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stitution, as to occasion in the expenditure of the past year, a considerable excess over that of any of the preceding. When to this are added the engagements entered into in the east, the Levant, and other parts of the world, where much is required to be done, it will appear, that the pecuniary resources must be greatly increased, in order to render them adequate to that occupation which the success of the cause to which they are consecrated is preparing for them.

The nations of Christendom are as yet but partially supplied with the oracles of the religion they profess, while to by much the largest proportion of mankind, the truths of divine revelation are but beginning to be made known through some of the numerous languages and dialects which have hitherto been employed to propagate systems of error, the most insulting to God, and the most degrading to human nature. To force these strong holds of imposture and superstition, to impart to the bond slaves of Satan and of sin, the emancipating knowledge of "the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He hath sent,"-such are the high commission and the glorious object of the members and friends of the British and Foreign Bible Society. In executing this commission, and pursuing this object, they are encouraged, by the promise of the Holy Scriptures, and the testimony of past experience, to expect success proportioned to the degree of their exertions and the simplicity in which they are made. Let them, therefore, proceed in their work with renovated ardour, and increased dependence upon Him who alone can cause it to prosper. To their unwearied efforts in circulating the word of God, let them add their unceasing prayers, that he would put it into the minds and write it in the hearts, of both the distributors and the receivers. They will thus contribute to bring to pass the fulfilment of divine prophecy, in the happy consummation of their labours, when they shall not teach, every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: FOR ALL SHALL KNOW HIM, FROM THE LEAST TO THE greatest."

AUSTRALASIA.

From the Secretary of the Auxiliary Society, New South Wales.

I am directed by your Committee to acknowledge the safe arrival and receipt of the seven cases of Bibles and Testaments which were sent in the ship Hibernia, by the British and Foreign Bible Society, to the Auxiliary Bible Society of New South Wales; and also to convey to you the sincere and grateful thanks of our Committee for the very kind regards and repeated favours of the parent institution toward this her far distant offspring, or, at least, to the inhabitants of this land, by various grants, before and since the formation of our society. The Scriptures now received are very acceptable, as a branch Bible society has since been es

tablished at Hobart Town, in Van Diemen's Land, and the secretaries inform us, that, although we have furnished them so liberally from this place, yet the Scriptures which they possess are not near sufficient to supply all who have requested them; so that a considerable number more of Bibles and Testaments will be wanted. Thus, my dear Sir, we cannot but rejoice to behold so evidently fulfilling the appropriate and emphatic words of the evangelic prophet-" The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the

salvation of our God."

UNITED STATES.

AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS.

The Hon. JOHN TREDWELL, L. L. D. Connecticut, President.
Rev. S. WORCESTER, D. D. Salem, (Mass.) Corresponding Secretary ·
JEREMIAH EVARTS, Esq. Boston, Treasurer.

The Board, as we have already noticed, held their last annual meeting in
Hartford, Connecticut, on the 20th and 21st of September last.

The Rev. Dr. Nott preached the annual sermon, a copy of which was requested for publication.

The Board resolved to hold the next annual meeting in Springfield, (Mass.)
on the third Wednesday of September, 1821, at 10 o'clock, A. M.
The Rev. Dr. Proudfit was appointed to preach at the next meeting; or
Dr. Morse, in case of his failure.

Eleventh Annual Report of the Prudential Committee.

BRETHREN,

It is after the labours of ten years, that by the favour of our Master and Lord, we are assembled to-day in this bower of Zion, to review the operations and mark the results; to erect our memorials, to refresh our spirits, and to gather strength and counsel for the prosecution of our work. The various recollections and endless associations of the occasion-running back to the past and forward to the future-mingle themselves with whatever is dear to our best affections and interesting to our best hopes; and open to us a lively and extended participation in the holy fellowship, that gathers together in one all things, which are in heaven, and which are on earth.

Of the eight individuals, who at first composed this Board, three-of the thirty-seven, who have been enrolled as chartered members, six-have been advanced, as we humbly trust, nearer to the central glory of the same divine fellowship. The former three, DWIGHT, HUNTINGTON, and SPRING-loved and revered names-have been in preceding years affectionately recorded. The other three, LANGDON, APPLETON, and PAYSON-names also revered and loved, and worthy of like affectionate record, have, in quick succession, been removed from us since our last anniver

sary. They rest from these labours; but have not ceased to have an interest in them. They are labours for eternity; and the results, we may humbly assure ourselves, are for joy and grateful celebration, in the highest of the heavenly places.

INDIA WITHIN THE GANGES-BOMBAY.*

Bombay is the third of the British presidencies in India, and the principal settlement on the west coast of the peninsula-about 1300 miles, travelling distance, to the west of Calcutta-the seat of an archdeaconry-ten miles in length by three in breadth-population upward of 200,000; of whom about 8000 are Parsees, nearly as many Mahomedans, and about half this number Jews; the remainder being Portuguese and Hindoos, and the Hindoos composing more than three-fourths of the whole population.

As this is not only the first mission of this Board, but the first mission ever sent from this Christian country to any foreign heathen land, or portion of the unevangelized world, it cannot but be regarded by all, who wish well to the best interests of mankind, with peculiar interest. The circumstances of its origin and early history, are too deeply impressed on the minds of those, who were immediately concerned in them, ever to be forgotten.

For a year and a half the Prudential Committee had been looking with anxious earnestness for an opportunity and means for sending forth the young men, whose solemn dedication of themselves to the service of Christ among the heathen had, under the wise ordering of Providence, given rise to the deliberations which issued in the formation of this Board. It was in the days of that mighty and dreadful conflict, which shook the pillars of the world, and filled all hearts with dismay and all minds with perplexity. Our vessels were not permitted to go from our ports, and no way was open to any part of the pagan world. All was gloomy suspense, and the prospect seemed to be growing still darker, when, on a sudden, intelligence was communicated of a vessel preparing, under special permission, to sail for Calcutta. It was on the 27th of January, 1812, that the Prudential Committee met at Newburyport, to consider and act upon the question of sending the missionaries; and the Harmony was appointed to sail from Philadelphia on the 10th of February. The missionaries had not been ordained; their outfits were not ready, and very little money had yet come into the treasury. It was an hour of intensely serious deliberation. It seemed to be the will of Him, whose servants they were, that the missionaries should be sent; and, with reliance on his aid, the decision was taken to send them. It was not a vain reliance. The necessary arrangements were made; the requisite means were supplied; and, by the whole

* In reporting the account of the missions under the care of the Board, we shall not farther regard the order of the Report, but adopt our geographical arrangement.

scene of the preparation and departure of this first American mission, an impulse was given to the missionary spirit, to which, under Providence, are in no small measure to be attributed its subsequent diffusion, activity and productiveness.

The destination of the mission was not fixed; but with such instructions to the missionaries, as were deemed proper, was referred to the determination of Providence. Providence, ever wise and ever good, enveloped itself for not a short season in darkness; and put the faith and patience of the missionaries, and their patrons and friends, to severe trial; and it was not until the former part of the year 1814, about two years from leaving this country, that, after repeated repulses, and various adversities, the mission was quietly settled at Bombay.

Many months before this time, Messrs Judson and Rice had separated themselves from the mission; and Mrs. Newell had been taken from it-that every where she might plead for the cause with irresistible eloquence. And about a year and a half after, Mr. Nott, enfeebled by disease, came to the determination to return with his wife to his native land.

Only Mr. Hall and Mr. Newell now remained:-and this was only five years ago. "In point of numbers," said they in a letter at the time, "we two missionaries are to the people of Bombayto say nothing of the millions in sight of Bombay-what two ministers would be to the whole population of Connecticut, were the people of that state all heathens, and the two ministers far removed from all ministerial intercourse and Christian counsel." Not only were they the only missionaries then at Bombay, or on all the hither side of India, but, so far as appears, Roman Catholics excepted, they were the first ministers of Christ who had ever preached the gospel in the native language of Bombay, and the extensive provinces adjacent, containing a more numerous population than the whole of the United States.

In the knowledge and use of this strange and difficult language, the two misionaries, at the time now referred to, had but just attained to such proficiency, as to begin to speak and preach in it to the people. Of course, they were but just prepared to commence their system of operations; having as yet no permanent school, no printing press, no Bibles or tracts for distribution.

In the Report made at our last anniversary, the narrative of this mission was brought down to the latter part of the preceding May. The Committee regret to state, that they are now able to bring it down only to the fore part of January, about seven months later, and for this the materials are comparatively scanty.

While our merchants were trading at Bombay, communications from the missionaries were frequent and copious; but since that trade has ceased, no conveyance is afforded, but what is circuitous and precarious, and the communications are infrequent.

The entire period, then, of the active operations of the Bom

bay mission, now under general review, is only a period of about four years and a half; viz. from the summer of 1815, when Mr. Nott left the mission, and the two who remained were just prepared to begin to act, to the beginning of 1820.

The Committee are the more particular in respect to these dates, and this period of action, as it is apprehended, that they have not been sufficiently adverted to by the community, or perhaps by the members of this Board. It seems a great whileespecially to minds more ardent than considerate-since the first missionaries sailed for India. It is scarcely remembered, that, from the time of their sailing, nearly two years elapsed before they were quietly settled at Bombay; or that then very little could be done, until they had acquired a knowledge of the language of the country. Hence it has happened, that the harvest has been looked for before the seed could be sown, or even the ground broken up.

Of the state and progress, the plans and operations of this mission, ample statements and details have been given in preceding Reports. For the present occasion only a succinct recapitulation is designed.

At the very time that Mr. Nott was embarking at Bombay, for his return, Mr. Bardwell, with four of his brethren, who were intended for Ceylon, was ordained for the mission; and he arrived at Bombay on the first Nov. 1816. About 16 months after, viz. on the 23d of February, 1818, Mr. Nichols and Mr. Graves, with their wives, and Miss Philomela Thurston, now Mrs. Newell, arrived. Thus strengthened, the mission, so far as is known to your Committee, has since continued without diminution; consisting of five missionaries with their wives: holding its primary seat in the great native town of Bombay; and occupying a sta tion at Mahim, distant about six miles on the northern part of the same island, and another distant about 25 miles, at Tannah, on the island of Salsette, of which it is the chief town.

Preaching the gospel, as they have opportunity, to the untold multitudes around them, of whose corruption, darkness, and wretchedness, no adequate conception can be formed in this land, is a principal and daily work of the missionaries. In the prosecution of it, they not only visit the temples and places of resort in the city, but make circuits of greater or less extent, upon the islands, and in the provinces of the continent. In the course of a year, many thousands thus hear from them something concerning the true God and eternal life.

"Our daily custom"-they say in their latest joint letter, dated in January" our daily custom of addressing the people, whereever we find them, we consider our most important business. In this branch of our labour we find some of our hignest pleasures, as well as our chief trials.

"The brethren in Bombay have hired a large room for a

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