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A friendly Address to Servants on the subject of Missions

Poetry.

113

"Shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord, and shall we not

receive evil ?"

The law of Love

The Christian's time of hope

The Heavenly Sowing

43

Not seeing but believing

48

Heavenly Jewels

55

Press on

64

Bearing the Cross

77

Appeal for the Arabs

85

Watchman, what of the night ?"

103

THE

CHURCH MISSIONARY GLEANER.

THE HILL ARAANS.

THE villages of these poor people are situated on the mountain sides, little terraces being cut out on the steep ascents, to prevent wild elephants getting to them. Around are dense forests of splendid trees, each valley having a little stream falling over the granite rocks. Our Missionary, the Rev. H. Baker, jun., found them most anxious for instruction, needing no pecuniary help, as their hill sides yield them abundance of rice, and only desiring to know how to serve God aright, and to be shielded from the oppression and exactions of unauthorized persons. As soon as the truth was preached to them, the emblems of superstition commenced to disappear. The kudumbies, or top-knots of hair-which it is customary for those persons to wear whose office it is to offer to the spirits of their ancestors, the cower of all their seed, paddy, &c.—were removed from the heads of many. They flocked around him, adults and children, promising to build prayer-houses in each hamlet, and requesting him to come and reside amongst them, or erect a church in some central place. On that his first visit to them, they united with him in prayer, all kneeling in the open air, and, as it was night, with large fires burning: the individuals present were the representatives of 900 souls.

As the work of Christian instruction advanced, other idolatrous symbols, which lay nearer the heart of their superstitions, disappeared. The little huts in which lamps to the memory of their deceased ancestors had been kept burning were removed, and the stones which represented the spirits of the dead rolled down the hill sides. Instead of these, the promised prayer-houses were erected, the Sunday kept holy, and united prayer offered up morning and evening, as well as on the Sabbath. The Missionary was kindly treated, and solicitously cared for, when he came; so much so, that during one fortnight, in which he remained with them, they lodged him in a hut built in a large tree, some twenty-five feet from the ground, out of the reach of the tigers and elephants, with which the woods are infested. The Rev. P. S. Royston gives this account of the work which has sprung up under the energetic labours of the Rev. H. Baker, jun. "I would mention that there are two chief centres of Missionary work in this interesting district; the one has three out-stations, the other two. In the station of Mundakayam and its associated villages, I spent seven very happy days and nights, and was much amazed at what had already been done here, and in the prospect, with God's blessing, of much further progress. Since Araan inquirers first applied to Mr. Baker, at Pallam, in 1851, the work has, by divine blessing, been gradually progressing. At present, the number of natives under instruction exceeds 790, of whom 523 are baptized, and 65 VOL. IX. NEW SERIES.

2

WELLINGTON, SIERRA LEONE.

[JAN are communicants. That the work will be permanent, should God continue his favour, we may, I think, now very well hope. In each of the villages the inquirers have built a school-shed at their own expense. The mountain jungle has been cleared over a very large space of country that part of it which belongs to the Mission already pays for one reader, as well as other church expenses. The existing inquirers seem closely attached to their laborious and ever-ready Missionaries, and fresh applications for instruction come from time to time from other neighbouring villages." A Missionary thus describes the baptism of a large number of the converts, which he witnessed in April 1857.-" As soon as service began, and the people collected, the room being exceedingly crowded, I had scarcely space to kneel while reading prayers. Mr. Baker then gave one of his stirring, searching addresses, after which came the baptisms. They advanced by families. I must explain the reason of this. When the Gospel was first preached here, one of a family, and two of a village, only received it. These, however, became Missionaries to their several families, and ceased not to labour till the whole of their family was gathered in. It was deeply touching to see the son, or father, bring forward his relatives, and count them carefully as he placed them in a row before Mr. Baker. In this manner I counted three families of seven, five of six, two of four, two of three, and one of two members, thus brought forward. These, with eight others baptized the previous day, made a total of ninety. Some thirty more were turned back for longer probation, to their great grief. One very aged woman was baptized with her great-grandchildren. She had long opposed, then held aloof, and at last came forward the first, yet the last of the family-one called at the eleventh hour from standing idle in the world's market-place. The satisfaction of the son in thus seeing, as it were, the termination of his home-work was most ardent. Few converts in India show this mark of their earnest belief in their new faith. The Syrians scarcely dream of such a thing when they join our church."

WELLINGTON, SIERRA LEONE.

THIS field of labour is now more pastoral than Missionary and one feature of especial interest, as showing the growth of the native church, is this-that of the pastors, ten are native, and two only Europeans. One of the native agents, Mr. George Wilhelm, gives us some interesting glimpses of the work which is going forward in Wellington.

It is with unfeigned gratitude to Almighty God, that, during another half-year, I have been permitted to pursue my labours here without interruption. Although there is still much to be learnt and much to be corrected, yet, taking a general view of the state of things in our church in this place, there is much cause for thankfulness to the great Lord of the harvest for the gradual and steady increase in our number of communicants, and for the unity which exists among us.

Our number of Communicants is now 380, some of whom, we trust,