CHAPTER VI.

Exertions in India--China-America-General view.

THE account of this mission is already so much ex. tended, that it will be hardly possible to take even bird's-eye-view of the Society's operations in Asia and America.

The first attempts in the Eastern world was at Vizagapatam, where Messrs. Cran and Des Granges were stationed in 1805. They were joined by Anandarayer, a converted Brahmin; and by his aid the translations have been carried forward to considerable extent. The founders of the establishment, Cran and Des Granges soon died; but were succeeded by Messrs. Gordan and Lee in 1809.

Besides this station, one was taken, about the same time, by Mr. Ringletaube, first in the Tinnavelly district, and afterwards at Travancore. He baptized great numbers, sometimes perhaps without their having much acquaintance with Christianity. At Madras, Mr. Loveless was fixed in 1806. A chapel was built for him in the Black Town; he was appointed preacher in the Orphan Asylum; and succeeded in establishing several schools. A revival of religion seems lately to have taken place. In the Mysore country, Mr. Hands planted himself at Belhary in 1810. He found the usual difficulties from the Brahmins. When he informed them that some of their caste had become Christians, they were surprised beyond measure, and thought the end of the world was certainly at hand. There are seven schools at this station in a prosperous state. The greatest exertions in the way of schools, however, are at Chinsurah, about twenty two miles from Calcutta, where Mr. May established himself in 1813; and commenced a long meditated plan for educating heathen children. He has under his superintendence no less than thirty six schools, in which are about 3,000 children; some hundreds of whom are sons of Brahmins.

Omitting to mention Calcutta and Surat, where mis. sionaries have been stationed lately; and passing Java, now vacant by the decease of the missionary at Batavia, and the transferring of Mr. Bruckner at Samarang to the patronage of the Baptist Society, we come to Amboyna, where Mr. Kam is labouring with great success. He baptized in 1816 nearly two hundred mussulmen, and since his arrival, in 1814, has been instrumental in the hopeful conversion of more than 1200 heathens and mahometans. In a single district no less than thirty four houses, used for the worship of devils, have been destroyed.

The exertions of Mr. Morrison in China deserve more particular notice than we shall be able to give them. After having paid some attention to the language and obtained, from the British museum, a manuscript copy of a great part of the New Testament in Chinese, he proceeded in 1807 to Canton. Here and at Macao he prosecuted the study of Chinese; and prepared a version of the New Testament for the press. But the jealousy of the Chinese government obliged him to proceed with as much secrecy as if he were plotting the overthrow of the divine dynasty of Kia King, descendant of the sun and moon. In 1811, he gave the Chinese the Acts of the Apostles, and soon after the whole of the New Testament, in their own language. In translating the Scriptures, he has been assisted by Mr. Milne, at Malacca, on the Peninsula beyond the Ganges, sent out for the purpose in 1813; and this great work is now nearly or quite completed. Though the opposition of government continues, & new obstacles have lately been thrown in the way of the mission, means are found to disperse the New Testament & tracts among the numerous Chinese inhabitants of the islands, and occasionally in the empire itself. No less than 36,000 pamphlets and tracts have been distributed from Canton and Malacca. Dr. Morrison has compiled a Chinese grammar and dictionary, the former of which was published by the Bengal government; and

the latter is now printing at the expense of the East India Company.

In America the Society has done something. A mission was commenced in 1807 at Demarara by Mr. Wray, at the request of Mr. Post, a pious Dutch planter. Many of the poor negroes became attentive on instruction, and the happiest effects were visible. The death of Mr. Post, however, in 1809, gave the mission a severe shock; and a law passed to prevent the instruction of slaves, except at certain hours, came near ruining it. Mr. Wray was obliged to visit England to obtain an order in favour of the mission. On his return he removed to Berbice, where he still meets with difficulty from the government. His parting with the poor negroes at Demarara was very affecting. They waited some time in earnest expectation of another teacher; and at length were gratified by the arrival of Mr. Smith, in 1817.

Besides the labours of Mr. Wray, Mr. Davies, sent out as a schoolmaster, and Mr. Elliott, both preach with some success in George Town. About 70 negroes have been baptized, and a chapel built; to aid in erecting which, many of the poor slaves subscribed.

The Society are making some successful exertions, by schools, at Mauritius, or the Isle of France; and have sent two missionaries to Madagascar. To these may be added the Greek islands, Mr. Lowndes having been stationed at Malta about two years. The whole number of stations occupied in different parts of the world is nearly forty, besides the South Sea islands; and there are employed about eighty missionaries. The whole expense, with which the income of the Society keeps pace, is now not far from $100,000. Besides the stations abroad, the Society support a Mis sionary Seminary at Gosport, founded in 1801, at which are generally about twenty students preparing for missionary service, under the instruction of the Rev. Dr. Bogue. This institution is now in a flourishing state.

PART IX.

PROPAGATION OF CHRISTIANITY BY THE EDINBURGH MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

CHAPTER I.

SUSCO COUNTRY-Sickness of the missionaries-Murder of Greig-Mission abandoned-TARTARY-Station at Karass--War-Conversion of a young Sultan -View of the mission.

THE Edinburgh Missionary Society was instituted in 1796. Their first operations were commenced in connexion with the London and Glasgow Societies, and were designed for the Foulah Country in Africa; but partly because the Foulahs were engaged in war, and partly because the missionaries were not well united among themselves, Brunton and Greig, from this Society, proceeded to the Susoo Country.

They were kindly received by the natives in general -assembled with them at their fires-made progress in the language, and conveyed some instruction. The wasting influence of the climate, however, constantly endangered their lives. At the commencement of the rainy season both fell sick. Brunton one morning fainted in the woods; and was soon attacked by an intermittent fever. His companion, fatigued with the care of him, became a victim to a more violent disorder. For three weeks he was speechless. In this situation, both sick together, they had no attendants. Brunton, during the paroxysms of his fever, was generally able to crawl into the apartment of his colleague, but as the ague returned every night he could not sit up with him, and the negroes would not do it, for fear he might die. There was no alternative but for Brunton to rise at

midnight in the midst of a burning fever. Often he found his patient in a melancholy condition; sometimes fallen out of bed, and occasionally lying motionless in the water, which entered and deluged the apartment too wretched for the meanest animal to sleep in. One night he could discern no signs of life. He could call no one to his assistance; and being unable to raise the body and place it on the bed, was obliged to leave it lying on the floor. He began to think where the corpse should be buried. His own fever distracted his brain. In the morning, however, he found his companion still alive. "Few circumstances," says Mr. Brunton, "have left a stronger impression on my mind than these. A bird, which ushered in the day with its melodious notes, is fresh in my memory. Indeed it fixed itself in such a happy situation every morning, that I was sometimes almost led to think it was kind messenger sent from heaven to cheer me in my dreary residence."

Mr. Greig's illness finally took a favourable turn; and he was able to make considerable, and somewhat successful exertions among the natives, until he was robbed and murdered by some Foulahs, who, on a visit, lodged at his house. Mr. Brunton had before this accepted the chaplaincy of the colony, but his health soon became so much impaired, that he was obliged to leave the country. Of the missionaries, who went out with them, three were already dead, and the fourth had returned to Europe on account of ill health. After his return Mr. Brunton compiled and printed several works in the Susoo language. This compensated in part for the failure of the mission, and is a circumstance of some importance, considering that no book was ever before written, much less printed, in the languages of Western Africa.

The Society, far from being discouraged by the ill success of their first efforts, directed their attention to Tartary. Mr. Brunton, accompanied by Mr. Campbell, was sent in 1802, to explore the countries lying