Evangelical Magazine and Missionary Chronicle

In 1825, an attempt was made to form, under the wing of the mission, a Christian Village at this station, which, in a pleasing degree, has succeeded. The population of this village, according to the latest returns, comprises about 150 souls, every family subsisting on the produce of their own labour. Some of the people are spinners, others weavers; some are engaged as paper-manufacturers, and some in agricultural labours. No one (with the exceptions of children and infirm persons) is allowed to reside in the village, who does not contribute, by his own industry, to his own support. Those admitted as members of this interesting community, beside making a credible profession of Christianity, are required to conform to certain prescribed regulations. They must agree, for instance, to unite in settling all differences and disputes by arbitration. Again, they are required to keep their dwellinghouses in good repair at their own expense; a regulation which must tend at once to render them careful of their residences, and to attach them to the place. A chapel was erected in the village in 1826, the whole expense of which was defrayed by the liberality of European residents on the spot. The stated preaching of the missionary here has been attended with pleasing results.

The families inhabiting the Christian Village have gradually acquired settled habits, and now show no inclination to quit the place; and, what is far better, they begin to prize the gospel, and to show, by their lives and conversation, that they have experienced its benefits. Of the native schools already mentioned, one is situated in the Christian Village; and it is important to state, that the improvement in it is greater than in any of the other schools. "All the children (says the missionary in his journal for 1830,) make good advances, but most in the Christian Village.' It may be proper to add, also, that some of the families are now able, from the profits of their labour, to provide more than the means necessary for the mere sustentation of life, viz. those of comfortable subsistence.

We cannot allow ourselves to conclude this brief sketch of the mission at Cuddapah, without more distinctly noticing, and gratefully acknowledging, the great liberality uniformly manifested by the more respectable European residents at this station, in aiding the operations of the mission, but particularly in the support of the native schools in connexion with it, no part of the expense of which has fallen on the Society.

May it be the prayer of all the members of the Society, that the Almighty, who has already conferred on this mission many distinguished marks of his goodness, would be pleased to regard it, in future, with an eye of favour, and to bestow upon it abundantly the blessings of his grace. As the city bears the name of MERCY, may the spiritual results of each successive year of missionary labour therein still add to the appropriateness of this original designation. Contemplating the impression already made, by the dissemination of Christian truth, on the population of this part of India, the missionary has been led to the inference, that things there cannot long continue in their present state; while some of the natives themselves express their expectation that great changes will shortly come to pass, and even particularize the subversion of idolatry as one of them. May this anticipation be realized, and the whole earth be speedily filled with the glory of the Lord! Amen and amen.

It is my painful duty to communicate to you the heart-rending intelligence of the decease of my very dear brother Lewis. A pilotboat has just arrived from Berbice on purpose to convey me thither, by which I have received a letter written by Miss Rebecca Wray, an extract from which will afford you a better idea of the death that he died, and of the high esteem in which he was held, than under present sensations I may be able to give. My heart aches, and is well nigh

failing me, for alas! alas!-oh, shall I tell it!-or shall I forbear? My hands tremble, and my fingers almost refuse to hold my pen! O, that it should fall to my lot to inform you of the death of our friendour beloved pastor-Mr. Lewis! His happy spirit has winged her flight to that land where the inhabitants shall no more say, I am sick, and where all tears shall be for ever wiped from his eyes. And dare we mourn? Oh, thanks be unto God! though we mourn, yet it is not as those who have no hope. But we must weep, for he was very dear to us all, and, alas! he is gone! This day, this Sabbath day, at exactly 12 o'clock to-day, he breathed his last! All hearts are breakingdo come, come quickly; we have sent the pilot-boat on purpose for you. You will be happy to hear your dear, dear sister bears up surprisingly. God is indeed a very present help in time of trouble. I have not time to give you any particulars; all I can say is, his end was peace. Let me die, O

Father, the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his! He retained his senses to the last. At one time he wandered a little; he thought himself in his muchloved pulpit, and with much animation addressed his weeping friends on the important theme, salvation. It is indeed a dark, dark providence, but we would say, Not

our will but thine be done!' Our loss is

his gain. God does, indeed, move in a mysterious way.'

Thus, then, my dear sir, my dear brother has entered into his rest, and doubtless his works will follow. His dear widow, my beloved sister, will become one of my family, and will, I trust, be useful in the mission at George Town, should it please our heavenly Father to spare my life yet to labour in his vineyard, weak and unworthy as I am.

How gracious was he to send Mr. Scott before he removed my dear brother!-else what should I have done alone in the midst of four stations, each one of which holding a claim to my attention, though in different degrees! How mysterious the dispensation that removes young, and vigorous, and efficient labourers, while we are crying, Helphelp! The cry, my dear sir, is now still louder and still more urgent, and O that it may not be unheard nor unheeded!

Brother Scott I leave in George Town at present, but when I have arranged matters at Berbice, if the Lord will, he will take the charge of Berbice until Mr. Wray's return, and then he cannot be spared from Demerara, until another shall come to supply his place. We were consulting at Berbice about brother Scott's final sphere of labour; but the providence of him who cannot err has rendered all unnecessary. To his decision we bow. "He gave and he hath taken away," what more becoming than to add, " and blessed be the name of the Lord!" I remain, my dear sir, Your's affectionately and afflicted, (Signed) JOSEPH KETLEY.

Sundry Communications in reply to the Direc

tors' Circular respecting the Funds. Having, with much concern, observed, in your Magazine for February, the diminution of the Missionary Society's income, I take this opportunity (though an annual subscriber for many years to the society,) of sending you £1 1s. on its behalf, hoping it will be followed by many others, who have the interest of the society at heart. I conclude with sentiments of esteem towards the agents of the society, begging them to request the people to go forward. 16th March,

1832.

H. R. F.

I love the missionary cause, and wish to do what I can to assist it. There are many readers of your magazine who love it too, and

who, perhaps, would not be unwilling to adopt my method of aiding its funds.

I move in the humbler walks of life, and have for years contributed to an auxiliary society, and at public collections, &e. Some years ago I began to lay by a part of my earnings to support me in the "evil days." When I commenced doing so, I entered into an engagement, and which I formally transcribed in a book, to pay into the treasury of the Lord, for the spread of his holy word, the exact tenth part of the interest of my stock. I have three columns ruled in my book, and headed thus :

Now I think there are many mechanics and servants who annually lay by a little money. Let me request them to adopt my plan. From experience, I can assure them, that it was not said in vain, "Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of thine increase, so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."

To wealthy professors I will not presume to suggest. Many of them manifest, by their liberality, that they feel their responsibility. I hope, at the "last day," it will be declared that every one of them has done what he could.

From a country Minister to the Home Secretary. REV. AND DEAR SIR,

The Lord has lately "done great things for me, whereof. I am glad." No mind without feeling it can conceive the trouble of soul which I have for some time experienced. But "I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up, also, out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God.' After the Lord had thus manifested himself unto me, and "restored unto me the joy of his salvation," I had such a discovery of the world's vanity, and the infinite importance of divine things, that I was enabled, in such a way as I had never felt before, to cast myself on the providence of a good and gracious God. And when I was completely divested of all worldly solicitude respecting the future, to my astonishment, an anonymous letter came, containing £20.; but from whom it came I

cannot ascertain. When I reflect upon the peculiarity of my circumstances, there appears so much of the hand of God in it, that I am almost overwhelmed with a sense of the Lord's goodness; and, to manifest my gratitude to Christ, I herewith send a part (of what God has so kindly sent me) to assist you in sending the gospel to those nations that are sitting in darkness and the shadow of death.

I feel deeply concerned for the salvation of the heathen; world therefore I urge my people to do what they can for the missionary cause, although they do but little for myself.

NOTICE.

The next anniversary of the Suffolk Association in aid of Missions will, by divine permission, be held at Woodbridge, on the 9th, 10th, and 11th of April. Sermons

will be preached by Mr. Moore, of Boxford, and Mr. Alexander, of Norwich, &c.; and George Bennet, esq. of London, has kindly engaged to attend the meeting for public business on the Tuesday morning. The chair will be taken precisely at half-past

ten.

MISSIONARY CONTRIBUTIONS.

**The Officers of Auxiliary Societies are earnestly requested to accompany their Remittances with correct Lists, having the Ñames of Places and Persons alphabetically arranged, as in the Society's Annual Report.

[Collections, Anonymous Donations, and all other Donations of £5, and upwards, received from 1st to 29th February, 1832, inclusive.]