CHINA. RECAPTURE OF AMOY.-THE MISSION HOSPITAL. DURING Six months of the past year, the city of Amoy was the scene of the strangest vicissitudes, having been captured by a body of the insurgents, and again, after a protracted and deadly struggle, retaken by the Imperialists. The incidents of the successive sieges were of a varied, though painful interest, but our limited space will admit only of a brief summary. On the 18th May, an isolated band of insurgents, members of the "Triad Society," arrived before the city, and after a faint opposition, and with the sacrifice of no more than ten lives, entered it in triumph. The new masters of Amoy, though not professing the religious tenets which so remarkably distinguish the main body of the insurgents, appear to have used their victory with singular moderation. But their tenure of power was short. Bythe 25th of August the Imperialists had re-collected their scattered forces, and made formidable preparations for dislodging the insurgents, when, after a series of assaults which took place between that time and the 11th November, the city was re-taken, and the imperial standard once more planted on its walls. Besides the casualties that occurred during the siege, hundreds of the defeated party were, at the close of the contest, massacred by the victors. But the carnage would have been incalculably greater had it not been for the presence and active interference of the Missionaries and other foreign residents: indeed, the native inhabitants of Amoy have borne unvarying and grateful testimony that, but for the residence of foreigners among them, their city would have been reduced to ruins. By the wonderful providence of God, our missionary brethren and their families were, throughout these scenes of excitement and imminent peril, preserved from all injury; their persons and property were indeed fully respected by the belligerents on both sides; but their dwelling-houses being much exposed, were repeatedly perforated by the round and grape shot of the assailants. While these stirring events were in progress, there was frequently a large attendance, chiefly of insurgents, upon the religious services in the hospital chapel; but, since the cessation of hostilities, the inhabitants of the city have returned with renewed zest to their usual occupations, and evince little disposition to recognize the hand of God in their deliverance. It is, however, pleasing to add that the members of the native church have continued to maintain their Christian profession, and are exemplary in their attendance on the means of grace. Mr. Hirschberg, medical Missionary, formerly of Hong Kong, having joined the Amoy mission in June last, entered into arrangements soon after his arrival for opening a hospital, which was brought into full operation on the 18th of August. In a letter dated 17th December, Mr. Hirschberg thus describes the onerous engagements that devolved upon himself and his fellow-labourers during the period of extraordinary excitement and peril to which reference has been made: "The Rev. John Stronach kindly preached on occasion of the opening of the hospital, and he has continued to do so on every patient-seeing day, which is thrice weekly. I am glad to say that many of the patients pay great attention to his preaching, and they evidently understand the parables which he so ably brings forward to suit their capa. cities. Besides the above, there is preaching in the hospital chapel once on Wednesdays and twice on the Sabbath; these services the brethren take by turns. As long as the rebels were in possession of Amoy, the number of patients on an average was 60; these with many others, who came prompted by curiosity, entirely filled the seats and partly the standing-room, so that it was needful to add a dozen benches. For five or six days after the rout of the rebels there were but a few casualties, and the services were nearly deserted for several weeks; but now the patients are daily increasing, and the congregations also, so that there is good hope we shall ere long again see our chapel filled. "The daily casualties from the continual warfare kept me fully engaged. At all hours of the day the wounded by bullets, bursting of their own guns, burning by gunpowder, &c., were brought in, and were attended to immediately. All the in-door patients were insurgents; many of these, who had their relatives to take care of them, were forsaken by them on the day of defeat, and were left entirely to our expense and care. I need hardly say that the lives of the patients were saved; the mandarins not daring to interfere with us. The day when the mandarins took the city will be long remembered by us; we never witnessed such a day, and we trust we never shall again. Our hearts sunk within ns when we saw the poor Chinese slaughtered near our dwelling, their mangled bodies swimming in the harbour, and the sea coloured with their blood. Towards evening we were greatly comforted by seeing a great number of them rescued by the kind-hearted officers and men of H. B. M. S. 'Hermes,' and some of the merchants. Rev. W. Burns and myself assisted the brave tars in getting those who had yet a spark of life in them, out of the mud, where the tide had left them. They were all taken on board of a junk, and there attended to by the medical officers of the Hermes' and myself. Many of them are still under treatment, and Mr. Burns preaches the gospel to them daily; he told me that after having exhorted them to thank God for their deliverance, one of them said, 'I do thank God and Jesus Christ; I prayed to God when I was in the water.' This man was quite senseless when taken on board. I do hope and trust that the words spoken to these wounded will not be in vain; the Lord in His wonderful mercy having not only given them their lives again, but also sent unto them the message of peace; it may, perhaps, work in them and through them when they go to their homes, and we in our day may have to say, 'What has the Lord wrought!' At present there are sixteen of them in the hospital, and some of them are evidently very desirous of hearing the gospel; they lie peacefully side by side with the patients of the mandarin party. **** "We ourselves have experienced great mercies from the hand of the Lord during these trying times. We felt very helpless when we heard the balls whizzing near us, now and then a crash over us, or a ball falling into the chapel, which was only a few feet from us; but the Lord in his great mercy has preserved us; our bodies have not been permitted to be touched, and into our place of refuge for the time being not a single ball has fallen. Surely the Lord knoweth how to preserve those who are His, and He is indeed a present help in time of need. We desire to be grateful, and to dedicate ourselves afresh to his service; may the Lord enable us to be faithful servants. "I desire here to acknowledge the goodness of the Lord in the strength granted to me under these perilous circumstances. The Chinese Assistant A-Teem has been particularly useful to me; in fact, having no other helping hand, I could not have dispensed with his services. He is a pious man, and never permits an opportunity to pass without testifying of Christ to his countrymen." INDIA. THE REV. A. F. LACROIX'S JOURNAL OF A MISSIONARY TOUR IN BENGAL. (Concluded from p. 48.) A REFRESHING INTERVIEW IN THE DESERT. "January 17th, 1853.-Preached this morning once more at Kamarjani-Gunge, and then sailed down the Titsa as far as its junction with the Berhampooter. We met here, residing in a tent, Mr. Foley, a merchant known to Mr. Hill, and who has taken his abode at this place temporarily, to purchase native goods. He gave us many interesting particulars regarding the people of this district; and told us that when a resident in Calcutta in his youth, he had sat, not without benefit, under the ministry of the Rev. James Hill, then pastor of Union Chapel in that city, and now of Clapham. We had some pleasing religious conversation with Mr. F., which, in his lonely situation, he seemed much to value; and, after having been kindly supplied with provisions by him, commenced our return homewards by sailing down the Berhampooter. THE HINDOO CARPENTER AGAIN. "January 20th.-Returned to Seraj-gunge last evening. I went to-day to the postmaster's house, and made inquiries after the old carpenter, the hopeful individual referred to under date January 5th.* He instantly came, and expressed himself very grateful for the New Testament we had sent him, and which he said he now perused daily, to the great benefit of his soul. He was very anxious I should explain to him the words contained in John xv. 1-8, which had particularly riveted his attention, and tell him in what way and by what means believers are united with Christ as the branch is with the vine. The explanation seemed very consoling to him. Commending him to the great Shepherd of his sheep, I left the good old man, making him promise that, if spared to return to his native village near Calcutta, he would come and see me. Of this man I can truly say that he is not far from the kingdom of heaven.' SUSPICIONS AWAKENED. "While returning to the boat, I perceived that the enemy had been at work here since See Number for February, p. 31. our last visit; for on offering a book to a decent young man I met, he said: 'I would gladly take it; but I am afraid of the consequences !' 'What consequences?' asked I. He replied: It has been spread about in the town that you have a deep design in giving away these books; and that, after a while, government will send up police officers, who will make inquiries in regard to all those to whom you have given books, and consider such persons as having received earnestmoney, when they will be taken hold of and sent to Mauritius to work as coolies in the plantations.' From whom this absurd report emanated I could not ascertain; but there it was, and operating mischievously too! However, I soon satisfied the young man that the rumour had not the least foundation, and he then gratefully took the book offered to him. "Mr. Hill and the two native assistants spent the greater part of the day in the various bazars of Seraj-gunge, preaching and distributing tracts, as on former occasions. Many questions were put to them as to the reason of the distribution; and it was evident that the absurd report alluded to above had been widely circulated, and that it had given rise to many doubts and fears among the people. THE AGED INQUIRER. "In the afternoon, when we had all returned to our boats, a very aged whitebearded man, who had formerly been in Mr. Hill's service as head-boatman, came to see his old employer. He seemed delighted with our native assistants, and, in the course of conversation, told them with tears trickling down his eyes, that he had tried five of the different sects prevailing in the country, but had found no rest nor peace for his soul in any of them, that he had given them all up, and was worshipping only the 'unknown God; but that now he had heard of the Saviour, he would pray to him. Though unable himself to read, he said his grandson could, and begged us therefore to give him some books, which the lad would read to him. Poor people! they are truly as sheep without a shepherd! THE CITY OF DACCA. “January 25th.— Arrived at the large and ancient city of Dacca, far-famed for its muslins. The manufacture of that article has, owing to the competition of English manufactures, greatly fallen off. With all this, it yet occupies many hands; and the weavers boast that the most expert among them can still, as in days of yore, weave a piece of muslin sufficient for a lady's dress of such fine texture as to admit of being easily drawn through an ordinary finger-ring. I believe such a gossamer tissue was sent to the Great Exhibition, in 1851. "Dacca contains 100,000 inhabitants, and has for many years past been the seat of a Baptist Mission. My valued friend, the late Rev. Dr. Hæberlin, fully aware of the great importance of East Bengal in a Missionary point of view, founded a few years ago a new Mission at Dacca in connection with the Basle Society; but his premature death eventually led to its being given up again by that Society. The present Baptist Missionaries are the Rev. W. Robinson, who has been forty-seven years in India, and the Rev. R. Bion, a Swiss countryman of mine, and formerly a Basle student. The latter was absent on an itinerancy, so we had not the pleasure of seeing him. There is a small native church at Dacca, to which three native catechists are attached. These, together with Mr. Bion, are indefatigable in going about the district to proclaim the Gospel. The consequence is, that, though there are but few individuals in Dacca and the immediate neighbourhood who have actually embraced Christianity, yet there exists a state of preparedness all the country round, which holds a pleasing prospect for the future. "During the two days we remained at Dacca we spent much of our time with good old Mr. Robinson, whose conversation we found most profitable as well as interesting. I was delighted to see this veteran Missionary, now about seventy years of age, so full of hope for the future, and quite confident that, though comparatively speaking much visible success has not been obtained in Bengal, there has been a silent work going on, which must, ere many more generations have passed away, end in the complete overthrow of Hindooism and Mahometanism, and in the establishment of Christianity on their ruins. It was peculiarly pleasing to me to find Mr. Robinson's views so closely coinciding with my own. Indeed, I have observed that those Missionaries who have been longest in India, and have had most experience, are the most sanguine in regard to the eventual happy results of evangelistic efforts. The fact is, that during the twenty, thirty, and forty years they have been in the country, they have seen such wonderful changes taking place under their own eyes (which their younger brethren have not yet had the time and opportunity of witnessing), that they are fully prepared to expect still more astounding ones. To them the past is a warrant for the future. BASEMENT OF THE HEATHEN. "January 28th. Arrived at Naraingunge, a very large town on the river Megna, where much trade is carried on. There were several Burmese boats at anchor, not unlike Chinese junks. After passing through several bazars, we selected one for our operations, when our young friend Tara earnestly requested that he might be permitted to be the first in addressing the congregation, which soon collected around us. This we cordially assented to, and were much pleased with the simplicity, fervour, and evangelical strain of his discourse, in the composition of which he had apparently taken much pains, and which was listened to with great interest. "We had heard at Dacca that many of the inhabitants of Naraingunge belonged to the sect of the Baôls, whose peculiar tenets are not only absurd, but demoralizing in the extreme. This induced our other native assistant Gobindo, who had become well acquainted with those tenets when he was a Hindoo devotee, to address the people in the most earnest manner on this subject, exposing the fallacies and immorality of the Baôl doctrines, and solemnly warning his hearers against allowing themselves to be entangled in the meshes of that wicked sect. I sincerely trust good was done by this timely admonition: at all events, no one had |