operate with me, and had been wishing to see me. The first person we went to, was a "head woman," or priestess. After conversing with her some time, she most freely gave them up; we prayed with her, and encouraged her, and then removed her idols away. The people saw them as they were conveyed through the streets, which alarmed them, and induced some who were not willing to give their idols up to run away with them and hide them in the bushes; but others did not remove theirs, and without any objection let us take them. They had heard about Aberdeen, as I expected; and I found some had thrown theirs into the sea already. We went from house to house, and collected a great mass of rubbish and filth, with some few carved images, and a number of drums used by them on their sacrificial days. On the following Sunday, the 21st, many of the idolaters attended the house of God, and in the afternoon others went to our schoolmaster to say they were then willing to give theirs up, if the white man would come and take them. On the 25th of the same month we held a special prayer-meeting; persons came from different places, the chapel was crowded, much of the Divine presence was felt, and more than twenty declared their saving interest in the merits of Christ. Public and private prayer-meetings are still zealously kept up, and a gracious work is going on in the place. The change which has taken place in this village is most wonderful; and constrains us to acknowledge the power and infinite mercy of God, and to stand astonished at what He hath wrought. No place in the colony was so notorious for idolatry as this; once it was a type of hell, but now it resembles a little paradise; not a country-fashion drum is to be heard, which once annoyed the whole town. Rev. R. Gilbert writes : "On Monday, Nov. 22, I thought something might be done among the mass of idolaters in Freetown, and was fully convinced that the present was a providential and most favourable time; so, in company with one of our Catechists, I went in the afternoon, and called first upon one very old woman near the Mission-house; but we found she had removed her things, having heard what had recently taken place. She said she had thrown them one night into the sea, though we could scarcely credit her statement, as we found a few things in her idol-place. What there was she gave us permission to take. We then proceeded to another notorious idolater, who had abundance of things; but he told us to take them all, and was afraid that we | 66 should leave any. Several times he said, Now, look'em good: look'em good;" and when he thought we were leaving any thing, cried out, "Carry'em all: carry'em all." The news rapidly spread, and wherever we went the people were prepared to let us take them without raising an opposi tion, regarding it as a matter of necessity. How many of the idolaters whose chains we have loosed in Freetown have joined our Society, I have not been able to ascertain; but a number of them have. Mr. Beale has almost doubled the members of his church out of them. Of a truth God is with us, making bare His arm and reviving His work; sinners are made to feel the truths of religion, and there is a spirit of enquiry after salvation. In our special prayer-meetings, which we are still carrying on by the help of the Lord, I may safely say we have had hundreds of conversions; and O that we may have the happiness to see thousands yet! Last week at our various services we had not fewer than from sixty to seventy conversions. Our expectations run high; we are looking for greater manifestations of the saving power of God; a spirit of prayer and of faith is in exercise, and we are resolved to labour on, and count nothing dear unto us, that we may win souls." Again : "The Committee will be glad to hear that the idolaters of Sierra Leone are casting their idols to the moles and the bats. "The kingdom of Satan is falling as lightning to the ground." A few weeks since, Mr. George, our schoolmaster at Murray town, came to the Mission-house, and requested that one or two Missionaries would come immediately to Murray town, as the idolaters were giving up their idols. As it was past five on Sunday evening when he came, we postponed it until the next day. On the following morning Mr. Reay and myself rose at four o'clock, and started off to this village. We arrived there just as it was getting light. We at once proceeded to the constable's house; and we were rather surprised to find his piazza full of idols and other superstitious stuff, which had been brought to him the day previous. He very kindly took us to the houses of these idolaters. We talked to them about their souls, and exhorted them to look to Christ as their Saviour, Redeemer, and God. One man, who voluntarily gave up his idol to us, said, that he had been an idolater twenty-five years, but now he intended to go to chapel. On Sunday, the 12th of this month, I went to Murraytown, and preached to those people who had lately given up their idols. The chapel, which had just been rebuilt, was crowded; all paid great sure will give to our readers the most gratifying evidence that the labours of missionaries in India have not been in vain :— Some months ago we gave a statement | take the following summary which we are of the results of missionary operations throughout the whole of India and in the island of Ceylon. Since that was prepared, a second and more complete inquiry has been made, and the statistical results brought down to the end of the year 1851. From the Calcutta Christian Observer we At the commencement of the year 1852, there were labouring throughout India and Ceylon : : 22 missionary societies. 48 are ordained natives, A DARK SPOT The following account of the condition of the inhabitants of Inniskea, on the north-west coast of Mayo, discloses a state of matters which calls loudly for assistance, and exhibits a community 93 boarding schools. 126 superior English day schools 102 girls' boarding schools, 71 services are maintained. tians resident in the country. By far the greater part of this agency has been brought into operation during the last twenty years. It is impossible to contemplate the high position which it occupies, and the results which it has already produced, without indulging the strongest expectations of its future perfect success; and without exclaiming with the most fervent gratitude,— WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT! Baptist Magazine. IN IRELAND. "The Islands of Inniskea form the northern point of entrance to Blacksod Bay, and are inhabited by a population of 380 human beings, who support themselves, house, with visits to a holy well, called, in chiefly by fishing and the produce of their their native tongue, 'Derivla.' potatoe plots; the most infirm and indigent deriving their principal subsistence from shell-fish and sea-weed. They all speak the Irish language, and among them is a trace of that government by chiefs, which in former times existed in Ireland. The present chief, or king of Inniskea, is an intelligent peasant, named Cain. His authority is universally acknowledged, and the settlement of all disputes is referred to his dicision. But his people are indeed a wild race, skilled only in the semi-barbarous customs of their forefathers. Occasionally they have been visited by wandering schoolmasters; but so short and casual have such visits been, that there are not ten individuals who ever knew the letters of any language. To this dark spot the light of the gospel has never been permanently extended; and, save during the few and necessarily short visits of the clergymen of the parish, seldom have they heard of eternal life as the free gift of God through Jesus Christ; and even these visits were unprofitable, from their total ignorance of English. Though nominally Roman Catholics, these islanders have no priest resident among them; they know nothing of the tenets of their church, and their worship consists of occasional meetings at their chief's Gloomy as is the description already given of this people, there is yet a darker shade to be unfolded. Here the absence of religion is filled with the open practice of pagan idolatry, as fearful to contemplate as that prevalent on the banks of the Ganges. In the south island, in the house of a man named Merrigan, a stone idol, called in the Irish, Neevongi, has been, from time immemorial, religiously preserved and worshipped. This god, in appearance, resembles a thick roll of homespun flannel, which arises from the custom of dedicating a material of their dress to it whenever its aid is sought; this is sewed on by an old woman, its priestess, whose peculiar care it is. Of the early history of this idol, no authentic information can be procured; but its power is believed to be immense. They pray to it in time of sickness; it is invoked when a storm is desired to dash some helpless ship upon the coast; and again, the exercise of its power is solicited in calming the angry waves, to admit of fishing, or visiting the main land."............" Such is a brief outline of the melancholy state of this portion of the west of Ireland. It speaks too forcibly to an enlightened community to need comment." JUBILEE OF THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY. Mr. Tarn, after the regular business of the Committee was finished, mentioned the particulars of his conversation with Mr. Charles, when the latter fully unfolded his plans, and urged assistance in the attainment of an object which had long occupied his mind. How deeply important was the hour devoted to this conversation! Surely the Lord was in the midst of the little assembly, suggesting holy thoughts to his seryants! At the mo ment when Mr. Charles was appealing for Bibles for Wales, it occured to Mr. Hughes, 'Surely a society might be formed for the purpose; and if for Wales, why not also for the empire, and the world?" He mentioned to the friends, that it appeared to him desirable to extend the plan suggested by Mr. Charles, so as to facilitate a general circulation of the Scriptures. In these views all present united, and instructed Mr. Hughes to make the following entry in the Minute-book of the Tract Society: 66 THE biographer of the Rev. Thomas | field, Reyner, Hamilton, Fowler, Shotter, and Charles, of Bala, after noticing the failure of Tarn. various attempts to obtain the Scriptures in Welsh, from the Christian Knowledge Society, and other sources; states, "Mr. Charles, in December, 1802, took his annual journey to London, intending to lay certain plans for securing his object before several charitable friends, particularly the Committee of the Religious Tract Society, of which he was then a member. The subject was much on his mind; and while awake in bed, as he told me himself, the idea of having a Bible Society established in London, on a similar basis to the Religious Tract Society, occurred to him. He was so cheered by the thought that he instantly arose, and went out to consult some friends on the subject." The first person he met was Mr. Tarn, who was then on the Committee of the Tract Society. They discussed the subject together for a considerable time. At the next meeting of the Society, held on Tuesday, the 7th December, 1802, Mr. Charles was introduced. On this occasion, the Rev. Matthew Wilks occupied the chair, and the following friends were present: The Rev. Messrs. Steinkopff, Townsend, and Hughes; also Messrs. Pellat, Alers,* Mackenzie, Gouldsmith, Shrubsole, Preston, Fresh Now W. Alers Hankey, Esq. "Mr. Charles, of Bala, having introduced the subject, which had been previously mentioned by Mr. Tarn, of dispersing Bibles in Wales, the Committee resolved that it would be highly desirble to stir up the public mind to the dispersion of Bibles generally, and that a paper in a magazine to this effect may |