As the religious notions of the Siamese are very intimately connected with their opinions on astronomy and other sciences, some pains have been taken to give them correct knowledge on these subjects, and with some success. The missionaries remark Already some of the most intelligent of the Siamese priesthood have been led to declare as spurious a large number of their religious books, from their manifest inconsistency with their present more enlightened views of geography and astronomy. Thus on various subjects, the truth is gradually penetrating the minds of this dying people; and as its rays brighten and extend, error must hide its head. Messrs. Hemenway and French have been occupied in acquiring a knowledge of the Siamese language. The latter, while his health would permit, superintended the printing estab lishment. His health has, however, so far declined, that there is little prospect of his performing much more missionary labor. Miss Pierce has under her care a few Siamese girls, to whom she gives daily instruction. Chinese Department—Printing. Mr. Peet commenced his boarding-school for Chinese boys in April of last year. His school had increased to twelve, and the prospect was that he might have any desirable number. The missionaries say Mr. Peet daily, morning and evening, assembles his school, Chinese teachers, and domestics for family worship in Chinese. To the Christian they form an interesting group, when thus assembled for the worship of the true God. In the forenoon the children read christian books in Chinese, and in the afternoon native authors. They are making encouraging progress in their studies. Mr. Peet daily examines them on the lessons of the preceding day, and Mrs. Peet daily devotes an hour to their instruction in English, and to sacred music in Chinese, an exercise of which they are very fond. Every Sabbath morning Mr. Peet conducts public worship in Chinese, his congregation mainly consisting of the school, and those in his employ, numbering upwards of twenty individuals. The exercises consist of singing, prayer, the reading of the Scriptures in Chinese, with such comments on them as his yet perfect knowledge of the language l enable him to make. 1 Owing to a deficiency of funds, the operation of the press was suspended for a number of months. Of the amount printed during the year the missionaries remark— The whole number of octavo pages of tracts, and of portions of Scripture printed the past year is 1,143,000; and from the commencement of the mission there have been printed of the same, 4,365,960. Of Siamese tracts and portions of Scripture, there have been distributed the past year 24,160 copies, and there now remains in the depository 23,595 volumes. Eternity alone can disclose to us the results of tract distribution in Siam during the past and former years. We have abundant evidence that through the medium of tracts some knowledge of divine truth has been very widely dispersed among the dark-minded millions by whom we are surrounded; and that through them the public mind has been in some measure awakened to the gospel. We hope they may, through the divine blessing, be one important means of preparing the way for the ultimate triumph of the gospel over a cunningly devised and long and firmly established system of idolatry, to which the hearts of all classes of this people yet continue strongly wedded, however much the understanding of numbers may be enlightened to see its folly. Of the important place which the proclamation of the gospel by the living voice holds among the means to be used for converting the nations to Christ, the missionaries remark Men of apostolic spirit must go forth into all lands, and by them the gospel must be preached, and preached orally, before the world can be converted to Christ. Schools and seminaries and tract distribution are very important in their place, but they should be regarded as only subsidiary to the public and oral preaching of the everlasting gospel. In this way God has determined to save them that believe. Consequently, if missionaries or the churches depend mainly or principally upon any other means for the conversion of the world, they will be established religion of this kingdoin, disappointed and ultimately find them-government, to the nobility, and to the selves obliged to return to the apostolic method of propagating the precious gospel. With her multiplicity of Bibles and religious books, with all her literary and religious periodicals, with all her district and Sabbath schools, her colleges and other seminaries of learning, religion languishes in those portions of our native land that do not enjoy the stated ministrations of Christ's ambassadors; iniquity abounds and careless multitudes rush headlong into everlasting ruin. If in christian lands the preaching of the gospel, according to the divine plan of operation in the moral world, is necessary to the perpetuation of pure religion, who can doubt its being the means, above all others the most important to its establishment in heathen lands. Human nature throughout the world is one and the same; and for the salvation of lost men God has appointed and mainly blest one and the same means. We would not that the above remarks should lead the christian community to feel less interest in establishing schools among the heathen and in supplying them with the Scriptures and evangelical tracts; but we would that Christians generally might feel a far, far deeper interest in multiplying among them wise, holy, and devoted preachers of the glorious gospel. Encouragements in the Missionary Work. The papists, who are not deficient in worldly penetration, evidently regard the Chinese here as presenting an important and promising field of missionary effort, from the fact of their neglecting the Siamese, and vigorously prosecuting their labors among the Chinese population. A multitude of this people have already joined them. Two or three months since there appeared to be an unusual seriousness among the young men employed in the printing department, and among others employed in our families. It continued for some weeks, and we cannot doubt but the Spirit of the Lord was moving on their minds. At the tract-house also there was apparently an unusual attention to the word of God. Of those employed by the mission, four or five exThe encouragements to missionary la- pressed hope in Christ, and declared bor here, both among the Siamese and their determination to devote themselves Chinese, were never greater than at the to his service. Four were finally exampresent time. We cannot but feel that ined and propounded for admission into even now God is performing a great the church recently organized. But work here in connection with the labors, when the time arrived for their baptism example, and sufferings of his servants and full admission to christian privileges, for his name's sake, a work preparatory they shrunk from making a solemn, pubto the future displays of his power and lic profession of the christian religion. grace in the conversion of multitudes of Probably the fear of persecution had souls. In due time we shall reap if we much influence in deterring them from faint not. Among the Chinese in Siam this public avowal of Christ as their God there is a peculiarly encouraging field of and Savior. To be the first among milchristian effort. Their children, comlions of devoted idolaters to renounce the paratively speaking, are highly accessi-established religion of this country and ble to christian influence. There is lit-publicly profess a new and opposite faith, tle reason to doubt but most of the Chi- in ignorance of the consequences to nese schools in this city might be brought under christian influence and religious instruction, both during the week and on the Sabbath, by paying the salaries of their teachers, in whole or in part, averaging probably about six dollars a month. Could we preach in Chinese with ease and fluency, there is much reason to believe that respectable congregations might ere long be collected. The Chinese here are much less enslaved to the their dearest temporal interests and their lives, requires no little moral courage and confidence in God. Some of them may perhaps be Christians, though we do not now see that evidence of the genuineness of their piety which we could desire. Their conduct has been to us no small trial. We need wisdom to guide us. In conclusion, we do earnestly solicit the prayers of God's people for us and the dying millions among whom we are called to labor. Especially do we desire that they would plead for the descent of the Holy Spirit in his almighty influences, to rest on us and upon this perishing people. We trust we are deeply sensible that without his aid our labors will be of no avail as to their conversion. The unusual effusions of the Holy Spirit upon a dying world cannot be expected, except in answer to unusual prayer on the part of the churches of Christ and the missionaries whom they sustain. What now is most necessary to the enlarged success of christian missions is prayer, effectual, fervent, persevering prayer. Beseeching God to give you wisdom to guide you in all your deliberations on the interests of Christ's cause, and grace adequate to every emergency, we remain, yours in christian love. LETTER AND JOURNAL OF MR. CASWELL. Christian Influence upon the Young. In a letter dated 1st January, 1842, Mr. Caswell remarks upon the success of a measure, respecting which he had before written. The object in changing the older for a younger class of workmen in the printing establishment was that persons might thus be brought under the influence of the mission, who had for a less time been subject to the hardening and corrupting efforts of their idolatrous system. In my last report mention was made of a resolution of the mission to employ boys in the printing and binding departments, instead of men. For some time it seemed doubtful whether we should be able to carry this resolution into effect, so difficult was it to obtain boys. This difficulty seems now to be past. I have five interesting boys employed in folding and stitching tracts five hours in the day, and three hours in study. A large part of the time for study is spent in committing to memory hymns and portions of Scripture in Siamese. Every morning I have them recite their lessons, and instruct them in singing. They have all good voices, and begin to be quite helpful in this branch of family worship. A man is employed to superintend their work and to teach them in the hours for study. Some time since the mother of a boy who has been accustomed to receive and intelligently read our books and tracts expressed a desire that a school for Siamo-Chinese boys should be establishd in the neighborhood of the tract house. A few days since she mentioned the subject, and said that probably fifteen or twenty boys might soon be obtained, and that she would send her own son, who for several months has attended a Chinese school. On inquiry, I ascertained that some days since, some of the boys in the school which her son was attending, were seized for play-actors, and since that time her boy had not attended at all. She evidently feels that her boy would be safer in a school under our superintendence, than in any other. This perhaps is a common feeling among the Chinese who know us. Our mission has just directed me to establish a school for this class of children as soon as practicable. The Siamo-Chinese, at no distant day, must constitute a very important and influential part of the population of Siam. No provision is made for teaching the Chinese in the wats, and therefore Chinese fathers are seldom anxious to have their boys enter them. Neglect of the Wats-Effects of the Truth. The following paragraphs are extracted from the journal of Mr. Caswell. November 15th. 1841. Having heard that the principal image in one of the king's wats had been struck by lightning, and wishing to know the certainty of the case, I inquired of my teacher, who is exceedingly cautious in admitting any thing that can be in the least derogatory to his religion. He admitted that the wat had been struck, and that the work immediately behind the head of the image was injured, but said that the image itself was uninjured. This is the most splendid wat in Bangkok. The image near which the lightning struck is one hundred and thirty feet long. It is the figure of a man lying on his right side, supporting his head with his hand. About a year since the large image in the Prah Klang's wat was much injured by lightning. Such events the Siamese look upon as bad omens. There is some reason for thinking that the king, Chow Fah, and perhaps some others are quite willing that such events as this should happen. The fact that Chow Fah's wat is almost entirely neglected and fast going to decay, and that the annual ceremony of the king's visiting the wats is attended with constantly decreasing pomp and splendor, together with several others which might be mentioned, seem to indicate that the king may have it in his heart gradually to withdraw his countenance from the Boodhist religion. 17. A man was present to-day at my preaching exercise, who has long since read all the books we have published, and seems to be convinced of the truth of Christianity, but is not ready to follow his convictions. He has often attended preaching at the tract-house; but some weeks since Dr. B. and myself both conversed with him pretty closely, and from that time till to-day, he has not visited us. He told me he had been sick, and while sick made a vow that, in case he recovered, he would renew his visits to the missionaries. He was convalescent, and had now come to fulfil his vow. Very well, we said, and what do you now intend to do? God has mercifully spared your life: are you now ready to serve him with your whole heart? He hesitated to give a direct answer, partly, as I suppose, on account of the presence of my teacher. The question being pressed upon him, he replied that he intended to serve God. But what God, we asked, the god of the Siamese or Jehovah. Here again he hesitated, but finally said he intended to serve both. I assured him this was as impossible as to be a faithful subject of the king of Siam and the king of Cochin-China at the same time. I then presented various important truths to his mind, and felt unusual freedom, boldness, and solemnity in so doing. Some of the time he manifested much feeling. apparatus to some of his servants who had not seen it. I told him that, as it was the Sabbath, I could not comply with his request; but that, if he was willing, I would spend a short time in explaining to him and his servants the christian religion. He assented and directed his servants to listen. I then preached for about fifteen minutes with unusual ease and freedom, declaring the existence of one living, omnipotent, and omnipresent God, the creation and fall of man, and the incarnation, sufferings, and death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, as constituting the only ground of hope for fallen man. At the close several questions were proposed. One inquired whether Jesus would save a person who was already in hell. Another, whether, if a man should believe in Jesus after having sinned many years, his past sins would be forgiven. One of the individuals before me I recognized as having been a priest but a few weeks since. 18. The prince mentioned above visited me again and requested a full set of our tracts for his father-in-law, who, he said, could not visit me as he is a man of high rank. His request was of course complied with. China. GENERAL LETTERS FROM THE MISSION ARIES. WRITING from Macao on the 1st of January, the missionaries thus advert to the prospect that 18. A man called who was a priest when I arrived in Bangkok. While a priest he read all our books. He is remarkable for the wonderful tenacity of the Lord was preparing the way for the more his memory. Some days since I gave free introduction of the gospel to the Chinese. him The Golden Balance, a comparison The near approach of the appointed of the Christian and Boodhist religions, time for the promulgation of the gospel published by the Baptist mission. To- in China, we think, was never so clearly day, after hearing him give a very full indicated by the signs of the times as at and accurate account of that tract, I represent. We seem to be on the eve of quested him to say distinctly, in the prea new era, when the barrier against insence of my teacher, which he believed gress to this empire must fall. Those to be the true religion. He replied, who have ruled here for near two centu"The christian religion is true, and theries, and who always have been more or Siamese religion is false." He evidently has an awakened conscience, but is not ready publicly to renounce his old belief. Dec. 5. This evening, Sabbath, while engaged in catechising the inmates of my family in respect to the sermon they had heard, we were interrupted by a visit from a son of the king, with a retinue of about twenty-five servants. He has visited me some three or four times before. He came, as he said, to have me exhibit the pneumatical and magnetic less inimical to the religion of Jesus, must soon either grant free intercourse, or allow the reins of government to be wrested from their hands. Respecting the progress and success of the British forces on the eastern coast of China, they say The northward movement of the ships was so impeded by adverse winds, that Tinghai was not taken till the 1st of October. Chinhai, on the main, with all its defences, fell on the 10th, and Ningpo on the 13th of the same month. At Tinghai and Chinhai, as well as at Amoy, the Chinese made great resistance, and suffered severe losses, all their forts and ships being destroyed, and large numbers of their troops left dead on the field. The number of killed during the year is probably not less than four thousand. You will be anxious, no doubt, to learn what has been the effect of all these operations. They have shown the Chinese the superior skill and power of the foreigner, have filled multitudes of the people with distress and consternation, and excited the wrath of the emperor and his advisers. At the same breath, the son of heaven reproaches his high officers for their weakness, and the invaders for their temerity. Two sovereigns, he says, cannot stand together under the same firmament. The decree for extermination has gone forth, and the forces are rallying at all points, determined to contend unto the uttermost. Aware of this, large accessions of strength will soon be made to the invading forces. Canton, except on short visits. Our labors in Macao have been continued without interruption. The hospital of the Medical Missionary Society, under the care of doctors Hobson and Lockhart, is the constant resort of the sick and diseased; the names of 2,126 patients have been entered on the books of the institution since the first of last July. Christian books-sacred Scriptures and tracts— are always there accessible, and freely distributed. This mode of administering simultaneously to both body and soul is, especially under existing circumstances in China, worthy of every encouragement and commendation. The school of the Morrison Education Society, under the care of Mr. Brown is successful, far beyond any thing of the kind hitherto attempted in China, within range of our observation. The third annual meeting of the society was held on the 29th of September. The number of boys was then only six; this number has since been increased three-fold, and might be enlarged to almost any extent, if the means of support and tuition were at command. Of the attention given to the instructions of the missionaries, they write Amid the distresses and perplexities which have overtaken the inhabitants of this land-by the introduction of opium, by the continuance of war, by inundations, by divisions of councils, by the tu- In our religious services, social and mults of the people,-God is evidently public, the interest hitherto manifested carrying on his own great designs; and has been continued. But confined and in wrath he will remember mercy, bring restricted as we long have been, we arorder out of confusion, good out of evil, dently desire to enlarge our operations, and make even man's wickedness pro- to increase our labors, and to extend motive of the divine glory. His pro- widely the influences of that holy religmises are sure; none can stay his hand; ion, for the propagation of which we the heathen shall be given to his Son; have devoted our lives. We hope the and all the ends of the earth praise him great and dreadful evils which now afas Lord of all. China and Japan are in-flict this nation will soon be checked. cluded in the divine promises, and ere It is painful to see thousands of our fellong, will both be visited with the day-low men cut down by the sword, tens of spring from on high. The prospect of soon having access to 400,000,000 of souls, or even to any considerable part of this number, ought to stimulate every true believer in Jesus to awake to righteousness, to put on strength, and to come up to the Lord's help against the mighty. How great is the work here to be accomplished! How few are the means now in operation! At Hongkong, Amoy, Chusan, Chinhai, and Ninpo-all of which are now occupied by British forces-full protection and free toleration are enjoyed. To these places no missionaries have yet gone to reside; nor, since our last semi-annual letter, has any one been in thousands reduced to beggary and death by an insidious poison-and hundreds of millions going mad after their dumb idols. It is impossible to dwell long on such scenes without deep emotion. But who can interpose? Who is able to hush these contending hosts, and give peace? Who can stay this flood of poison, and bring in the waters of life? Who can cast down all these idols of wood and stone, and convert these millions of immortal beings to the worship of the living and true God? "Awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake! For art not thou it that shall wound the dragon?" |