At Michaelmas, these numbers had suffered some reduction, in consequence of the prevalence of the Cholera Morbus.

The Tinnevelly Tamul School, and that at Nazareth which is entirely of Christian Children, have been added since the last Report; while a School at Tutecoryn has been closed, the inhabitants neglecting to send their children, and the place itself having been in much disorder since its restoration to the Dutch.

The Tinnevelly School is held in a hired house. Ground had been purchased for the erection of a School, and the foundation dug; but the Brahmins interrupted the work, under the same pretext as they alleged at Madras for stopping the Church building by the Society -that the street was sacred and a pagoda near, and that a Christian Building would defile their dwellings and their temple! In order, therefore, to obviate their prejudices, they were allowed to repurchase the ground; and Mr. Hough was about to apply to Government for the grant of a piece of ground in Tinnevelly.

The Seminary for the preparation of Catechists contains Nine Youths, and promises well.

Of Situmburapooram, mentioned in the last Report with such prospects of success, Mr. Hough writes

Our prospect is, for the present, clouded. The Cholera Morbus has made great ravages among the Christians. The Catechist and his wife were taken ill, and desired to return to Tanjore. These things make us look up, for an increase of faith in God, to prosper our labours in the earth: for they not merely teach us, but make us feel, how incapable we are of giving effect to our own plans and exertions. I am happy, however, to inform the Committee, that the situation of the people still holds out a fair prospect, when we shall be able to send them a Catechist: for in addition to the two villages mentioned before, we have found a third, containing several Protestant Families; and should we be able to procure a sufficient space of ground for the purpose, they will all form themselves into one company, and dwell together. At present, however, the Cholera Morbus paralyses every thing; and we must wait patiently on the Lord till he bid this pestilence cease.

A Catechist was afterward placed under preparation,

and was to proceed to Situmburapooram toward the close of the year.

A little before Michaelmas, Mr. Hough made an excursion to the southward of Palamcottah, for the purpose of inspecting the Protestant Churches. After describing the eagerness with which Schools were pleaded for at various places, and his compliance with the entreaties of the people, he adds

You will begin to wonder, I fear, when we are going to stop; but I can assure you, that this is not the half of what might be done here, had we funds equal to the demand.

It was my intention to go over all the Protestant Churches: but wherever I stopped, the people crowded in from surrounding villages, and cried out for Catechists, Books, and Schoolmasters, till I was quite overwhelmed, and glad to make my retreat: not that I felt a wish to give up the contest, but my ammunition was expended, and what was then to be done?

Some people at Pionjoon had, a few months before, applied for a Christian Teacher; but it appearing that the application arose from secular motives, the Catechist was withdrawn. Mr. Hough having, however, ascertained, in the course of this journey, that the circumstances of Pionjoon were more favourable than had been apprehended, a Teacher was to be placed there.

Mr. Hough greatly laments the disesteem into which Christianity has been brought, by the low character of the Roman Catholics in these quarters. He speaks forcibly, however, notwithstanding the difficulties arising from this and other causes, of the benefits which may be ultimately expected from the Schools; and is endeavouring to extend these benefits to that sex whose education is systematically neglected by the Natives. Even Christian Natives retain their prejudices against the instruction of their Girls. Mr. Hough recommended the establishment of a Girls' School at each of the principal Stations which he visited.

This proposition (he writes) seemed quite new to the people; but, at the close of the Church Service, some portions of Scripture were read and explained to the women, shewing how many of their sex were among the disciples of our Blessed Lord-that

they had immortal souls as well as their husbands and sonsthat, in order to the salvation of their souls, they must understand the Gospel of Christ-and that, though this were not the "CUSTOM" in Heathen Lands, yet, in England and every other enlightened country, women learn to read as well as men.

After this, they appeared to assent cordially to the plan; and I hope, in the next Report, to be able to give you some account of their progress.

Your Committee cannot quit this Station, without uniting their acknowledgments with those of the Corresponding Committee, for Mr. Hough's unwearied and judicious co-operation with the Society, in its endeavours to benefit the Natives of India.

Tellicherry.

The Committee have also to return their sincere thanks to the Rev. Francis Spring, Chaplain at this Station, for his assistance, both here, and at Cannanore, a few miles distant.

In July last, Mr. Spring writes

I am persuaded that there are many Plants of Christ hereabouts, ready to burst into blossom. One of the two Nair Boys, of whom I spoke when I first came here, is seeking the truth with no small diligence. He is about seventeen. You know that we have translated our Catechism. Many copies are about. One of the copies he brought me, intimating that he imagined there was a mistake in the translation of the Second Commandment. You know the words run, Thou shalt not make a graven image, &c.-Thou shalt not bow down to it, &c. ;-accordingly we have translated it so, literally. Now he suggested, that an alteration should be made, so as to make it read, Thou shalt not make, &c. IN ORDER to bow down, &c. I told him his interpretation was correct, but the text must nevertheless stand as it was, because in these things as literal a translation as possible must be given. I mention this as a proof of the boy's acuteness, and of the attention with which he must have read the Translation.

In September, Mr. Spring writes

Let us have some Helpers-clever, good men. I could employ a dozen here, at least, on one branch or another of useful objects. Our work flags for want of Labourers. Pray then the Lord of the Harvest. And let no one say that we do nothing: how can much work be done, unless there be hands to do it?

You will be pleased to hear that we have lately added a Hospital to our Poor Fund, which is going on well, and meets with every body's approbation and patronage. I want an Asylum here for half-caste children. I have a plan ready, but I must wait my opportunity. The next thing will be a Church, which has been a desideratum with me ever since my residence here. We must, however, wait God's time. Our business is, when He opens a door, to go in.

BOMBAY AND WESTERN INDIA MISSION.

The Committee have already stated, that measures have been taken for commencing a Mission at the remaining Presidency of Bombay, for the Western and North-western parts of India, by the appointment and sailing of the Rev. Richard Kenney.

Before they quit the Continent of India, the Committee will quote the testimony of the Rev. Francis Spring, to the promising state of its vast regions.

The two main bonds (he writes) by which the tottering edifice of Heathenism is held together, are-the worldly interest of the Priests; and the show, riot, and licentiousness of the . Ceremonies.

I am persuaded that one reason why Christianity has not been, in general, more publickly avowed by the great body of Natives, is, the want of a sufficient supply of Teachers. I state this from my own knowledge. The minds of men are beginning to be enlightened. They see the folly of their own superstition; and, so far as they have the means of knowledge, they perceive the excellency of Christianity.

If there were here a place for Divine Worship, and a Preacher sent who could lead them on in their own tongue, so that there should be an appearance of stability in the thing, Christianity would, under the Divine Blessing, be rapidly diffused.

Popery has survived the temporal power of those who introduced it, because, by the erection of Churches and the permanent succession of Ecclesiastical Leaders, they gave it an outward stability.

All that I have seen leads me to conclude, that the time is not far distant, when the Plant of the Gospel will flourish throughout all India. In this respect, however, time must be counted, not as man counts it, but as God. We ought not to expect the progress to be more rapid than in the Primitive times of Christianity, if so rapid; and though Christianity increased to a remarkable

degree, being assisted by the extraordinary operations of the Holy Spirit; yet, I doubt not, had we lived in Apostolic Times, we should still have regarded the despised Christians as a very small number, compared with the bulk of the Nations among whom they were scattered; and that these, as in the present day, were not generally the rich, the noble, and the mighty, but of the middling and lower ranks of life.

Under all these circumstances, the success hitherto has been more than we had reason to expect; and it behoves every man, who has a love for souls, to do what he can in the Service of Christ, by aiding the Scriptural Cause of Missions. May it please God to grant to all Christians the will and the power so todo; to His honour and glory, and to the benefit, temporal and eternal, of the souls and bodies of mankind!

The Committee will add to this testimony of an eyewitness, the able review of the state of India, which is given in the Report of one of the Society's Associations:

It is on INDIA, that the eyes of all must now be fixed. This is, without question, that part of the Missionary Field, in which, under an awful responsibility, the most extended labours of British Christians are demanded.

And there too, blessed be God! we behold the fairest signs of the approaching triumphs of the Cross!-obstacles removing, which resisted or harassed the former attempts of Christiansthe great body of European Residents justly appreciating the importance of instructing the Natives, and the Natives themselves eager for instruction-Idolatry exposed to contempt among the more enlightened Hindoos; the shackles of Caste and Brahminical Tyranny daily losing their hold; and secessions making from the long-established superstitions-an Ancient Church taking the first steps of a return to her primitive purity; and the Members of our own, in those realms, beginning, under the salutary influence of Episcopal Discipline, to exhibit an aspect more worthy of her name-Schools establishing in almost every quarter of that mighty land-the Scriptures circulating in all the principal languages of the East-Christian Champions hastening to this great theatre of moral conflict-the Church of England, at length, after full deliberation, deciding that "the time is arrived" for proclaiming interminable war against the powers of darkness -the spiritual rulers of India rising up, as with one heart and one soul, to fight the good fight; and rejoicing in the prospect of an Institution to be founded by the brotherly love of all her faithful Members, in which she may train her sons for every part of the vast scene of action and every branch of Missionary Duty: