Missionary Retrospect and Foreign Intelligence. ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC FROM THE Committee of the Baptist Missionary Society. THE Committee of the Baptist Missionary Society feel it incumbent on them to acquaint their numerous friends with the present low state of the Society's funds. The balance now in hand is somewhat more than £5000; but some bills, drawn by our Serampore brethren, nearly to the same amount, fall due the beginning of next month; and when these are discharged, the Treasurer will have but very few pounds in his hands. It is well known, that the Society possesses no funded property whatever; but relies, under God, for its support, on the continued liberality of the Christian public. The Committee gratefully acknowledge the kind support which has hitherto been afforded them, and earnestly hope their friends, in all parts of the kingdom, will exert themselves to render prompt and efficient aid. JOHN RYLAND, Secretary. March 19, 1818. FOREIGN MISSION SCHOOL. AMERICA. THE Congregational Board of Missions in the United States, have lately established a Foreign Mission School for the purpose of educating Heathen youth, so as to prepare them to act either as Missionaries, School-masters, Interpreters, Physicians, or Surgeons, among Heathen nations; and to communicate such information as shall tend to promote Christianity and civilization. It appears, that twelve youths are already receiving instruction in this seminary, among whom are several from the Sandwich Islands, into which, there is good reason to hope, a way will thus be opened for the introduction of the gospel. Obookiah, one of these young men, is a native of Owhyhee, and arrived in America in the year 1809, having embarked as a sailor in a trading vessel belonging to Newhaven, which touched at his native island. His parents and an infant brother were slain in one of those murderous conflicts which are frequent on those islands. Soon after his arrival in Newhaven, he was found one evening, at the door of one of the colleges, weeping; on being asked the cause, he replied, that nobody gave him learning. This circumstance having attracted the attention of some of the students, and a few other pious friends, arrangements were made for his instruction, and his progress was very pleasing and satisfactory. He received and understood the truths of the gospel with wonderful avidity and correctness; and it is hoped, that the many prayers which have been offered for his conversion have been graciously answered. In the autumn of 1814, he was taken under the care of the North Consociation of Litchfield county, and pursued his studies under their direction. The evidences of his Christian character continued to brighten. He was constant in reading the scriptures, and occasionally prayed and spoke in social religions meetings with acceptance. His progress in the various studies to which his attention was directed, was satisfactory; and, by his own exertions, without any regular instractor, he acquired considerable knowledge of the Hebrew, and translated portions of the Hebrew Bible into his own language: manifesting a taste for the Hebrew language, and much pleasure in studying it. He discovered an increasing anxiety for the salvation of his countrymen; always mentioning their case in his prayers, and requesting his Christian friends to pray for them. It seemed to be his sole object, to be qualified to return and declare to them the unsearchable riches of Christ. This interesting young man is about twenty-two years of age. He has been | baptized; and gave, when examined on that occasion, a highly satisfactory account of the state of his mind. He was admitted into the Foreign Mission School on the 1st of May, 1817, and the Visiting Committee state, that "His conduct and conversation have been such as become the gospel. He appears to grow in grace, and more and more to evince the reality of his new birth. He has been chiefly studying Latin the last summer; and has made as good proficiency as youths of our own country ordinarily do." Of Hopoo, another native of Owhy, hee, an equally interesting account is given, which we would gladly transcribe, did our limits permit. He has also been baptized, "and shines eminently as a Christian; ardently longing for the time, when it shall be thought his duty to return to his countrymen with the message of Jesus.". Surely these may he regarded as pleasing indications, that the set time to lavour these far distant isles with the tidings of love and mercy is at hand! "And that no ignorance may be pre tended, these presents shall be printed, published, and sent round to every estate within this colony." It is curious to remark, that the same Governor issued a proclamation in 1811, in Demerara, to prevent negroes from meeting for religious worship. On the dancing Sundays, the town and the estates are nothing but scenes of riot, noise, and intoxication; and the whip is frequently going, more just after the holydays, than at any other time. See Philanthropic Gazette for March 4 WEST INDIA REGULATIONS. SABBATH-BREAKING. SOME gentlemen in the metropolis have lately united for the purpose of "the expediency of adopting considering measures to prevent the increasing and injurious profanation of the Lord's-day." They have had encouraging communications with several Magistrates, some eminent Members of Parliament, and the principal Secretary of State for the Home Department; and propose to introduce a Bill into Parliament in aid of their object. Every true friend to his country will desire that success may attend such efforts as these; but, however prevalent the evil may be at home, most of our readers know it is much worse in our possessions abroad. Few, however, would believe that a British Governor could make Sabbath-breaking a matter of express appointment, and thus frame mischief by a law! Such, however, is the painful fact. The following proclamation appeared in the Berbice Gazette of Nov. 26, 1817: "We do enact, by these presents, That from and after the publication of these, every proprietor, attorney, manager, or other person having charge of slaves in this colony, shall allow to such negroes and other slaves the following holy days and dancing days, namely: At Christmas, from eight o'clock of the evening of the 24th of December, till the same hour of the evening of the 26th of December following. “At Easter, from eight o'clock of the evening of the Saturday succeeding Good Friday, ull eight o'clock of the evening of the Monday following. "At Whitsuntide, from eight o'clock of the evening preceding Whit Monday, until twelve o'clock of Sunday night, the dancing then to cease. Whit Monday to be also considered a holyday, but not a dancing day. SCHOOLS IN INDIA. To the Editors of the Baptist Magazine. lowed, that "the Hints relative to Native IT must, perhaps, be generally al brethren at Serampore, and abridged by Schools in India," published by our order of the Baptist Missionary Society, cannot be too widely circulated. Yet, as no one has hitherto called the attention of your readers to this subject, per mit me to offer a few remarks on its most solemn and affecting claims. From that region to which the eye of our commiseration has been so long directed, and from that most interesting class of its immense population, over which our tenderest compassion weeps, we are awakened by a fresh cry of intellectual and spiritual necessity. Chil dren are calling now from that dark land of idols, and pleading for deliverance from the demon of superstition, whose withering influence is on their bud of life. We have this cry, too, uttered in the language of those men, whose words not only teach us how to feel, but whose lives instruct us how to labour. In the pamphlet before us, we have a plan of practical benevolence already proved to be more than speculative, and capable of the most extensive operation. We are at once convinced by the argument, that native schools in India would be an unspeakable advantage, and presented with the experiment. Thirty of these schools are at this moment supported by the matchless zeal of our brethren, and three thousand children taught. The scriptures translating into thirtysix eastern languages, will, indeed, ultimately present the light of life to *This pamphlet may be obtained from any member of the committee. considerably more than one half of our race, who are sitting in darkness, and in the region of the shadow of death: but if the veil of 'ignorance should be allowed to intercept the ray, this word of the Lord to the bewildered heathen eye would be darkness and not light. Our brethren say, "That scarcely one man in a hundred will be found, who can read a common letter;" and add, "Thus with a regular and copious language of their own, nearly all who are ignorant of the Sungskrit language, (which is not understood by one in ten thousand throughout India,) are in a state of ignorance, not greatly exceeded by that of those savage hordes who have no written language; while numerous causes combine to sink them below most savage nations in vice and immorality." The extensive establishment of these schools, therefore, is required to give effect to the other labours of the Mission, and would be sapping idolatry at the foundation, by illuminating the benighted millions of Asia in the infancy of their existence. It appears from these hints, that 151. per annum would defray the whole expense of a school which educates forty children; and if we consider, that not only this number of immortals will become acquainted with Christianity, and the rudiments of history and science; but that the information thus received must be diffused amidst so vast a population, we are struck with the immense result of so apparently small a benefit. Our missionaries engage, that any friend, or any number of friends united, who may be pleased to patronise a native school, shall have it supported in their names, and an account of the pupils sent them from year to year. It is to be hoped, therefore, that some indivi. duals, and many of our churches, will have their schools in Bengal. There are those who have already adopted the determination, and it is an object which I would warmly recommend to the young, who compose so large a part of our congregations in this enlightened land. Even the children of a British Sunday School should be instructed to cast a mite into the treasures collected for the children of the Heathen world. Still it must be remembered, that these establishments. must be maintained without any sacrifice of the contributions which flow in the original channel, and which, if it were possible, should produce an ample supply. Having touched on the subject of contributions, I would here express my grief, that so little is done for the Mission VOL. X. amongst ourselves. Its expenditure is about 20,000l. per ann. Of this sum, less than 10,000l. was contributed throughout the United Kingdom in the year ending September 30, 1816. Thus a few individuals, who do the work, contribute also to the expense of it, more than the whole sum collected in Great Britain. Some of our churches have had annual collections from the commencement of the Mission; but they are very few. I fear there are others who have never had either a collection or a subscriber! Whoever will be at the pains to examine the Periodical Accounts will see, that while there are various Auxiliary Societies, and many subscribers of one guinea a year, there are many churches without regular collections. If our brethren in India devote their all to this good work; if they employ every means in aid of it, each making the cause his own; why should not an opportunity be annually afforded to the poor, and others among us, who can not subscribe, or do not belong to Auxi liary Societies, to contribute their slender portion? If the five hundred churches which are in the kingdom collected on an average but 10l. each, it would give 5,000l. annually to the funds of the Society. I would gladly avoid reflections that may wound the feelings of an indivi dual, or of a society; but too much remains unattempted to admit of silence. The ministers have neglected to urge, or the people have failed to listen; and, perhaps, both evils are to be acknow ledged. Our lamented brother Fuller laboured more than twenty years, and was worn out in the service of the Mis sion; and allowing that he has no suc cessor of equal talent and influence, should we not aim, by a zealous co operation, to supply his lack of service? The cause should be as dear to us as it was to him, or as it is to any who sur vive him, in India, or in Britain. Let us labour, then, to impress all with whom we are connected, or over whom we have any influence, to consider the patronage of the Mission an individual duty, to think of it as of their own mission, and not as the mission of a few. Time is rapidly wasting, souls are perishing, and soon shall we be called to give an account of our stewardship. That those of us who are professing to live in the expectation of that final audit may do it with joy, and not with grief, is the prayer of 134 Domestic Religious Intelligence. NEW CHURCHES, EVERY developement of the plan which is intended to be adopted for carrying into effect the project for building new churches, must be interesting to our readers. The official documents, however, do not contain any information as to the number of persons who actually attend the parish churches; nor how many more might be accommodated, if they were so disposed; but merely the gross number of the population, and the relative capacity of the churches to contain them. The difference between these is not so great as we had supposed. The number of the population being 9,940,391; and the number of persons they contain being 4,770,976; consequently, nearly one half of the population might, if they chose to attend the churches, find sitting-room. Now, if it be considered, that there are but few parishes which do not contain a dissenting place of worship, and that very many have two or three, and some larger parishes a still greater number; and when it is recollected how numerously most of these are attended; it would really seem that most of our population are already provided with places for the worship of God; and are supplied with teachers recognized as competent religious instructors by the laws of the land. A popular writer has remarked, on the silence observed respecting the dissenting places of worship, "But in building more places of worship, we must not shut our eyes to the glaring fact, that there is, and always will be, a considerable number of Dissenters, for whom no church room need be provided." And he might have added, "Among whose ministers will be found none who are non-resident, and none who possess sinecures !" We feel a little anxious to know, as the Legislature has entirely omitted the mention of their places of worship, whether it is intended to leave them out also in the expenses which will attend the erection of new churches, and the consequent means for supporting more clergymen? It will be indeed "hard measure," (as good Bishop Hall called the treatment he received from the Presbyterians,) should the Dissenters, in addition to building their own places of worship, and sup porting their own ministers, and paying equal proportions with their neighbours who attend the churches, towards the poor and church rates; should they be also required to pay additional rates towards a measure, which, with the exception of some large towns, appears to them to be unnecessary. If, however, Churchmen wish to have new churches, and will imitate the Dissenters by pay ing for them and the ministers them. selves, the Dissenters will have no cause to complain; but will rejoice that the example they have so long set before the nation begins at last to be imitated. 1. An Account of Benefices and Popula tion, Churches, Chapels, and their ca pacity, number, and condition of Glebe Houses, and income of all Benefices not exceeding £150. per annum. 2. On the insufficiency of Churches. An Abstract of the Totals of Parishes ... 4,659,786 churches and ..... ....... 949,222 Number of persons the churches and chapels will contain... Excess of population above the capacity of chapels 3,710,564 An Abstract of the Totals of Parishes of above 4,000 Inhabitants, of which the Churches will not contain a quarter ; Population..... 2,947,698 Number of persons the churches and chapels will contain ... 419,193 Excess of population above the capacity of churches and chapels.. 2,528,505 We have only to add, that in our opinion some measures should be adopted, to give general information to the public, as to the number of places of worship registered under the Act of Toleration, whether belonging to Presbyterians, Independents, Baptists, Quakers, Methodists, &c. Also of the number of persons they will contain; the number usually attending public worship, &c. The Societies for protecting the civil rights of Dissenters might in a short time be able to ascertain this without much difficulty or expense. STEPNEY ACADEMICAL INSTITUTION. THE annual meeting of the subscribers and friends to this Institution was held January 13, 1818, at the King's Head, in the Poultry, London. The Rev. William Newman, D.D. President, in the chair. The Committee reported, that, during the first year, six students had been received on the foundation of the Society: three of whom had been placed in the academy at Stepney; one with the Rev. Joseph Kinghorn, of Norwich; and two with the Rev. Mr. Anderson, of Dunstable. That five students having completed the term of their education at Stepney, had left the academy. Mr. Samuel Brown, who had been lately ordained at Loughton, Essex; Mr. Wm. Pepper, who is supplying, with a view to a settlement, at Melbourn, near Cambridge; Mr. Josiah Wilson, who had accepted an invitation from a new Society of Baptists in Dublin; Mr. Thos. Keen, who is supplying a congregation at Newry, in Ireland, under the patronage of the Baptist Irish Society; and Mr. Cramp, who is preaching in Dean street, Southwark, with a view to the pastoral office. That at present seventeen students, (twelve at Stepney, and five in the country,) are supported by the funds of this Society. Unanimous and cordial thanks were voted to all in the management of the Institution, and to all who had, by dona tions of money and books, contributed towards its benefit. Joseph Gutteridge, Esq. was re-elected Treasurer; and the Rev. Thomas Thomas, Secretary; and a Committee appointed for the ensuing year. Extracts from letters of several ministers, educated by this Society, now settled over congregations in the country, were read, from which the actual and happy results of the exertions of the Society, through the blessing of God on the labours of those whom it has patronized, appeared; and which, together good conduct and improvement of the with the Reports of the tutors, of the students under their care, afforded great satisfaction to all present, and furnished a fresh stimulus for continued and un ceasing exertions in the support of an Institution, which has so evidently ob tained the approbation of heaven. As a balance of upwards of £300 is due to the Treasurer, as appears at the audit of accounts for the past year, the ministers and friends of the Society present, were particularly requested to use their influence, both in town and country, to obtain donations and subscriptions in aid of its funds. Since the last annual meeting, donations of books have been received from several friends, and are hereby thank fully acknowledged: By Mr. Napier-Brown's Prize Essay on the Being of God. By Mr. Allen-His Translation of By Mr. Jacob Philips-More's Thea Messrs. Wilson, Keen, and Pepper, on leaving the academy, presented several volumes, by Dr. Campbell, of Aberdeen, handsomely bound." D. R. Munn, Esq. of Walbrook, has sent for our museum a rattle-snake, late in the collection of Joseph Fox, Esq. To R. H. Marten, Esq. we are under great obligations, for his zeal in supplying us with specimens in Mineralogy. To R. R. Broad, Esq. of Falmouth, |