He was He muttered

plantain leaves were next laid down in order, upon the space that had been sprinkled, and on each was placed a coarse earthenware plate containing sweatmeats, and plantains. The next part of the worship was to consecrate the buffaloe, and the sacrificial knife. For this purpose, the buffaloe was brought in, tied to his place of execution, and then copiously sprinkled with Ganges-water. A square piece of cloth was laid down near him, on which the officiating brahmun sat. The buffaloe was on his left hand, and on his right was a large plate with four or five distinct little heaps of sweatmeats and plantains, and a quantity of flowers; and nearly in front of him was laid the sacrificial knife, which was somewhat like an English hedge-bill, only much larger; the metal part was, we should think, about two and a half feet long and five or six inches broad, with a short handle of about eight inches. furnished also with a quantity of Ganges-water. his muntras, occasionally sprinkling the head of the buffaloe and putting flowers upon it. and doing the same to the plate of sweetmeats, and the knife; and when he had risen, the buffaloe was taken out again. Three or four large native drums were then introduced, and placed behind the kids, which were now brought to be sacrificed. They were brought up in succession, by the brahmun youths who had kept charge each of a particular one, from the beginning. Their fore-legs were drawn up on their sides or backs, so that their breasts might press upon the ground, and their necks then placed between the prongs and pinned in, one man holding the body and another the head. When thus situated some water was sprinkled upon their necks, where the knife was to fall; and as they and the spectators, who were also sprinkled, were calling out ma, ma, the executioner, (not a bramhun,) with one blow severed the head from the body. The person holding the head, having put some water on it, ran with it to the idol, and a small lamp was put on it; he that had the body ran and poured a quantity ofits blood into one of the plates, the spectators leaped and danced, and the drums beat loudly. When this had been done with all the eight kids, a pumpkin was brought, sprinkled, and chopped in two and thrown aside, and the same was done with a small bundle of sugar canes. The drums then continued beating; something more was done to the plates, (a small piece of the flesh of each victim was put on (their respective plates, we believe,) and they were plac ed before the idol.

The buffaloe was then brought in, and sacrificed in the same: manner, being thrown down and his legs tucked up by ropes at each foot. There was this disgusting difference, however; as soon as the head was taken away to the idol, the spectators scrambled for the blood pouring from the neck, in order to bedaub themselves and their friends. It was a frightful scene—the drums were beating furiously-the spectators, especially the younger part, were jumping and dancing in a sort of phrenzy, and smeared with blood; -the executioner was prostrating himself before an aged bramhun and receiving his blessing and a present, as he had accomplished his work very adroitly; and in the midst of this was a most noisy contest between the shoemakers, we understood, for the possession of the buffaloe's carcase, which at length was dragged out at the door by the ropes at his feet. A few bramhuns went to work with the heads and plates before the idol; and some persons brought plantain leaves, and filled them with mud and blood, which they had scraped up at the places of sacrifice. We left the place at 12 o'clock, when the drums were still beating, and a few boys dancing.

Oh how degraded are the people who can call this religion! We have witnessed only one scene more sickening, the sacrificing of living women. That, too, is called religion. "If the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness?"

-We

CALCUTTA.—Societies for the Extension of Christianity.shall proceed with the notice of the last Reports of these institutions which we commenced last month.

Calcutta Auxiliary Church Missionary Society.—This Society was formed in December 1823. (See Friend of India, vol. vii. page 29.) The present Report records its transactions up to June 1824. In March last, the Society resigned the care of their Female Schools to a Ladies' Society formed expressly for their superintendence and support, reserving only the right of resuming, the charge, should circumstances ever lead to the abandonment of it by the Ladies' Society. The number of labourers under the care of the Society, has been increased by the arrival of the Rev. Mr. Wilkinson with Mrs. Wilkinson from England, last November. Mr. Smyth, after having been two years under the care of the Parent Society, has returned from England to this country, with a view to assist in the schools; both these gentlemen have been sta

And

tioned at Goruckpore. Two students of the Society have been admitted to Bishop's College, and are preparing for future service.

The labours of the Society in Calcutta have been somewhat diminished by the formation of the Association, which took charge of four of the boys' schools. Mr. Jetter undertook the superintendence of these, and Mr. Reichardt that of the Society's schools, which are six in number and contain about 400 boys. Preaching had been suspended for ten weeks, through the indisposition of Mr. Jetter. ⚫. In Burdwan, about 1670 boys, and 243 girls are under a constant course of Christian instruction; and the schools seem to be making a powerful impression upon the people generally, in fa vour of the gospel. At Ryan, a village famous as the residence of Pundits, and where the Raja's pundits live, it is understood that the inhabitants are stron ly inclined to prefer Christianity to Paganism. Very considerable pecuniary loss was sustained, and the operations of the station interrupted, by the devastating inundation of last Autumn.

Goruckpore has been added to the Society's stations, and, as already mentioned, Mr. Wilkinson and Mr. Smyth, have been sent to occupy it. A Branch Association has been formed, and a mission-house and chapel have been erected without any expense to the Society. Two schools have been established.

In Benares, there are four native schools, containing 113 boys, and two containing 20 girls. Joynarain Ghosaul's school is still attended by the usual number of boys, with the prospect of increasing good.

At Chunar, there are five schools; the first is a female school, purely of a religious nature, and is attended regularly by about 50 women and girls; the next is a Hindee school in the church premises, when the boys attend half the day to repeat English tasks with translations, and to read a chapter of the Hindee Testament; the third and fourth are Hindee Schools containing 65 - boys; and the fifth is a Persian school containing 33 boys. Νο accession of converts is reported; but the native Christians walk worthy of their profession: two of their number have died happily in the faith of the Lord Jesus.

At Agra, Abdool Messeeh continues to perform divine service regularly, and the Chaplain interests himself much in the affairs of the mission. He lately administered the Lord's Supper to about 10 communicants in the Hindoost'hance language.

14

From Meerut, Mr. Fisher has sent a very pleasing account of the conversion of a brahmun through the instrumentality of a native Christian. Both he and a woman resident in Meerut have made a public profession of Christianity.

The sum of the Society's exertions is, that in connection with it are nearly 4000 children receiving the rudiments of a Christian education; in the different places of worship where its Missionaries officiate there are about 250 stated and attentive worshippers; of whom about 80 are communicants. The finances are far from prosperous, a balance being due to the Treasurer of Sicca Rupees 22,835, 7, 6. The Appendix consists of an account of the formation of the Goruckpore Association, and the first Report of the Caleutta Association.

Calcutta Seamen's Friend and Bethel Union Society.-This Society has published its first Report, which embraces the whole of its proceedings from its formation, in June 1822, to June 1824. After some preliminary measures, a sloop was purchased, and fitted up as a chapel; and here, it is observed, “with a very few exceptions Divine Worship has been regularly conducted on Sabbath mornings, and very gratifying congregations have attended : and it is a pleasing fact, that allowing for the fluctuations in the quantity of shipping in the river at different seasons of the year, the attendance has gradually increased even to the present day. It has seldom happened that more than 50 seamen have been present, but during the last season in which the largest number of ships were in Calcutta, a number nearly approaching to that very generally attended. It deserves to be mentioned, that one Captain who arrived a few months ago, was very careful to send his men to the Bethel the first sabbath he was in port, giving as his reason, that when he was here last,' he had less trouble with his Crew than any Commander in the river, and merely because they attended the Bethel regularly." A Boarding House was opened, and continued for some time, but it was found necessary to relinquish it for want of a faithful and firm superintendent. On this subject the Report says; "The disappointment which this statement may naturally be expected to excite in the friends of the Society, will no doubt be materially diminished by remembering the real good that, after all, was done by the Boarding House. Divine Service was maintained in it, with very few exceptions, every

Sunday and Thursday evening, and between thirty and forty seamen generally attended on these occasions. That this should have happened without, in several cases, having revived former convictions, repressed vicious intentions, or given the first impulse to serious reflection, such as may eventually lead to the eternal salvation of some poor wandering profligate, is next to impossible and if it so helped to the conversion of a single soul, surely it is a reward worth earning even at a greater expense. It ought not to be forgotten either, that the Boarding House very sensibly re-acted upon the Bethel, making it better known and more valued and frequented. Religious conversation, too, was held with the Seamen, and religious books were put into their hands. Much therefore, of the means which men can use for promoting the eter-` mal welfare of their fellow-men, was used, and the communication of an effectual blessing upon them may be safely left with Him whose right and province it is to bestow it. Much was also accomplished in securing the temporal welfare of the persons for whose benefit the Institution was established; and in preventing those public evils which had made it appear so desirable. Its inmates never had a complaint to make of want of comfort, or scanty supply at their table, or imposition in any respect: and no employment was furnished for the Police Office from its transactions." As the experiment was in other respects satisfactory, the Committee express their determination to establish the Boarding House again, whenever circumstances will permit.

"The Society was instituted for the purpose of communicating religious instruction to the English and American sailors visiting Calcutta. In order to effect this, beside the means which have been mentioned, copies of the Sacred Scriptures have been sold at the prices fixed by the Calcutta Bible Association, and religious tracts have been largely distributed, mostly such as had been sent out to different friends by the Religious Tract Society of London, and some also which had been printed here expressly for the Society, but without any expense to it. A large supply of Scriptures and Tracts is always to be found on board the Bethel."

Prayer-meetings have been held with Seamen, and particularly of late, on Tuesday evenings on board the Bethel. They are attended more numerously than the services of the Sabbath, and seem to excite very considerable interest. A large appendix