It seems particularly suitable that every Church of Christ should, as a church, do something towards imparting the precious blessings of his Gospel to the perishing Heathen. It is already the practice of some Churches to make a collection for this purpose at every Monthly Prayer Meeting. The practice needs only to be mentioned, to commend itself to every Christian's heart. What more suitable, -what more pleasant-after unitedly offering prayers to the God of all grace for the salvation of the Heathen-than unitedly to contribute towards the accomplishment of the holy desires thus solemnly offered!-If only two dollars a small matter indeed-if only two dollars be collected in a church at each meeting, the collections of one church will amount in a year to twenty four dollars-of a hundred churches, to twenty-four hundred-of a thousand churches, to TWENTY

FOUR THOUSAND.

Every person, who in the gracious providence of God is favored with the Gos pel, is a debtor--to do something for extending the invaluable blessing to those who are without it. That no opportunity may be wanting for this purpose, it is exceedingly desirable that there should be in every place of worship, at least once a year, a public Congregational Contribution. It would afford occasion to every Minister to stir up his own heart, and the hearts of his people; and incalculable good might result to them that water, as well as to them that are watered.

It may often, perhaps generally, be most convenient for the Benefactions of individuals, and the collections from small Associations, from churches and congregations, to be paid into the treasury of the Foreign Mission Society of the County or District, within which they are made. When remitted, however, by the Treasurer of such Society to the Treasurer of the Board, the sums, with the names of the individuals, associations, churches, and congregations, should be distinctly mentioned; that credit may be given in the monthly accounts to be published in the Missionary Herald.

The Prudential Committee wish it to be distinctly understood, that it is proposed to send a copy of the MISSIONARY HERALD to every Foreign Mission Society or other association, the amount of whose annual payments into the Treasury of the Board shall not be less than twelve dollars; and also to every individual, who shall either give, or collect and pay into the Treasury, twelve dollars a year. And it is requested that the names of all such Societies and individuals should be, as soon as convenient, communicated to the Treasurer, Jeremiah Evarts, Esq. Boston; with such directions respecting the conveyance of the Herald to them, as may be deemed necessary.

It is also requested that the proper officer of every Society or Association, auxiliary to the Board, would communicate to the Treasurer, or to the Corresponding Secretary, the number of its members; also the names and titles of all LifeSubscribers, and Members whose annual subscription is not less than three dollars; specifying the sums subscribed by them respectively and their places of abode; that a list of them may be published with the annual accounts of the Board.

It is most earnestly recommended to all the friends of the cause to do what they can to extend the circulation of the Missionary Herald, either by itself, or united with the Panoplist;-to take it themselves, and to use all proper means to engage others to take it.

In this long predicted, long prayed for day, when the King of Zion is rallying bs friends in all her dwellings to his standard, and is marching in the greatness of his strength to take possession of his kingdom in all lands, who does not wish to be informed of his advances, and of his achievements? Are they less interest-. ing to the Christian, than have been the baleful marches and exploits of desolating conquerors? Who, if not well informed, can feel and act as he ought in this new era? Can, as he ought, be awake to the wonderful facts in rapid succession transpiring-be impressed with the majestic displays of Divine power and grace-be refreshed with the opening scenes of light and of glory-have his spirit stirred, warmed, and expanded, by the momentous objects which demand his attention and exertion-or be prepared to offer up, with the many thousands of Israel, supplications, intercessions, and thanksgivings, suitable to the course of events, or to the existing state of the church and of the world? Is it not for want of information such as the Missionary Herald is designed to convey, that, in regard to the missionary cause, and the great Christian movements of the day,

many, very many who bear the name of Christians, are even until now folding their hands in listless apathy, or looking around them with vacant strangeness, with zealous caution, or with doubting hesitancy.

The taking of such a publication seems not uncommonly to be regarded as a matter of charity, or of favor; and like other charities or favors, is it not often too lightly neglected, or too reluctantly done? To induce an individual, and especially the head of a family to take it, is indeed a favor, an act of charity; it is a favor, an act of charity to him-to them-to many.

The spirit of Missions is a spirit of prayer. It embraces the promises, it fixes its hopes on God. To Him it constantly looks for wisdom and energy, for instruments and means, for help and success. Without prayer it cannot live. It was the spirit of Missions which consecrated for special united prayer the first Monday of every month. In devout observance of this appointment, hundreds of churches and thousands of Christians, in our land, statedly join with myriads of their brethren and sisters of other lands, in presenting their humble requests and grateful acknowledgments, through their one High Priest to the God and Father of all. It is becoming also a custom, and one highly worthy of attention, for Foreign Mission Societies to observe, besides the Monthly, a Quarterly Concert of Prayer; at which churches and Christians within the limits of each Society meet, either in rotation from place to place, or otherwise as seems most expedient, for more public exercises of devotion, and more extended com. munications of missionary and other religious information.

Religious intelligence-accounts of the descending showers of heavenly influ ence, and of what the Lord is doing by the power of his grace, and by the instru mentality of his friends in different parts of the world, are among the most effica cious means of quickening the spirit of prayer, and giving it enlargement and fervency in supplication and thanksgiving.

These appointed seasons of prayer are most precious to the hearts of Christians, and of unspeakable importance to the cause of Missions and to the interests generally of the Redeemer's kingdom. They cannot be too highly prized, nor can too much be done to unite all churches and all Christians in the observance of them; with good information and deep impressions of the wants and miseries of the world, and of what is doing, what is designed, and what ought to be attempted, for exhibiting every where the remedy which infinite goodness has appointed. Such, respected and beloved friends and helpers, are the statements, views and suggestions, which we beg to submit to your very earnest attention.

Their

We repeat it, for we wish the impression to be deep and abiding on your minds. The establishments which have been founded by your charities, and consecrated by your prayers, are still, under God, dependent on you. At every station your Missionaries, beholding the wide spread ruins and wretchedness around them, are calling, with all the pathos of grief and commiseration, for help. schools for Heathen children may be increased and multiplied to any extent for which means are afforded them; the hundreds of millions of Heathen, perishing for lack of knowledge, demand of Christian nations thousands of Missionaries, and millions of Bibles.

Is any one alarmed at the expense? A single cent from each person in the United States would amount to three times as much as was collected for our treasury the last year. One cent a week from each individual would amount in a year to more than two hundred times the total sum of our last year's expenditures! Would this impoverish our country?-Can we then forget that "HE WHO WAS RICH, FOR OUR SAKES BECAME POOR, THAT WE THROUGH HIS POVERTY MIGHT BE MADE RICH! What are a few thousands—what a few millions of dollars to the salvation of a single soul? What person now living will a hundred years hence regret, if he shall have laid up for his survivors somewhat less, or even denied himself and his family some earthly luxury, comfort, or accommodation, for the sake of affording to a poor fellow being, whom though he has never seen on earth he may meet in heaven, the means of finding the way from eternal perdition to immortality and glory?

Beloved friends, we must not be afraid, we must not be ashamed to beg-to beg with importunate and persevering earnestness, for this cause. There is none better on earth. It is the very cause which has moved the Heavens; and which He who made the worlds, sealed at Gethsemane and on Calvary with his blood. Let us place ourselves often by the side of His Cross, and thence look round upon

the world, for which He died; and consider, that soon we shall meet those to whom He has commanded us to make known the design and the benefits of His death-before His judgment seat.

The silver and the gold are HIS. In his name we may well press home to our own hearts, and to the hearts of others, the indispensable duty of consecrating these treasures-a portion of them at least-directly to the high purposes of His salvation, and kingdom, and glory. Nor should we waste a moment in parley ing with the cold, calculating spirit, which is always doubting whether so much should be done for the Heathen abroad, when there are so many near home, and never doing any thing, or but very little, either for the one or for the other. While we are parleying, the Heathen are perishing. Our neglect of those at home, is surely no excuse for neglecting those abroad. Both for the one and for the other, more—a thousand fold more ought to be done.

Let then one united effort be made. Let Ministers, and Churches, and Congregations-let individuals of all classes and in every place, be waked up to this momentous object. And let it never cease to be reiterated, and with increased intensity of feeling, ardour of design and fixedness of purpose, THE HEATHEN

IN ALL LANDS, CAN AND MUST BE EVANGELIZED.

By the Prudential Committee,

S. WORCESTER,

Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M. and Clerk of Prud. Com.

Salem, January, 1818.

MISSIONARY CHAPEL AT BOMBAY.

In the last Annual Report of the Prudential Committee of the American Board of Commissioners, is the following statement:

"Although, for reasons now obvious, the Missionaries must continue to go out into the streets and lanes of the city, and preach as they can find opportunity; yet they are strongly impressed with the importance of having soon a house for public worship, where people of all classes, disposed to attend may be accommodated. It would be needless, they say, to adduce arguments to evince the expediency of a measure, so universally sanctioned and enforced by the example of all Christian Missionaries.' In the opinion of your Committee also, the measure is one which claims very particular attention; and the confident hope is entertained, that an appeal to the Christian public, for the purpose of procuring the means of building a Missionary Chapel, or House of Worship, for the benefit of the Heathen in Bombay, will be promptly and liberally answered."

Upon this statement the Board passed a Resolve, "To authorize the Prudential Committee to take such measures as they shall judge expedient, relative to a Missionary Chapel and School houses, at Bombay."

The "appeal to the Christian public" is now distinctly made. Any friends to the cause, who may find it in their hearts to contribute towards building a house for the honor of the Lord Jesus, and for the salvation of the Heathen, at Bombay, may confer an inestimable benefit on thousands of their fellow beings, and have the unspeakable joy hereafter to know, that "this and that man," among the worshippers in the Heavenly Zion, "were born there."

If more be contributed to this specified object than shall be found necessary for building the Chapel, the surplus will be appropriated to the erecting of School houses.

RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

JOURNAL OF THE MISSION AT BOMBAY.

Continued from p. 563. of the last Vol.

JAN. 1, 2, 1817. With the commencement of this month we began to consult and make some general arrangements for the year. It was agreed, that brother Newell should act as treasurer for the year; brother Hall as clerk; and brother Bardwell as librarian.

3. This evening about 30 persons were present at the reading of the Scriptures, several of whom were Jews.

The following narrative, taken from the Bombay Courier, is enough, it would' seem, to excite in every Christian mind the deepest commiseration for the deluded idolaters, and the most ardent and active zeal for their conversion to the blessed Gospel of our Lord. Nor can we fail less deeply to deplore the ignorance, or the perverseness of the narrator; who supposes that even the most inhuman, guilty, and abominable of all the heathen ceremonies, are a sure passport to the heaven of purity and bliss. The narrative is as follows.

"We have already noticed the pertinacit with which the Rajah of Nepaul resisted the safeguard of vaccination. He has since unfortunately fallen a victim to the small pox. His natural brother is also dead of the same disease. Seven females were burnt alive with the corpse of the former, and two with that of the latter. The resident was invited to be present at the ceremony. The eldest son of the Rajah was to be placed on the mushed, (throne) on the 8th instant, and it was expected without any disturbance. On the former occasion much blood was spilt in a violent struggle among the chiefs in the public durbar. No regency had been appointed, but it is supposed that Beemsain will continue in the post of Prime Minister. The following letter gives a particular account of the human sacrifice that was made on the Rajah's death.

Valley of Nepaul, Nov, 20, 1816.

"I have just returned from witnessing a sight that has made such an impression, as will not readily be effaced from my memory; and in the hopes that it may be acceptable, I take up my pen to endeavor to paint to you the picture. My mind is in a right frame for it, but oh Yorick! that I had thy imagination to trace the fact with the imagery it requires, to convey an adequate idea of the scene to those who did not behold it.

"You will have heard ere this of the havoc the small pox has been making these three months past among the inhabitants of this delightful and interesting valley. When it first appeared, apprehensions were entertained for the safety of the Rajah and his family; and measures were adopted which, for a time, kept them and the inhabitants of the city of Kathmandoo free from the infection; but it was only for a time. It soon reached from the peasant to the prince, and notwithstanding vaccination had been successfully administered to some of the principal families of the court, either superstition or a dislike to innovation had prevented a part of the Rajah's family from receiving the benefit of it, though frequently tendered in a pressing manner.

"On the 2d. an infant son of the Prince died from the effects of the raging distemper; and this morning information was brought to the resident, that the Rajah, who for some days had been laboring under it, was carried down to the holy temple of Pusputnauth, which is looked upon by all Hindoos as one of the portals of heaven, that, in breathing his last, his soul might be admitted in its passage from its earthly frame to the happier regions, of which this temple is believed to be the entrance. Such is seldom, if ever done, till the person is supposed to be drawing to his end; and as this was the case in the present instance, the Prince was early in the morning accompanied by the chief officers of his government, his relations and domestics, who, as is customary on such occasions, walked with his palankeen bareheaded and barefooted, to the temple. A little after he ceased to be a Prince; and the event was communicated to the resident, who, as a mark of condolence, and in compliment to the court, proceeded with his suite in mourning and on foot to the spot where much more awful scenes than had yet occurred were in a state of forwardness; I mean the preparations for the human sacrifices, that the death of a Hindoo prince in these mountainous regions invariably demands.

"On reaching the temple, we were received by the venerableRajah Gooroo, or high priest, whose hoary locks bespoke his lengthened years. He was in tears; mentioned that one of the Ranees (queens,) one of the concubines of the Rajah, with five of their female attendants were to burn with the remains of their master; and after lamenting the passing event, pointed out to us a spot at a little distance, from whence we could better witness the scene, and retired to continue the obsequies of his departed Prince.

"The funeral pile was erected in the bed of the river Buny muttee, which in its course through the valley is very shallow, and here so narrow, that its sacred

waters wash the foundation of the temple of Pasputnauth on the one side, and moisten the trees of its gloomy groves that overhang it from the other. As we were beholding the funeral rites in a most anxious state of suspense, the sonorous sounds of the singha, while, by taking off the attention of the devoted females from the surrounding crowd, they tended to fit them for their approaching end, added solemnity to such scenery. Our situation did not admit of distinctly observing what might be called the niceties of the awful ceremony; but we were near enough to distinguish the innocent victim of superstition who was about sixteen years old, and said to be of an interesting figure. We saw her take off her ornaments, and throw loosely over her loins and breast a cloth, as she ascended the pile with her companions. She distributed to the Brahmin, her attendants and relatives that stood around, a couple of elephants, some buffaloes, bullocks, calves, horses, jewels and frankincense, with the clothes and ornaments she had just thrown off; meant, I believe, as marks of her regard, or as proofs that she parted from this world in peace with all; and saying, as we were afterwards told, something to those who were supposed to be most endeared to her, (for whatever a suttee utters is looked on as prophetic,) she placed the head of her departed husband on her lap, when heaps of sandal wood, smeared with oil and ghee, were piled around her and her companions. On this a great number of torches, descending the steps of the temple, communicated their flames to the combustible pile, at the same time that the hallowed groves and temples reechoed the shouts and groanings of the multitude; and in a moment the souls of the devoted girls fled to heaven. To heaven, I say, for surely, an all just and all directing God granted the boon their acts were directed to obtain; however erroneous, in the opinion of a,Christian, the mode of seeking it may appear."

7. This evening at the reading exercise there was about the same number present as on last Friday evening.

10. About the same number came together to our meeting this evening as before, but a greater proportion of them were Jews.

The method which as yet we pursue at these meetings, is to read and explain the Scriptures. This exercise is performed by brothers Hall and Newell alternately, and the Scripture, which we at present read, is our abridged Harmony of the Gospels. Should it please God to bless this our beginning, we may hope soon to add the exercise of singing and prayer.

14. Arrived the ship Saco, Captain Haskel, from Boston. We have received by Capt. H. two letters from Dr. Worcester, one of May 6th, and the other of July 2, 1816; and also a considerable number of letters from private friends, letters from Dr. Morse, together with the three first volumes of the Missionary Register from Dr. W.; the Panoplist for May and June, 1816; the Unitarian con troversy, several pamphlets and newspapers.

The good tidings of extensive revivals of religion in various parts of our native land, and of many religious societies for the advancement of the Redeemer's kingdom, have greatly rejoiced our hearts. We are most happy to learn, that three missionaries are ready to embark for the East. We should rejoice to have them arrive in Bombay in the course of the present year. May the Lord of the harvest send forth many more laborers into his harvest.

One of our native school teachers having been negligent, it was agreed that he should be severely reproved, and afterwards displaced, should he not reform. We have farther agreed, that without delay we should make it an object to look out a suitable spot for procuring a place of public worship among the natives, and also to ascertain its probable expense.

30th. One of our schoolmasters came this morning, saying, that the scholars had told him that they had seen a Rakshus (demon,) in the garret over the school room, where they put their writing boards, and that they were afraid to come there to school. The school master himself pretended not to believe it; but probably, he, like all the other Hindoos, does believe in such things. We told him to tell the boys not to fear, there was no such thing. Then he said, he had told them so, and would again.

Some of the people called Mhars, who are properly out-casts, said that they had come to our meeting, but that the other Hindoos would not let them sit near them; that they had reproached them, and kept them at a distance. Had we a public building, we could much better provide for all sorts of people. They VOL. XIV.

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