most frequently recurring; but it is only of the simplest of these that they can explain the meaning, and few can construe a single sentence from beginning to end. Those who can read intelligently our simplest tracts form a very small minority;-perhaps not more than one in fifty among the vllagers; though in the city the proportion of such readers is considerably larger.

Preaching by the living voice indispensable.

It will be at once seen how much need there is, in such a population, for the employment of the living voice in making known the truths of the Gospel. We may write and print and distribute as many books as we please; but, after all, the great proportion of the people will remain in entire ignorance of everything but the mere name of Christianity, unless we preach to them. In no other way can we expect to make known the joyful news to the bulk of the present, and probably of many subsequent, generations of the Chinese, than in that adopted by the Apostles, "preaching publicly, and from house to house." It is only in this way that the female sex can be made acquainted with saving truth; for scarcely a single woman is to be met with who can make the slightest use of a book. Nor is the rising generation of either sex at all likely to be Detter off in this respect than the present; the proportion of boys who are sent to school, or who are allowed to continue there so long as to enable them to derive advantage from it, being very small, and no effort whatever being made to instruct the girls.

Horrible extent of infanticide.

As to the moral condition of the people, its degradation may be conceived when we call to mind that female infanticide not only extensively prevails, but is looked upon as a matter of utter insignificance. It is principally in the villages that we meet with this gross violation both of human laws and natural feeling. In every village we visit, we make inquiries on this subject, questioning in succession the various groups who cluster round us to listen to our addresses. In several villages it was admitted that there are always some female infants destroyed as soon as born, but the proportion was not stated; in others it was allowed that only half were suffered, to live; while in others it was confessed, without any feeling of shame, that seven in ten were at once deprived of life. It is most melancholy to mark the indifference with which mothers, when questioned on the subject, give utterance to the statement that they do not want female children, and that they can make no use of them; seeming to think they have as perfect a right to destroy a new-born daughter as they have to drown a kitten. Viewed as a moral question, the subject seemed to many of them entirely new; and they vented to each other their astonishment at hearing foreigners expressing sorrow at a state of things, in regard to which their hearts or consciences had never felt a single pang of regret.

Chinese vindication of infanticide.

Nothing can be more distressing than to be compelled to breathe, even for a short time, the moral atmosphere of these pleasant and sometimes beautiful villages, and to think that the women who throng around us, and seem such interested and attentive listeners to our remarks, would not scruple to murder the sweet babes to which they give birth, simply because they have the misfortune to be of the same sex with themselves. Of course the principal reason assigned for this disgraceful practice is poverty -the impossibility of finding sustenance for girls who can do nothing to earn a livelihood;-a mode of reasoning, which was followed up (of course by a philosopher of the male sex) by the equally excellent argument, that the women were so wicked, the fewer they had of them the better. It is only proper to mention, after the exhibition of so much that is dismal, that we have met with mothers in some villages who seemed to love their daughters as well as their sons, and whose fervent embrace of the sweet little

girls that nestled in their bosom, when questioned if they had ever destroyed female infants, was the best answer that could be desired, in the negative. But how wretched the moral condition of a community where such cases form not the rule, but the exception!

Power of native superstition.-Vide Engraving, page 41.

The more we become acquainted with the people, the more evidently we perceive the powerful influence exercised over them by the reigning superstition, and by the dread of appearing singular in opposing it. To the vast majority of the lower orders, the simple fact that idolatry has descended to them from remote antiquity, and has been invariably practised from generation to generation, stands in room of all proof, and completely supersedes the necessity of investigation. If, however, such proof were at all necessary, they think it is abundantly supplied, even to the present generation. As for instance: it is a very common practice for the Chinese, before engaging in any transaction of importance, to ask counsel of an idol. This is done in various ways, one of which is, by throwing up in presence of the idol, two pieces of bamboo root, each having two sides, one flat and the other rounded. If both pieces, on falling, present the rounded side, the response is unfavourable; if both present the flat side, it is not so much so, but still not satisfactory; if one presents the rounded, and the other the flat side, the response is in all respects favourable. Now, as it often happens that the transaction in regard to which an answer is thus given-it is supposed by the idol itself-turns out as the votary wishes, what more natural for him than to attribute the result to the effective energy of the deity whose aid was invoked?

Priestly deception in the treatment of the sick.

Vows, as among the ancient heathen nations, are frequently made in the prospect of a voyage or similar event; and the prosperity of the voyage is attributed to the power of the idol to whom the vow was made. A sick person has been long attended by medical practitioners, but all in vain-his friends feel anxious for him, and resolve to seek superior aid; they invite a conjurer, or priest; an idol is brought from some well-frequented temple-gilt paper and incense are burnt before it; the sick man's case is humbly represented to the god by the priest; and medical assistance implored. All at once the priest appears as if inspired by the idol, leaps and dances about in a divine frenzy, and dictates the words of a prescription, which are written down and immediately complied with. Should the medicine prove effectual, the conclusion to the Chinese seems inevitable, that the deity has really inspired the priest. These conjurors, called here Tangki, Tang Chi, or Ki Tong, have habituated themselves of extreme pain, in some parts of their bodies, and yet are able to refrain from any outward manifestation of it: they give themselves heavy blows, thrust sharp instruments into their cheeks and throats, and maintain they are not hurt, even though the blood flows. It is not wonderful, if the populace regard all this as demonstrative that a higher power is present than that of a mere mortal. Thus are "living wonders" made to keep up the reputation of the idols, altogether with a view to the interest of the priests, who in this way earn their support.

to the endurance

HONG-KONG-BAPTISM OF CHINESE CONVERTS.

THE friends of Missions will rejoice to learn that God is manifesting the riches of his grace towards the Chinese at Hong-Kong. The following delightful intelligence has been received, under date of August, from Mr. Gillespie, who joined our Mission in that Island in 1844 :

On the 28th of June, we had the pleasure of receiving two Chinese into the bosom of

the Christian Church, by the ordinance of Baptism. They are both grave elderly

INDIA-THE MYSORE IDOL.

In the following statement from Mr. Campbell, of Mysore, we find a striking in. stance of the power of Hindoo idolatry and superstition. By such facts we are reminded that the great adversary who, from age to age, has employed the the delusions of Hindooism to lead captive the native mind, is not yet bound; and that the cry of perishing souls in India to the churches of our land, for succour and deliverance, has yet lost none of its force and urgency. Our brother, writing early in October last, observes :

ITINERANT LABOURS IN BENGAL.

IN connection with their more regular operations, the itinerant labours of our Missionary brethren in every part of India have long been found of eminent advantage in promulgating the truths of Christianity among the native population, especially in the more secluded districts and villages of this vast and interesting country. The Rev. A. F. Lacroix, of Calcutta, accompanied by a brother Missionary, employed a portion of his time, at the close of last year and the beginning of the present, in performing an extensive journey for this purpose among the native towns and villages on the banks of the Ganges, south of Calcutta, and its tributary streams; and, from the record of his labours and observations at that period, we are gratified in being able to present the following details. In these our readers will find an intelligent and impressive view of the obstacles which our devoted brethren have to encounter both from the followers of the False Prophet, and the worshippers of idols; while they will also learn the kind and measure of success with which these itinerant labours are attended, with the hopes that may be cherished, through divine mercy, of more direct and animating results. Mr. Lacroix, and his companion, embarked at Calcutta, Dec. 29, and the following are mentioned among the earliest events of their journey :— Mohammedan opposition both to idolatry,

and Christianity.

Dec. 3, 1845.-This morning we went on shore, and walked about a inile inland, when we reached an extensive village. A respectable Mohammedan, on seeing us pass through the bazaar, invited us to make a halt under a widely-spreading banyan-tree, and kindly sent to his dwelling for two seats which we gratefully accepted. In a few minutes, a number of Hindoos drew near and seated themselves on the ground around us, and listened attentively to our message. The Mohammedan, however, who was very talkative, and appeared extremely self-righteous, interrupted us ever and anon. He said he perfectly agreed with us as to the sinfulness of idolatry; and he upbraided the poor Hindoos in no measured terms for worshipping so many gods. As for himself, he said, he was not so stupid! He had been taught from the Koran to worship only one God, and was, therefore, greatly superior, both in knowledge and holiness, to the Hindoos.

We told him that to worship one God was so far well; for it is written in the Bible, "The Lord our God is one Lord;" but that we had one question to ask him, viz., whether he kept the commandments of that one God whom he boasted of worshipping? He was obliged to confess that he did not do it as he ought. Upon this, we put him in mind of his greater sinfulness, that, knowing there was but one true God, he did not obey him. Observing him a little humbled, we further pointed out to him the deficiency of the Koran in not providing a Saviour for sinners, or any adequate means of salvation. Here we had an opportunity offered to us, in a natural way, of preaching Christ as God manifested in the flesh and crucified for the salvation of sinners. These truths were to this self-righteous Mohammedan a stumbling-block, even as they were to the Jews of old, and are still to all in our days whose disposition of mind is similar.

Having entered the river Damoodah, and landed at Ampthah, Mr. Lacroix relates the particulars of their visit to a celebrated idol-temple in that town, which he concludes as follows:

Brahminical avarice and meanness.

As we were leaving the temple of Melai Thakoorani, we were requested by the priests to make an offering to this farfamed idol; but this of course we decidedly refused, and said in reply, That we worshipped only the one true God, the Maker of heaven and earth; and therefore could not show any respect to a mere block of wood-which indeed had eyes painted on

it, but could not see; ears, but could not hear; a mouth, but could not speak. We seemed to be well understood, and no offence was taken at our plainness of speech, nor were we asked a second time to present a gift to the idol. The Brahmins of the temple, however, put it on another ground, and begged we would give them something for their own use in the shape of a douceur. To this we could not con

On the following day our friends paid a second visit to Ampthah, and it was on this occasion the following conversation, relating to a subject of the last importance in the creed of Hindooism, was held :--