of creation and the fall, as I could speak on redemption in the afternoon. At eleven, I had English Service with my people. Many Macusie were present, and on the whole were quiet: they seemed much interested in our singing. was I had a little rest, and then assembled the people once more, and spoke of the Saviour-what He did for us, what He taught us, what He suffered for us. I also warned them against those deceivers who taught them bad things; and admonished them to think and speak every day of what I had told them. With regard to those impostors, a man said he " sorry he had ever listened to them: he would not do it again. They told them the English soldiers would come and take them away, and frightened them in many ways, to get things from them, as hammocks, &c., and get them to do as they liked." This man was sorry that they had nobody to teach them. May 5-Early this morning I made ready for my return passage. About half-past five we left Talinongkri: the people were all up, and expressed regret at my departure, especially as I could not promise them that I would come and live among them. They had well taken care of provisions for us, as far as it was in their power. We had, indeed, to be satisfied with cassava bread and plantains, but they themselves had nothing else. Eight men and two women went with us to the landing-place, most of them carrying heavy loads of bread and plantains. About six miles from Talinongkri we came to a smaller settlement. The people from here had been with us yesterday, but returned in the evening, when one of their dogs caught a deer: this they prepared against our coming, and seemed full of joy that they had something to give us. We reached the landing-place about half-past eleven, and started about two P.M. How gladly these poor Indians shared with Mr. Lohrer the unexpected prize of the deer which had fallen to them! Would that we all had as earnest a desire to share with them that better provision for the soul which God has bestowed so bountifully on us-to prepare for them a table in the wilderness, and spread it with "the feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined." We add a little more from Mr. Lohrer's Journal. May 6-We reached Ayawa at noon. The water being so high made it impossible for me to go to the Settlement; but all the peo ple came round to the water-side, and brought a quantity of cassava bread and three pines. The Captain said they would gladly move to Pirara, and make their houses and fields there, if a Minister went there. A few people here from Anai are likewise anxious to have a Minister. We stopped here till three P.M., and had several conversations with individuals. I found that their intellect requires only developement, and the enlightening of the Holy Spirit. They are very timid, which makes them ready to hear when comfort and encouragement are brought. When I bade them farewell they were evidently dejected, and said, when I told them I could not come to them unless their English friends sent me, "You must tell them they should send us another Minister. Nobody tells us what we must do. We have had no Minister with us since the time of Mr. Youd." Alas! alas! what importunate cries for help from Asia, Africa, A KANDIAN RATE-MAHATMEYA. 235 America! How many poor neglected heathen who may utter the same lament, and say, Nobody tells us what we must do! There are none to tell them where the "weary and heavy-laden " may find rest. Oh! how great the guilt of those who are satisfied to sit and be satiated with Christian instruction, and yet care nothing for the millions who are in the most pitiable destitution! What do we to help the heathen? "If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not He that pondereth the heart consider it? and He that keepeth thy soul, doth not He know it? and shall not He render to every man according to his works?" A KANDIAN RATE-MAHATMEYA. WHAT a singular specimen of national costume we have here presented to our readers! Singular indeed! nor does it look more singular than it is in reality. The figure before you is that of a Rate-mahatmeya, an official of third-class dignity, under the old Kandian monarchy, in the 236 A KANDIAN RATE-MAHATMEYA. island of Ceylon, which was terminated by British conquest in 1815, after having continued with little interruption for the prolonged period of 2357 years. On the head is a large white cloth cap of a round shape, well stuffed with cotton to keep it in due form. The jacket is of white cotton, with short sleeves, plaited and stuffed with cotton to keep them in shape. A tippet of white muslin, with gold edging, is worn over the shoulders. Around the middle, numberless yards of white cloth or muslin are twisted so as to form a kind of petticoat, called a topetty, reaching to the ankles and open in front. A broad gold or tinsel belt binds the cumbrous folds around the waist. In this is placed the betel-box, handkerchief, and knife or dagger of the owner, with its richly-carved handle. White trowsers, tied around the ankles, and ornamented with a deep frill, complete the costume. Twelve such figures, assembled in the Court-house at Kandy for the purpose of serving on a jury, must present to an English eye a very singular spectacle. The Kandians are the highlanders of Ceylon, inhabiting the mountainous districts in the southern centre of the island. They are Buddhists in religion; and, according to one of the most popular tenets of that false faith, believe in the transmigration of souls. This renders them very careless and indifferent to every thing. connected with death, as they consider it to be only a change into some other form of earthly existence. A youth, who had been condemned to death for murder, stated at the conclusion of the trial that he did not care, as he would become the venomous snake called the copra-capella, and in that form would avenge himself on all who had participated in his condemnation. Another, in similar circumstances, was persuaded he would become a coffee bush, and, for the sake of the berries he should bear, expected to be taken care of without any trouble to himself. Another threatened to be born a demon, and to torment his accusers. As the issue of these successive changes they look forward to Nirwana, when they shall cease to be-Nirwana signifying "extinct," as a fire that has gone out. What must be the state of an entire nation, who, like him whom the Psalmist speaks of, say there is no God, and, expecting to become nothing themselves, turn every thing into a dreary blank. The town of Kandy is inhabited principally by people from the sea-coast. They are despised by the true Kandians, who, regarding themselves as the proper owners of the soil, avoid Kandy, and live in their own villages. Our Missionary there, the Rev. W. Oakley, does not therefore confine himself to the town, but extends his labours, as far as circumstances permit him, to the neighbouring villages. The Rev. G. Pettitt, when recently at Kandy, accompanied Mr. Oakley to a village called Ratmawella, about twelve miles distant. A respectable Native has held for several years, in that village, the office of Schoolmaster in connexion with our Society. He is a Communicant of our Church, and, whatever may be the weather, is found at Kandy at the Morning Service every Sunday. His two brothers and their families have also embraced Christianity. The School FIRST CONVERTS AT NINGPO. 237 was filled with scholars and spectators. A number of the old man's former pupils, who had left School and grown up to manhood, sat down with the first class, about sixteen persons altogether, and read a chapter in the New Testament. The Schoolmaster's three daughters-thirteen, eleven, and nine years of age and a fourth girl, a heathen cousin, twelve years of age, who had been married to a heathen, and had been left by him, also joined with them. Mr. Pettitt addressed to them a few observations on the chapter. The villagers are intelligent and interesting people, and seemed much pleased with the visit of the Missionaries. Some of them had just come in from their paddy-fields, as was evident from the spots of mud on their dark skins, received in ploughing. The Kandians are our fellow-subjects. We have only one Missionary amongst them. Had we many amongst their mountain villages, how much of good, by the blessing of God, would be accomplished! FIRST CONVERTS AT NINGPO. THERE is no part of the wide Mission-field where the inadequacy of human effort, and the need of Almighty power, are more evident than in China. To turn a heart, or touch effectually a conscience, is, under any circumstances, beyond the reach of human eloquence or human effort; but in China man appears more diminutive, because seen in contrast with the greatness of the work. The Spirit of God must needs move over these vast waters of human life, lying in the stagnation and darkness of spiritual death, and the command of God be put forth on behalf of China, "Let there be light, and there shall be light." And this is our hope for that Mission-that, consciously weak in themselves, the Missionaries will be led to put forth the more earnest prayer; and that, amidst the manifest feebleness of the human agents, the power of God will be more mightily at work. Proofs of that power to turn the hearts of sinners have not been wanting, even in China. The conversions which have taken place, although comparatively few, have sufficed to show that He who has done so much is able to do far more. Two converts at Ningpo, the first-fruits of their labour, have cheered the hearts of our Missionaries, and encouraged them to look for a more abundant in-gathering. Mr. Russell, in a letter dated May 1, 1851, thus writes respecting them One is a servant, who has been with us for nearly three years, an interesting young man, about twenty years of age, whose general conduct since he came to us has been very good, and who has, I trust, latterly, though not in a very prominent manner, shown decided proofs of piety and real conversion of heart to God. His general good conduct, fair acquaintance with essential truths, and apparent desire for baptism from pure motives, seemed plainly to intimate our duty in reference to him; and now we would in hope and prayer commend him unto the discerner of hearts, to take him for His own, or to reject him as a plant not of the Father's planting. The other is a tailor, who for the last two years has been from time to time employed by us, giving much satisfaction by his industry and good behaviour. His views of the great truths of Christianity seem clearer, and 238 RUPERT'S-LAND INTELLIGENCE. his general acquaintance with the Scripture larger, than the one already referred to; but this may be only from his natural superiority of intellect, he being a very clear-headed, sharp-sighted fellow. He is, I trust, equally sincere in his acknowledgment of Jesus alone as his only and all-sufficient Saviour, and in his professing a determination to renounce every other ground of confidence, and to place his whole and undivided trust and reliance on Him alone, and under His banner manfully to fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil, and to follow the commandments of his God, and walk in the same all the days of his life. The resolutions, promises, and vows, which both have made, I trust have been made in the Lord's strength. On Easter-Sunday morning Mr. Cobbold administered to them the outward form of baptism in the little Chapel in the lower part of our house, after a short Service conducted by me according to our beautiful Liturgy, and the reading of the eighth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Mr. Cobbold concluded with an address, pointing out the meaning and nature of baptism, and ending with an exhortation to the baptized and unbaptized relative to their respective duties. The names we gave to these two converts have been those of their own selection-Ling-teh, meaning "spiritual virtue," chosen by our servant, and Yüoh-yi," a learner of righteousness," chosen by the tailor. Let us pray that these first converts may prove "living epistles, known and read of all men," and serving to our Missionaries as letters of commendation to the Chinese people. They need our prayers; for in bearing testimony to Christ they will probably meet with much from their countrymen that is trying to flesh and blood. The Chinese boys, whom our Missionary the Rev. F. F. Gough has under his instruction, have all agreed in saying, that if any Native at Ningpo were to say to another, "Do not worship these idols: there is but one God," he would meet with reproaches from the better sort, and from others, blows. Amongst other things, they would revile him as having fallen away to foreigners. If they should be so tried, may they not be ashamed, but "glorify God on this behalf!" RUPERT'S-LAND INTELLIGENCE. RECENT despatches which we have received from Rupert's Land are full of interest and encouragement. God is blessing and prospering the work of the good Bishop and his Missionary Clergy. These barren lands promise to be inferior to none in spiritual productiveness. Even the most backward of the Stations, Manitoba, is beginning to put off its wintry aspect, and clothe itself with the hopefulness of spring. Of that Station we publish in the "Church Missionary Intelligencer" of this month a most interesting_account which the Bishop has forwarded to us. From the Rev. R. Hunt, also, we have received letters dated November 28, 1850. The Bishop's letters, received by the same vessel, are dated June 25, 1851, seven months later; so shut out is Lac-la-Ronge, Mr. Hunt's Station, and so much longer the time which is necessary to hear from our Missionary brother in that lonely place. Our letters to him are of course similarly delayed. In his letter of November 28 he says |