Missionary and Religious Entelligence.

1.-MISSIONARY AND ECCLESIASTICAL MOVEMENTS.

The Bishop of Calcutta left the Islands, after a laborious and, we hope, useful visit. His Lordship also visited Maulmain, where he met with a most cordial reception. He then proceeded to Arracan and Chittagong, and arrived in Calcutta on the 24th ult. accompanied by the Archdeacon.-The Bishop of Madras has arrived at that Presidency. - We regret to hear that the American brethren, who were proceeding to the Upper Provinces, have been obliged to remain at Cawnpore owing to the sickness of some of the party and the losses sustained on the trip.—The wives and families of our good brethren the American Missionaries at Rangoon, Messrs. Simons and Abbott, have, in the present threatening state of things, deemed it prudent to remove to Maulmain. The brethren remain. -The Rev. A. F. Lacroix and Mrs. L. have proceeded to the Upper Provinces, in the hope that the bracing climate of Upper India may renovate the shattered health of Mrs. L. They have our warmest prayers that the means may be abundantly blessed from God. The Rev. W. Robinson, pastor of the Loll Bazar Chapel, contemplates a removal to Dacca at an early date. May the Lord bless him in all his ways, and prosper him in all his plans.

2.-THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BENGAL ACXILIARY

MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

The 20th anniversary of the above Society was held in the Union Chapel, on Wednesday evening last, the 31st of October.

The meeting commenced with singing, reading the Scriptures and prayer, by the Rev. J. Campbell.

The chair was taken by G. Alexander, Esq. Civil Service: who, in opening the business of the evening, delivered a neat and very appropriate address on the labours of missionaries in general and the duty of every individual to do his utmost for the speedy extension of their labours. He then commented largely on what had been done during the past year by this Society in particular; but as we did not take any notes at the time we are unable to lay the speech before our readers.

The Report was then read by the Rev. T. Boaz, from which we gathered that

"The number of European missionaries connected with the Auxiliary Society in Bengal and the Upper Provinces is 14; East Indian assis tant 1; Portuguese assistants 2; Native preacher and catechists, independently of junior Christian teachers and sirkars 11. The number of Native Christian Churches 5; members about 150; schools 21; and scholars about 1,200; of the schools 7 are Orphan establishments, containing upwards of 180 children.

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The total number of missionaries, stations, &c. connected with the Parent Society in the world is:

Assistants,
Native, &c.

Stations and
out-stations.

Missionaries.

Mediterranean...........
South Africa and African

Islands...........

West Indies.....

"The Directors had sent forth, during the past year, to various parts of the world, missionaries with their families, amounting, exclusive of their children, to sixty-one individuals. The number of churches was 93, communicants 7,347, and scholars 36,954, being an increase on the year 1837 of nine churches, 932 communicants, 2,732 scholars. In rela. tion to the funds, the Directors had to report that the amount of legacies received during the year had been 3,740l. 68. 8d., being 4,0371. 58. 8d. less than the amount of legacies received during the preceding year. The contributions for the ordinary and special objects of the Society, of which the items would be specified in the larger Report, had been 66,514/. 168. 1d., making, with the legacies, a total of 70,255, being an increase beyond the income of the last year of 5,8821. 38. 7d. The expenditure of the year had been 76,8187. 168. 11d., being an increase beyond the expenditure of the previous year to the amount of 13,6587. 7s. 9d., and an excess beyond the income of the past year of 6,5631. 168. 11d."

After reading the Report, the Rev. W. Yates rose and delivered a very interesting speech on the subject matter of the following resolution, in which he was cordially seconded by J. S. Hawkins, Esq., of the Civil Service:

Resolution 1st.-This meeting, convinced that the diffusion of correct information on the subject of missionary labors is calculated to excite a feeling of deep and prayerful interest in the minds of the people of God, would recommend that the Report, extracts from which have just been read, should be circulated under the direction of the Committee.

The Rev. J. McDonald then rose and moved the following resolution, which was seconded by the Rev. J. Bradbury.

Resolution 2nd.-The Committee, deeply impressed with the fact derived equally from practical experience, as well as from the Holy Scriptures, that success in the conversion of the Heathen to the faith of Christ, can only be effected through the agency of the Holy Spirit, would pray the Giver of every good and perfect gift to bestow on them, their brethren in labor, and upon all missionaries and private Christians, a more firm reliance on the eternal promises of God, and on the blessing of that Divine Teacher, in order that God may be more abundantly glorified amongst the Heathen, in the increased sanctification of his people and the conversion of sinners of every people and kindred and tongue, to the knowledge of Jesus, and the practice of holiness and good works.

Moved by W. Byrne, Esq., and seconded by Captain Roxburgh.

Resolution 3rd.-This Meeting entrusts the management of the affairs of the Society to the following gentlemen, with prayer that the Lord the Spirit would vouchsafe his blessing to them in all their deliberations, plans and operations, and that all their works begun, continued and ended in the fear of God, may tend to promote the kingdom of the triune Lord.

Moved by the Rev. A. F. Lacroix, and seconded by A. Grant, Esq. Resolution 4th.-That this Meeting cordially rejoices in the success which has, under the Divine blessing, accompanied the labours of the London Missionary Society in the South Seas, and also for the prosperity which has attended the operations of the kindred societies in different parts of the world.

Mr. Lacroix entertained the audience greatly by his lively speech and the amusing details which he gave concerning Mr. Williams the South Sea Missionary and other subjects of equal interest-after which the congregation united in singing a hymn, and Rev. T. Boaz concluded with prayer. The meeting broke up about 10 o'clock.

Sermons were preached, on behalf of the Society, on the previous Sab. bath, at the Union Chapel, Darramtallah, by the Rev. Messrs. T. Boaz and J. McDonald. The sermon of the morning, by the Rev. T. Boaz, adverted to the difficulties which the missionary had to encounter in his efforts; and his dependance on God the Holy Spirit, for surmounting these difficulties, and for eventual success in his enterprise. It was an excellent discourse, and concluded with a review of the operations of the Society, in the South Seas, South Africa, the West Indies, Russia, Siberia, China and India. The Society was stated to be in debt to the extent of some five or six thousand pounds, chiefly on account of the number of missionaries sent last year to the South Seas. Mr. McDonald preached in the evening; we are informed, his discourse was a very energetic and able one. The collections were upon the whole very good, and the spirit of devotion which pervaded the services highly encouraging. The funds of the Auxiliary Missionary Society, during the past year, amounted to upwards of fifteen thousand rupees.-Calcutta Courier, Nov. 1, 1838. We hope to notice the Report in our next.—ED.

3.-THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY'S MISSION AT VIZAGAPATAM. The following extract from Vizagapatam will, we are sure, be pleasing to the friends of Christ in India :

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"We had the gratification to baptize three adult natives connected with our congregation; two of them were converts from the Catholic faith, the other from Heathenism. We have a Native Church consisting of nine members who, as far as we can see, are walking consistently with their profession. We have a good orphan school, which promises well. It is yet the day of small things with us: pray for us that the little one may become a thousand. I have a missionary student residing with me, pursuing a course of studies preparatory to the work of the Christian ministry. Next week we shall open a small Native Chapel in an adjoining village."

4.-SURAT CITY MISSION.

From our correspondent at Surat we have the following extract respecting that city and mission:

"This city, notwithstanding all its misfortunes, is rising faster than could have been expected. It still contains about 100,000 inhabitants, and together with other parts of the Guzerat province has a population of about 9,000,000 all worshipping the same abominable thing which God hateth. Surat is the only mission station in the whole province and (the two Messrs. Fyvies), the only missionaries to all these millions. Twentyone years have now elapsed since the commencement of the mission, and in that time we have been honored by God to translate and print the whole Scriptures, and to prepare and publish upwards of 50 different religious tracts, and have been in some measure successful in the conversion of sinners to Christ."

We are confident that our good brethren will obtain an interest in the prayers of all God's people in this part of India, that their indefatigable labours may not be in vain in the Lord. The brethren are so encouraged in their work as to contemplate the erection of a new pukka place of worship for their church. May it be the birth-place of many souls.

5.-NEW MISSION AT MIRZA'PUR, UPPER INDIA, IN CONNEXION WITH THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

We have much pleasure in giving insertion to the following very concise and intelligent account of Mirzapur, Upper India, extracted from a

letter of the Rev. R. C. Mather, in the Report of the Bengal Auxiliary Missionary Society for this year.

"As this is a new station of the Society's it will not be unsuitable to give a short account of its localities, previous to detailing the arrange. ments that have been made to evangelize it. It is well known as an important town, occupying amongst the Hindus the same position, in respect to its trade, as Banaras does in respect to its religion. A survey was made of the place in 1828 by Capt. John Gavin Drummond, and from the measurements of his map the town is about one mile and a half in length, and about a mile in breadth. The population is estimated at 57,773; of whom there are

"The town is divided into six thànas, in the jurisdiction of each of which there are on an average nearly 10,000 people. Being a modern town and laid out for the most part under the direction of European magistrates, the streets are mostly wide and regularly built, and in this respect afford a singular facility for the preaching of the Gospel. As we arrived here only in May last, we have not yet been able to do much. In the hot season, and rains, out-door work is necessarily very much impeded in any circumstances, and in this case from our not being able to get a house near the field of labour it has been much more so. However, measures are being taken to remove this evil, and I trust another year will not witness its existence. It is every way desirable to have at least six points and centres of operation, corresponding to the six divisions of the town, and endeavours will be made to get up a small chapel in each. Ground is being sought for at least two chapels, to be immediately erected. Not having chapels, I have preached in the streets, and the people are remarkably disposed to hear, and, as far as appearances go, possess a good deal of candour in judging of the conflicting statements of their own religion and that of the Bible. Several have requested copies of the Sacred Scriptures, and as far as I have had them I have supplied them; two or three are professed inquirers and visit me regularly, one a Mussalman has engaged his mauláví to write a book in refutation of Christianity, of which I have received the first portion, and another in Hindi. One case we have heard of that is gratifying. That of a Musalman, who had heard the Gospel here but said nothing to us, but told his own friends that he would become a Christian. In consequence, they refused him the huqqa, the mark of sociality. This he could not bear, and he has left Mirzapur, and to our surprize his friends came to search for him in our compound, asserting that he must be concealed here, and so the fact came out. I think this kind of evidence to be more satisfactory than if he had merely told us of his intentions. The man must have been sincere, or he would scarcely have divulged his intentions in the way he did. Within the last six weeks, we have received an important addition to our labours and cares, 79 orphan children, of whom 40 were boys and 39 girls, were sent down to us from Agra. Of these four died on the way, and since ten more have come to the same end. Their constitutions had received such a shock, that they could not cope with the smallest disease. Many of them were little better than skin and bone, and came to us, labouring

under obstinate diarrhoeas. There now remain in the girls' Orphan School 41 children, and in the boys' 32. The residents of this station have shewn us great kindness by assisting us to bear the burden of their immediate support. 330 rupees have been received for this end, of which an account will be given at the end of the year, in the first Report of the Mirzapur Orphan Schools and mission. However, much remains to be done; and we look to kind friends here and elsewhere for permanent supplies equal to the expenditure of the schools. For the present it will be better to be silent respecting the arrangements made for conducting the schools, as with what little has been done much prospective is contemplated: we intreat the sympathies and prayers of our kind friends every where."

6.-NEW MISSION STATION OF THE LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY AT

WALOJAHPETTAH, SOUTH INDIA.

We have been favoured with an extract of a letter from Chittoor in reference to a new station at the above place:-"It is a large native town, containing about 30,000 souls. There is not a single European or East Indian, or even any native of the lower classes in it. It contains none but native men of caste, opulence and influence, remote from all foreign association and from its being a large native trading place, it holds intercourse with almost all the respectable towns and manufacturing places in this district, and thus a channel is opened for the truth to run to many other important stations; such as Hydrabad, Mysore, Masulipatam, Guntoor, Nellore, &c. For a long time I was simply in the habit of visiting this town occasionally in my missionary tours; but as it presented an interesting field and would bring me in closer contact and intercourse with the natives, I made up my mind to reside in the midst of them. With this view I made my purpose known to a kind Christian friend, who at once gave me ample means to build. I have accordingly obtained a piece of ground close by the walls of the town and have built a commodious mission house, a meeting-room, a bible and tract depository, a school-room, and a tract depository, and catechist's house, with all the requisite appendages, &c.: so that all the mechanical part of the business is over, and we remove to LIVE AND LABOUR SOLELY AMONGST NATIVES. But what can all this effect without the blessing of God?"

We highly commend this step, and trust it will meet with many imitators. One of the most effective methods to convert the heathen is, to dwell in their midst with a holy and unblamable conversation.

7. THE COOLY QUESTION.

We have much pleasure in recording the following document respecting the Cooly Trade. We forbear offering any remarks on the subject until we see what course the Government will adopt. The order has not as yet been promulgated, and we hear it rumoured that the Government doubt their power to enforce this order; they had power to adopt the first order in Council, which has inflicted irretrievable ruin on thousands, and will they not avail themselves of instructions so definite and humane, to suppress the horrid traffic even for a while? We intreat those in whose power it is to confer so great a boon, to do it for those who have effected the rescinding of the obnoxious order and in whose hands under God is the power of deciding the question, will not rest until it be practically complied with.

Emigration of Natives of India.

"The following instructions, under date 1st August, have been forwarded to the Governor General of India in Council