Leang-a-fa for the printing of tracts written by himself, and circulated from one end of that vast empire to the other. In Siam a tract, printed at the request of one of the native princes, has been largely distributed, and has excited great interest among thousands. At Malacca 10,000 Chinese tracts have been circulated. About 17,500 Javanese tracts have been printed, 4,000 of which have been furnished at the expense of the Singapore society. The accounts from Burmah, transmitted by Dr. Judson, are of the most encouraging character. He says the Burmans are an inquiring and reading people, and that the tracts of the society now pervade the whole country, from the frontiers of China to the banks of the Ganges, and from the borders of Cassay to the southermost villages of British Pegu. At the last festival 10,000 tracts were distributed. At Calcutta 72,500 tracts have been printed, and 83,204 circulated. At Serampore 18,000 copies of eleven new tracts have been put in circulation; and in various languages there have been distributed altogether no fewer than 33,050. A grant of 4,200 tracts have been sent to Berhampore. 3,800 suitable books and tracts have been sent to Chunar. 9,000 tracts have been sent to At the military stations at Cawnpore and Meerut. The sums received during the year for the sale of publications has been 26,949. 11s. 8d. The total amount of the society's receipts has been 31,376/. 6s. 11d. The publications circulated during the year amount to 11,714,965. The total circulation at home and abroad has amounted to nearly 165,000,000. Port of London and Bethel Union Society. The thirteenth anniversary was held at the City of London Tavern, on the 7th of May, Lord Mountsandford in the chair. Receipts 7097. 10s. Church Missionary Society. The thirty-second anniversary was held on the first of May, Lord Bexley in the chair. The receipts of the year were 40,751. and the disbursements 47,1731. CHURCH MISSIONARY SOCIETY'S MISSION IN ABYSSINIA. THE death of Mr. Kugler, and of his patron, Segabadis, and the residence of Mr. Gobat among a strange and wild people, were mentioned at p. 166. A more particular account of these events is subjoined, taken from the Church Missionary Record. I hope you will have received the letter which we wrote to you on the 20th of October last (1829). We had then the best prospects on every side; but, since that time, all has been changed, at least for a season. The hope only remains to me, that God will bring clearer days on this miserable country, and that he will not suffer me to be cast out as a vessel of no use. You will already know that I have been at Gondar from the 26th of March to the 4th of October; whilst my dear brother Kugler remained at Tigre. At Gondar I have found many individuals inclined to receive the word of life. I have disposed of sixty copies of the Four GosPels, which I have sent into all the provinces of the interior, as far as Shoa. I added a short letter to the Gospels and Acts, which I sent to the king of Shoa. I have since heard that he was well pleased with the whole, and that he intended to send me a present, when he heard that I should be out of the country before his present could reach me. I was in the favor of the etchegua (the chief of all the Monks, and at present, in the absence of an abuna or bishop, the greatest ecclesiastic of the country,) and in general in except the old king, who has at present no kingthe favor of all the great men whom I have seen, dom. But for all the details I refer you to my journal; which I, at first, intended to bring myself, at least to Egypt, as you will have seen in send it, for fear of the robbers, who infest the our joint letter of October. At present I cannot way from hence to Massowah. But I will send ameliorated. A few Mohammedan pilgrims will it as soon as the state of things shall be a little take this letter to Massowah; but it is a great chance if it ever reach you. 1829, reached me, toward the end of December Your very kind letter, I believe of November last. I was then at Adowah, with brother Kugler, and little thought that it was the last of your letters we should ever read together; but so it proved. Thus it has pleased a wise Providence to take away from me the only missionary brother whom I had in this dark land. He died last, of a small wound which he had got in the in the peace of God, on the 29th of December large losses of blood. The last evening was, I left arm on the 10th of December, after several hope, for the edification of many who witnessed his death; for they all said, that they had never seen a man die in such full confidence in the Savior. Mussulman, who was present, said, in the presence of all, that he had seen many persons in the hour of death; that four had died in his arms; but that he had never seen true faith till this day. His remains were deposited in the church called Madhan-Alam (the Savior of the world,) on the 31st of December, 1830. You will see the details of his illness and death in my journal. The young Tecla-Georgis, son of the late king of the same name, was a great help to me at that period; as my Christian brother Aichinger was himself very ill, and all my other friends had gone to the war; and the priest re fused to receive the remains of brother Kugler || into the church, because I would not permit them to pronounce the absolution over him. At that moment, also, the help of God was with me. But another occurrence has lately taken place, by which the work of this mission will be suspended altogether, for several months at least. When I left Gondar, there was a general cry for war against Tigre. When I arrived at Adowah on the 17th of October, I found Sebagadis, who was then going to war. He received me in every respect as his equal. We passed two evenings alone together; on the last of which he wept almost all the time. When we separated, he said to me, "I love you; not because you are a great man, nor because you are a white man, but because you love the Lord whom I wish to love with all my heart. I pray you to be my brother, and to consider me as your brother." "No," said I, "I will be your son, and you shall be my father." At this he kissed my hand, weeping, and saying, "I am not worthy to be called your father; but I will be a faithful brother to you." Thus we parted forever. On the 19th of October he left Ódowah; and, without a halt, he passed the Tacazze, took the mountains of Samen, and went as far as Inchetkaub, the residence of the governor of Samen, who had joined the rest of the governors against Tigre. The intention of Sebagadis was, to attack his enemies before they could assemble in great numbers: and indeed Marea, who governed all the interior from Tacazze, marched immediately against him; but he remained on the mountain Samalemon, until his troops were collected. Sebagadis retired to this side of the Tacazze. On Sunday, the 13th of February, the Gallafor so the Abyssinians call all the soldiers of the interior, the chief governor being a Gallapassed the Tacazze without resistance; because Sebagadis was not willing to fight on a Sunday. On the 14th, the most bloody battle which Abyssinia ever witnessed was fought. The Tigre soldiers fled; and on the 15th the news arrived at Adowah that the Tigre had been beaten. At night some soldiers, who had fled, arrived; and in the morning the whole of the inhabitants had fled, with the exception of some old women, who were weeping, and beating their breasts, on the tops of the houses. About an hour after sunrise, the streets were full of people, who had come from the war: all were in tears; and a dead silence was only broken by the loud cries of those who had still strength to cry. Till then I had almost resolved to remain at Adowah: supposing that some of the chiefs of the interior would know me, and preserve my house. Whilst I was praying to God that he would direct all my steps, I heard that a son of Sebagadis and his brother had passed near Adowah, without entering the town. I ran after them, to ask for surer news; when they both told me that there was no time to be lost, but that I should come immediately with them to a mountain near the town. In the mean time my dear brother Aichinger was preparing every thing for departure. When I returned home, I found our Ali, who had been sent by the eldest surviving son of Sebagadis, Wolda Michael, to take me with him. I put the books and medicines in a church, and went away with the lighter articles. We marched for some hours in the night; some of our party were plundered by the people of the country; but I lost nothing. On the 17th I met Wolda Michael, who knew me only by reputation. We marched until three o'clock, P. M., when we halted to feed our mules. We intended to march again during the night; but, after being there about half an hour, a messenger arrived to Wolda Michael, who brought the news that Ras Marea was dead: he had been shot at the beginning of the battle, without his soldiers knowing it until the evening. All was joy in our camp. The brother of Sebagadis arrived. It was immediately resolved that we should return, altogether, the next day to Adowah: but when we rose in the morning, the soldiers were going the same way to their home, and the officers were in silence. Wolda Michael sent to inform me, privately, that a messenger had arrived in the night with the news that his father Sebagadis was dead: he had been taken prisoner on the 14th, and killed on the 15th. We then consulted what was to be done. He advised me to prosecute the plan which I had formed, of leaving all my clothes and money at Debra Damot, a monastery situated on a rock, where no one can ascend without a rope; and to go with our Ali to his village, where I now am. In two days we arrived at Debra Damot; but the monks made many difficulties. I could not arrange with them until the evening of the 20th, when Wolda Michael arrived, and settled every thing as I wished; but he did not ascend to the convent. On the 21st I arrived here at Behati, where I intend to stay, with Ali, until the state of things shall be a little better. The country is full of robbers; but I do not know any other place of refuge; and I hope the Lord will have his eyes upon me, as he has done hitherto. Do Thus you see the state in which I am. not forget me: pray for this poor people. There will probably be a long series of misery in all this land; for though Wolda Michael will probably succeed his father, it will not be without inward war and much bloodshed. We have little news of the Galla: some say, that they are divided amongst themselves, and that they are returning to their country: others say, that they are near Axum, with the intention of plundering it, as they have already done some sacred places, which used, as Axum, to be secure places of refuge in time of war; that they will come to Adi-Grate, where Sebagadis had his money, and then return, through Antalo, to their own country. The Gooderoo Galla, Mohammedans, are the worst of all; they spare neither church nor monastery; they even take delight in killing the priests and monks. The Christians do not spare the churches for fear of God; but they fear the saints to whom the churches and monasteries are consecrated. The brother of Marea will find opposition; but if he succeeds in taking the place of his brother, there is some hope for the interior; for they say, that he is a good man, as his father, Ras Googsa, was. I have found an able man, the son of a Greek ecclesiastic, born in this country, who will translate the whole New Testament for 200 dollars. He has already translated Matthew, chapters five, six and seven, and St. Luke to the end of the eleventh chapter. I hope he will have finished Luke when we shall meet again. Mr. Kugler had also prepared an alphabet-book in Tigre, about the same size as the Amharic one; but it is of no use. In the Amharic, only the alphabetical table with the single words will be of any use. If other missionaries should come to this country, nothing would be better for school-books than select passages of the Bible, or entire chapters or epistles, with some psalms. I have frequently been unwell, since I first entered this country; always with more or less he speaks of the Messiah as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. We sensibly felt the force of this ailusion, when we came under the cooling grateful shade, which they flung to a considerable distance over the plain, and were effectually shielded from the burning rays of a torrid sun. fever. Now I feel myself much better; for since || mathat, and it contains, probably, about three the beginning of December I have only been five hundred souls; the whole country appears a days confined to my bed. This has not prevent- beautiful and luxuriant plain, except here and ed me from preaching the gospel to many; for, there a stupendous rock, rising abruptly from at Gondar, my house was almost daily full of two to three hundred feet high-these rocks people, from morning to evening. At Adowah, brought forcibly to our minds, the beautiful and I had frequent visits from those who speak Am-impressive allusion in the Prophet Isaiah, where haric; for I know very little of the Tigre dialect. But my illness prevents me from any continued application, and especially from writing. As long as I was surrounded with brethren better able to write thau myself, I counted on the indulgence of the committee if I did not write more frequently; but at present, being alone, I will try, if God please, to do it more regularly: if I do not, I hope you will not ascribe my silence to neglect or slothfulness, though I frequently have reason to reproach myself with both. Send no missionaries at present to this country, except they are to stay in Egypt; until I send further news. If you should send any at a later period, it would be better if some of them were married; but only to women who trust in God, and who are ready to suffer hunger in evil times, and, of course, to exchange some of the European conveniences for a greater abundance of the peace of God. The fatigue of travelling is a small thing in this country; for they have good mules, and, in general, travel only five or six hours in a day. I cannot say, as Paul did, "Remember my bonds:" but I can truly say, Do not forget my prison; for I dwell under the tents of Kedar, amongst the wild Shohos, whose language I do not understand, and who hate peace. Ali, however, is very kind to me, and does all he can to alleviate my situation. A servant whom I took at Gondar gives me much hope of his being useful in future times. He is convinced of the sin of his former life, but not yet of the entire sinfulness of his heart. His conduct is exemplary. Whenever he has a moment, he employs it in reading the New Testament: pray for him, and do not forget your unworthy brother. AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSION IN BURMAH. Visit to the Karens. THE visit, some account of which is now to be given, was made by Messrs. Wade and Kincaid, in the spring of 1831, who proceeded two or three hundred miles up the Martaban river, on which great numbers of the Karens reside. The account is taken from the journal of Mr. Kincaid, published in the Baptist Missionary Regis ter. March 14, 1831. This morning we are to leave our home, for the country inhabited by Karens: our prayer has been that God would prosper our way, and bless the word of His grace in the salvation of many souls. It is not without some regret, that we leave home just at this time, several of the English and Burmans, having been recently brought to the knowledge of the truth, and some others anxiously inquiring what they shall do to be saved? We have come about thirty miles, and put up for the night. We ate our supper in a zayat. which stands on the margin of the river, and is between seventy and a hundred feet long. On every side of us, we see the ensigns of superstition and idolatry. Near us lies the village Da Taking two of the disciples along with us, we ascended, with much fatigue, one of these mountains, on the very summit of which stands a golden pagoda, a zayat, a large bell, and a building filled with idols. We had an interesting view of the surrounding country; here, the river winding its course through the plain, and making its way to the ocean; there, gigantic rocks spotting the plain in every direction, and proudly looking down upon the palm, cocoanut, orange, and other forest trees which skirt their base. We also visited a cave in a mountain or rock, but a little distance from this, on which the pagoda stands: it is an immense cavern in breadth, and in length extends quite through the mountain. The interior presents an appearance at once grand and affecting. From its lofty arch, hang a great number of spars, or incrustations formed by the dripping of the water, some of which are very large and brilliant, appearing as if they were covered with frost. But that which rendered the scene affecting beyond the power of language to express, was the impressive evidence we had of the darkness, ignorance and idolatry, which have for ages enveloped these many millions of immortal beings. Here is the valley and shadow of death. Here the gloomy horrid clouds of superstition, unpierced by a single ray of celestial light, have brooded over millions of our fallen family. While standing in the interior of this cavern, and seeing the amazing number of idols of all sizes, from forty feet in length, to three inches, and in almost every state, from a new and brilliant polish to entire decay, we were shocked at the long and deadly reign of idolatry. This must have been the work of Princes probably have vied with each other, in multiplying images of Gaudama. We could but exclaim, O, when will these idols be given to the moles and the bats, and these intelligent beings bow before the Lord God, who made heaven and earth? There are a number of villages but a little distance from Damathat. ages. 15. We left Damathat this morning before daylight, and have come about thirty miles, to a village called Guingue, containing between two and three hundred inhabitants. We have passed several villages, and some of them considerably large. Here is a kyoung, tha' is, a large pile of buildings inhabited by priests, delightfully shaded by a grove of lofty palm trees; near it lies the ruins of a once splendid exhibition of paganism, an incredible number of idols, great and small, all mouldering away in ruins. Not many years hence these bricks and stones will be made up into a house in which the true God will be worshipped. O it is delightful to think that soon the darkness will be passed and the true light will shine. While the boy was boiling our rice, we went into the kyoung, and brother Wade soon entered into conversation with the priests, about the living God. They listened; but seemed to be entirely indifferent to the subject. The young priests were shy, and only viewed us at a distance. Moung Zoothy, and Moung Dway went into the village to preach the gospel there, but the men being all away to their plantations, they stayed but a short time, and returned. The tide favoring, we left about one o'clock, and before night we entered the great wilder ness. Be 20. Lord's day. This has been a day not soon to be forgotten, and must be numbered among those rare seasons which in our experience are remembered as important ones. fore sunrise in the morning, Moung Zoothy began reading the scriptures, and it was not long before the zayat was nearly filled. Ko-MyatKyan, as soon as day dawned, went to let some villagers know that it was the Lord's-day, and about eight o'clock he returned, and preached some time in the Karen language. Then Moung Dway commenced reading and explaining the catechism. He had no sooner finished it, than these poor heathen. hungry for the word of life, called out that they wished to hear the same over again; accordingly, he went through with it again, brother Wade occasionally helping him, to a more enlarged understanding of the subject. This excellent and gifted young man, by brother Wade's direction, then read and explained nine of the most interesting miracles of our Savior. After this there was much preaching in Talieng and Karen, till nearly two o'clock, when Moung Dway read, from the prophet Daniel, the account of the image which the king of Babylon made, and explained as he went along. When he came to that part which relates to the conduct of the three Hebrews, and the appearance of the Son of God for their deliverance it was truly affecting, and it appeared evident that the hearts of many were open to receive it. After this, brother Wade read the 20th chapter of Revelation, and explained the first six verses. It was evidently a time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, and it seemed like the coming down of rain upon fields which before had never been moistened by a single shower. Towards evening three persons were examined and baptised, viz. Ngate-Lau, Naute-Nee and Napa-Oo, daughter of Naute-Nee. In the evening, brother Wade and three of the native assistants went into the village, and in two different houses, the villagers gathered around them. They preached till after ten o'clock. One of the disciples, a female, baptised to-day, who had long been nat-ka-dau, or held the office of consulting the oracle and directing in reference to the influence of demons, brought forward, of her own accord, the sacred pot and knife, and requested to know what she should do with them. This was deeply interesting, as it served to show the great power which truth had gained over her affections and prejudices. 22. At break of day, the disciples went to a neighboring village, and preached the gospel to them, and returned about nine o'clock. We then proceeded to examine those who professed to believe, and there were received and baptised Ngalau, and his wife, and Nau-wa-la, Tounah's wife. This is a pleasant little village, containing about one hundred souls. Many listened with attention, and some were indifferent. Tounah has commenced a zayat at his own expense, and has it more than half finished. We returned to our zayat in the evening, on the banks of the 24. At day-break the native brethren went to another village, and taught the people the way of life. They returned just after we had finished our breakfast. We assembled on the bank of the river, and the gospel was again preached to a considerable number. A young man whose name is Pau-lau, was baptised. He speaks the Burman language quite well, and can read a little. We gave him a small bundle of tracts, and commended him to the grace of God. This young man said, that he first heard the gospel about six months ago, and from that time forsook the worship of demons (or nats, as they call them,) and prayed to God. When asked how do you expect to be saved? he said, Jesus Christ died for sinners, and I believe in him. O, it was cheering to see this gleam of light amidst so much surrounding darkness. Having parted with the people, we made our way down the river as fast as possible, and reached the zayat just at evening. We found the disciples waiting for our return, and we could not but remark, the wonderful change which divine grace has wrought on the hearts of these persons. In the evening, brother Wade taught the people for a long time, and prayed. 25. About sunrise this morning, the Karen disciples living near, and many others assembled. Brother Wade read several portions of the word of God, and prayed. We then gathered around the water side, and the two persons examined last evening, were baptised, Guate-lau, and Natho-lau, his wife. We trust they will hereafter shine as stars in the kingdom of God. We left this interesting portion of the country, feeling that the harvest is great, and the laborers few. At evening we found we had come down the river a great distance, and we lodged in the wilderness. Character of the Karens. The Karens are a truly interesting people. But too little is known of their history, to say any thing about their origin, or the extent of their population; yet all agree in considering them very numerous in all parts of the Burman empire. They are more mild in their manners, and more industrious in their habits than the Burmans; and although they are without any fixed religious principles, yet they are exceedingly superstitious. They attribute every evil they experience to the nats, whom they propitiate by offerings and sacrifices of various kinds. They are entirely ignorant of the use of medicine; but for some reason they supposed we possessed skill superior to the influence of the nats; for wherever we went, they brought their sick around us. and they were delighted and astonished at the salutary influence which our medicines produced. DOMESTIC. REPORT OF THE AMERICAN BAPTIST BOARD FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS. THE report, of which a brief abstract is to be given, was presented to the Baptist General Daguingue, and the gospel was again proclaim- Convention for missionary purposes, at its ses ed to a considerable number. sion in New York in the month of April. The missions are in the Burman empire, at Rangoon, Maulmein, and Tavoy; in western Africa, at Liberia; and there are eight stations among various tribes of Indians in North America. The whole history of missions has recorded but very few opportunities for disseminating the gospel of Christ, so inviting as that which is now presented in Burmah. The number of inhabitants speaking one language there, is nearly as great as that of our own country. A portion of these are under the protection of the British government, where, of course, both missionaries and converts, will enjoy the benefit of the laws of civilization. The people are very generally able to read. Within a few years, they have manifested a spirit of inquiry on the subject of religion, to which scarcely any parallel is to be found in the history of pagan nations; and besides all this, the holy Spirit has been poured out, and conversions in greater numbers, and under more interesting circumstances than common, have attended the preaching of the gospel at all the stations. Much has been done to render the press efficient in this kingdom. Mr. Oliver T. Cutter embarked with his family on board the ship Gibraltar, of Boston, October 12th, 1831, bound to Calcutta. He has not yet been heard from, but has doubtless arrived. He is to aid Mr. Bennett. He took with him a second press, the gift of the Oliver-street church, in the city of New York A third printer, Mr. Royal B. Hancock, is now under engagement to join this department with as little delay as possible. He will carry out two additional presses, one presented by Rev. Ebenezer Loomis, of New York, the other by the late lamented Jonathan Carleton, Esq., of Boston. Besides a thorough acquaintance with the art of printing, Mr. Hancock has acquired a knowledge of the stereotype business, and procured the principal materials necessary for the establishment of a foundry, as soon as he shall arrive at Maulmein. The types, which were some time deficient, have with much labor and attention been prepared at Calcutta, under the eye of William H. Pearce. In a recent letter to the treasurer, he expresses his conviction that the fount is now complete and ample for an edition of the New Testament. From the above facts it appears that we are rapidly approaching a consummation long desired by the friends of Burmah. The power which the press is capable of wielding over the millions of that country is no longer doubtful. The people will read when the truth is put into their hands. The spirit of inquiry increases, as the means which are to awaken it are multiplied. At first, it was impossible to give away books except to a few, and even then, in some instances they were returned. Now they are sought after by men who travel great distances to solicit them in person. Nor is it uncertain whether with vigorous exertions the demand can be supplied. The capability of a single press, worked under many disadvantages decides the question. For several months Mr. Bennet was alonein a climate uncongenial-and he has since availed himself of but two native pressmen, and a Swede, yet he has published, by estimation, at least two hundred thousand tracts. The price, moreover, at which the work can be executed, places it within the reach of ordi nary means. Had the expense been double in that country to what it is in this, where every facility for printing is enjoyed, no one should have been surprised. But it is ascertained that tracts can be published there at the rate of eight pages to the cent, or eight hundred pages to the dollar; therefore, within one fifth of the standard rate at which they were issued for years at the best depositories in this country. It is further calculated, that with additional presses operation a reduction may be made from the estimate above, and bring the issues there, to correspond with the issues here. From such an accession of strength as is now promised, the best results may be anticipated. The thousands who ask for light from Ya-Mergui, Tavoy, and the entire kingdoms of Burmah and Siam, will receive it. The sacred scriptures, so long desired in Burman, will be sent forth. The power of issuing new translations of the word, as in Talieng or other languages, will be possessed, and we may hope, in a few years, those vast regions of darkness will be filled with the knowledge and glory of God. The parts of the New Testament already issued at Maulmein, are the gospels of Matthew and John, Acts of the Apostles, Epistles to the Ephesians and Hebrews, two of John's Epistles, successive editions. A small addition has been and Jude. Of some of these, there have been made to the list of tracts as reported the last year. Four of the principal tracts have been translated, and forwarded to the Board, which appear to be admirably adapted to the state of the people for whom they were prepared. Respecting the mission in Liberia it is stated, that no appointment of missionaries has been made since the death of Mr. and Mrs. Skinner. The good work of God has nevertheless prospered, and a healthy religious influence pervaded the colony. A letter from Mr. C. N. Waring, one of the pastors of the Baptist church in Monrovia, furnishes the following particulars: "Since captain S. was with us, there have been nearly one hundred added to our church. The work began in June, 1830, in Monrovia, and lasted till the early part of 1831. It then extended to Caldwell and Carey Town, a settlement of recaptured Africans. Among the latter it has continued ever since, so that they make up the largest number that has been added to the church, and they seem fully to adorn the Christian character. They have built themselves a small house of worship, at which they meet regularly on Lord's-day, and twice in the week for prayer. We have appointed one of the most intelligent among them, to take the oversight of them, and to exhort them when none of the preachers are there from Monrovia. Monrovia may be said to be a Christian community; there is scarcely a family in it in which some one or the whole do not possess religion. We are about to build us a new mecting-house, which has been delayed on account of the want of funds; but we have renewed our exertions, and the corner-stone is to be laid on the fourth of next month. It is to be forty by thirty-four feet, and built of stone." The Board have not, in consideration of what was doing without them, slackened their efforts, but have carried on a correspondence with individuals in various parts of our country where a prospect offered of obtaining suitable missionaries. They regret to state that they have not |