DEAR SIR,-Your letter, dated November 14, 1836, addressed to us jointly, has just arrived. It is most gratifying to our feelings to learn, that the information forwarded in our last report of this Station, confirmed your faith and encouraged your expectations; and we trust it had a similar effect on the churches.

The half-yearly report, which we have now the pleasure to transmit, contains information surpassing any in the preceding accounts of this Station: and we feel assured, that not only your thanksgivings, but those of the churches, will ascend to our gracious Lord and Saviour, for having given his servants, in some measure, to realise the fulfilment of the promise, "My word shall not return unto me void."

We entreat that your united prayers may be offered up for us, that we may be enabled to persevere, and to keep up under our responsible and heavy duties; and that success may continue to crown our efforts; and for those whom the Lord hath in mercy and goodness given us, that they may continue stedfast in the faith, and in the doctrine of the Saviour, and may have grace to honour that profession which they have made in the presence of their idolatrous countrymen.

REPORT OF THE STATION, &c. Preaching-Divine service is continued as usual in the different languages. Attendance regular and good. The Chinese services are exceedingly well attended. Preaching every Sabbath morning in the Mission chapel, to a crowded congregation; and in the evening, in the college-hall, to a very interesting and encouraging congregation, consisting chiefly of Chinese Christians and candidates for baptism. There are also regular weekly services, all well attended.

Schools. The present aspect of these is most pleasing. The good attendance, together with the progress the children make, is such as to encourage our hearts beyond that of any preceding period. The number of children receiving education is, of Chinese, 220 boys, and 80 girls; Malay, 145 boys, and 50 girls-total, 495.

In consequence of an additional charge having devolved on Mrs. Evans, by the admission of Chinese students into the Anglo

Chinese College, to board, lodge, &c., the daily superintendence of all the Chinese girls' schools, which are now entirely supported by the sale of useful and fancy articles sent out from England, has been committed to Mrs. Dyer.

The whole of the children in these schools read our Christian books, from the time they enter until they leave school. No other books are allowed.

Printing.-The printing and circulation of books have continued as usual. Our thanks are due to the British and Foreign Bible Society, for the very liberal manner in which they have supplied us with funds to carry on that important branch of Missionary labour, the printing of the sacred Scriptures.

We have been enabled to supply Mr. Lay, Agent of the Bible Society, with

vols.

Complete Bibles, 40...... 830 New Testaments, 976.... 3,916 Single Gospels...

....

5,172

9,928

all in Chinese. We also gave him a good supply of Malay tracts and Testaments, knowing that he would come in contact with numbers of the Malay race in the various islands he intended to visit.

We have distributed considerable numbers at our own station, and at the adjacent villages; and have also supplied our brethren at the other Ultragangetic Stations, to the amount of 5,000 vols.

Baptisms.-The Lord has been pleased to own and bless his word to immortal souls at this Station in an especial manner; to rejoice the hearts of his servants, and to give them to witness that they do not labour in vain, nor spend their strength for nought.

During the last six months, 20 individuals have been admitted members of the Church of Christ by baptism: four families, consisting of 4 men, 4 women, (their wives,) and 5 children, and six young men, varying in age from 18 to 24, all Chinese; and one Siamese man.

It is truly gratifying to us to witness their upright walk and conversation. They do, indeed, adorn the Gospel of the Saviour;

for their whole conduct strictly comports with the genuine principles of Christianity.

The renunciation of idolatry by one of these individuals was attended with circumstances of a very interesting nature. He came to the college one day, and expressed a wish to embrace Christianity; it was replied, that his house continued to be furnished with an idol, and its attendant appendages; how then could he consistently say that he desired to become a Christian? He forthwith returned to his house, tore down every vestige of idolatry, and committed them all to the flames in the presence of his family; he then came back to the college, and invited us to come and see for ourselves whether he any longer entertained his idol.

The occasion of the baptism of the above individuals presented a very impressive sight. The congregation (European and Chinese) who assembled to witness the service completely filled the Mission chapel. Brother Evans proposed suitable questions to the candidates, interpreted them, together with their answers, (which were most satisfactory,) into English, and then administered the ordinance of baptism. Brother Dyer concluded the service with an address, founded on 2 Cor. ii. 14, "Now thanks be unto God who always causeth us to triumph in Christ."

There are at present 11 individuals candidates for baptism, men, women, and children, two families, and one old man. Some of these are very interesting persons, and the circumstances attending their renunciation of idolatry are by no means less interesting than any of the former.

Sir W. Norris (the present Recorder) and his lady, called a few days ago to see the college, and the various operations going on here; and the very gratifying manner in which they spoke of our Chinese Christian community, was such as to rejoice our hearts, and to stimulate us to renew our vigour.

The whole of the Christians, together with the college students, all clothed in clean white dresses, were assembled in the college-hall, when a portion of Scripture was read in Chinese, after which a hymn was sung; and one of the Chinese engaged in prayer. The pleasure experienced by Sir W. Norris and his lady, on hearing, for the first time, a Chinese Christian engage in extempore prayer, and in so devout a manner, appeared to be such as would leave a deep impression.

But the blessing attendant on our efforts has not been confined to the Chinese only. In May, last year, an assistant surgeon, in the East India Company's service, came to Malacca for the benefit of his health. When first visited, he was found entirely careless about religion, and unwilling to converse on religious subjects. Brother Evans regularly visited him, and in a few weeks had reason to hope the Lord had made him the humble instrument of spiritual good to our dying friend. In the beginning of March last he departed this life, expressing his faith in Christ.

Such, dear brother, is the present aspect of our Station, and such are the blessed effects witnessed by us. Here are the firstfruits of 350,000,000 of the human race.

We need, and we now call for, an increased interest in your prayers; and we hope, and trust, and pray that greater exertion will be made to rescue so great a part of the human race from the thraldom of sin and Satan.

We are happy to inform you that all connected with the Mission are enjoying the best of all earthly blessings, good health.

With our united fervent prayer for the conversion of China to the faith of Christ, and that the Directors, in all their movements may be guided by Divine counsel, we beg to subscribe ourselves, dear Sir, yours truly in the Gospel of Christ,

JOHN EVANS. SAMUEL DYER.

To the Foreign Secretary.

DEAR SIR,-We had looked forward with peculiar interest to the time when we should see a place of worship opened for the service of God among the people here, and when we should have the privilege of enjoying the ordinances of the Gospel, in connexion with a Christian church at this station. Through the kindness and mercy of our God, our desires were in this respect gratified. We removed from Orangefield on the 8th of June, and the chapel was opened in three days after, when Mr. Scott preached at noon, and Mr. Watt came over and preached in the evening. On the 9th of July, those who had given evidence of their Christian character were united as a church of Christ. They were few in number, only eight, besides my dear wife and myself, but I trust we all experienced, in some degree, the fulfilment of the Redeemer's promise, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Having mutually recognised one another as disciples of Christ, the members were commended to the care of the great Head of the Church; after which we sat down together to unite in the ordinance of the Lord's-supper. It was a season of refreshing to us from the Lord.

Little did I then think that on this day I should have to address you under the deeply afflictive circumstances in which it has pleased God to place me. My dear wife has finished her earthly pilgrimage, leaving me with two motherless children. She died on the morning of July 31st, of yellow-fever, which has for some time been very fatally prevalent in this colony. Many have been its victims, and there is as yet no indication of its progress being stayed.* May the visitation be sanctified to us who are still preserved! Neither I nor my late dear partner had experienced such good health for some time past as we had formerly enjoyed. But I had, in general, been able to attend to my duties in the school, and on the Sabbath-day. She had also been able, almost without interruption, to take charge of the girls for an hour or two every forenoon. We felt no anxiety respecting the state of our health, but we had thoughts of removing for a few days to one or other of the coast stations, for a change of air. But God, whose ways are not as our ways, and whose thoughts are not as our thoughts, had prepared a cup of affliction for me to drink, such as I had not before tasted.

• It has since almost, if not wholly ceased.

My dear wife never joined in the public worship of God after the day on which we observed the ordinance of the Lord's-supper. On the 16th, she was confined to her chamber by a slight fever, but she was up and about her usual affairs during the week. On the 23rd, she was again laid up by fever, proceeding, as we thought, from an inflamed eye, which gave her great pain. On the 24th, (Monday,) she was again up and about her domestic concerns; but in the evening, when I came from the school, she was in a feverish state. This was the commencement of the fatal malady which brought her to the grave. I need not enter into a minute detail of her sufferings and the means used to check the progress of the disease. We had all the medical aid which, in our situation, could be procured, but all was in vain. At one time I realised in prospect all that I have now experienced; again some ground of hope appeared, and my heart was lifted up to God in thanksgiving. Towards Saturday, I thought I perceived symptoms of yellow fever; but I was willing to be deceived, and persuaded myself that want of sleep and fatigue made me only imagine that I discerned what was then really apparent.

The tidings of her illness brought several experienced sick nurses to our aid on Sabbath-day, some of whom remained with me till her eyes were closed in death. Early on Sabbath-morning we had some very pleasing conversation on the state of her mind in the prospect of futurity. She at first complained of darkness, occasioned, as she said, by the thought that she had been too much occupied with our domestic and temporal affairs, to the neglect of her spiritual interests. At her request I read some portions of the Scriptures, which she selected, and, after commending ourselves to the disposal of our covenant God, she seemed to enjoy a little repose. When she awoke, she requested me to enter again into spiritual conversation with her, and I was happy to find that she was now in a great measure relieved from the darkness of which she had complained. Her language was not that of holy triumph at the prospect of being made more than a conqueror through Him that loved her, but that of deep conviction of her own unworthiness, and of humble reliance on the merits of the Divine Redeemer. She spoke with the greatest calmness of her dear little babes, and of her beloved parents, and appeared to be much comforted by the thought that her parents were both walking with their "faces Zion-ward." The children were brought in the morning, as usual, to see her; she

smiled when she perceived the delight with which the youngest, ten months old, clung to her bosom. She kissed her, shook her little hand, and parted from her with resignation. My dear wife tried to persuade me that the fever was abating, but I now saw too clearly what would be the result. She became worse and worse, and one fatal symptom after another indicated the speedy approach of death. "Now is the time," she said with great emphasis, now is the time when I must die." I inquired whether she was unwilling or afraid to die? She simply replied, "O, no." I repeated the lines,

"All my hope on thee is stayed,

All my help from thee I bring."

66

She supplied the rest with a full and distinct voice,

"Cover my defenceless head

With the shadow of thy wing."

About this time our eldest child came into the room, and I placed him by her pillow. She looked up-returned his kiss with a smile-stroked his head, and shook him by the hand, evidently feeling that she would see him no more. From this time I did not attempt to converse with her on any subject, except once, when I inquired if she knew me, to which she replied in the affirmative. She had been visited by three medical men during the day, and I continued to the last hour to act upon the prescriptions. The disease

now made rapid and fatal progress, and all that I could do was, to wait with trembling anxiety for the moment when I should close her eyes, after the conflict with the last enemy. That moment came on the morning of July 31st. Just as the first rays of the bright morning sun shed their light upon our dwelling, her ransomed spirit caught, I humbly trust, the first beam of glory in the. world of bliss. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them."

My dear brethren, Scott and Watt, were with me when she died, as I had sent for them on the Sabbath-day, and they stayed with me till her body was laid in the silent grave. I must also gratefully acknowledge the kindness and sympathy which I experienced from the people of every class in the neighbourhood. Whatever was required daring her sickness, which we had not in our own possession, was readily and cheerfully supplied, wherever it could be found. And when the trying hour of my affliction had arrived, many of the proprietors and mana

Not

gers came personally, and others sent to express their sympathy, and to inquire in what way they could render me assistance. less deep and universal was the sympathy and kindness of the apprenticed labourers; and the feelings which the sad event has called forth among them give me reason to believe that my unworthy labours are more highly appreciated than I was aware of.

I have been hitherto mercifully sustained. I must sorrow, I must weep; but I sorrow not as those who have no hope. I do not weep as those who have no source of consolation and joy. Still, my dear Sir, my feelings with regard to the future are not the most pleasing. Oh, were it not for the consoling hope that He, who has visited me with this heavy affliction, will sustain and bless me, and yet make darkness light before me, I should faint under the chastisement. But, blessed be His name, I am not disposed to murmur. He has given me a long course of life without affliction of any kind hitherto. Now I bow with humble submission to his righteous will. "Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in thy sight."

I need not say that I hope to share in the sympathy and prayers of the Directors. O pray that the present affliction may have a salutary and lasting effect upon my own soul; that the want of the Christian intercourse which I have hitherto enjoyed may lead to more frequent and holy intercourse with God.

I am not now in the best state of health, and sickness and death prevail on every side. Perhaps my labours may soon be finished. While I pray that God may preserve me to my dear children, I trust I feel a holy pleasure in committing them and myself to the care of our heavenly Father.

The chapel continues to be well filled on the Sabbath-day, though not crowded as on the day of opening. It will contain, with the children's seats, about 500 persons. But I believe the usual attendance may be about 400.