117

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This

azar. dden death of e poisoned by ed in Tamul, the English, Sardinia people have been ferent periods from at this season. On ship Minder, there taken ill within ten other, who had breakfish, but through the nce of Dr. Rogers, (a man, who died of the us, after having cured the same complaint,) only The poison must be very s death ensues in about two t appears that on Saturday after the first family had excollector sent an immediate the inhabitants of the melanvent; but, unhappily for onewho lived outside of the town, Ad not hear the announcement, ey partook of the fatal food. For orning exposition, I selected the Beth Psalm. That part of it which ares our life to grass, is very ing in Tamul,-" In the morning ourisheth and groweth up: in the ning it is cut down and withereth." 8th. (Sunday.)-I have had a large

interesting congregation in the var. One little boy, who had comtted to memory that part of the 115th calm which relates to the gods of the athen, stood upon a bench, and reated it to the people. They were ich interested.

ctive exercise in the death of Mrs. Carver. from the Ceylon Gazette:

ok place at the Wesleyan chapel, and Ar excellent funeral service was read a very impressive manner by the ev. Mr. Knight, church missionary; nd another missionary, the Rev. B. C. Weigs, delivered a serious address. the great concourse of people, of all escriptions, that surrounded the place worship, which was quite insufficient To accommodate the whole, showed ow much this interesting young peron was beloved and respected. M Carver was twenty years of age been married about eleven mont

blow would it be to heathenism, if some drought which extends through the of these chief men should become con- whole of the country: and altogether verts to the truth, and act under the it does not afford a sufficiency of grass influence of gospel principles. But for the cattle, which are driven about in how hardly can this be! their pride of large herds to great distances in quest caste forbids it; their friends and fami- of pasture: some of the people of a villies would cast them off the moment lage, where we stayed a few minutes they embraced Christianity; and as this morning to procure a guide, vented their present income is from villages their complaints to me on this subject. and lands, given to them in considera- I told them that it seemed to me that tion of their performing certain duties God was entering into judgment with in connection with idolatry, if they for- the people of this country for their imsake the one they must lose the other, piety and idolatry, and that the present and most probably be reduced to pover- distress was a call for them to repent. ty and want. These obstacles, howev- I do not remember to have spent a er, have their use, and serve as a coun- missionary day more pleasant than this. terbalance to the hypocrisy and deceit I had not been long here before I had a for which the Hindoos are proverbial; considerable number of people around and when any of them do renounce all me: I addressed myself particularly to for the reproach of Christ, I should not one man, who appeared the most atrequire much farther proof of sincerity. tentive, and the rest heard. I was 15th. Pillirombatti.-Much of the thus employed two or three hours readcountry through which I have been ing and speaking; and judging from passing several days lies in its natural their countenances, I could not help state, covered with wild, and in many thinking that a lasting impression had places, luxuriant jungle; and the been made on the minds of some of greater part of that which is cleared for them. On the road, in the evening, two cultivation, and which this month men looked very earnestly after and should have been covered with a crop followed me; seeing this, I called them ready for the sickle, is neither plough- and gave them each a tract, and a word ed nor sown in consequence of the of advice.

CEYLON MISSION.

CEYLON-In consequence of the postponement of the meeting of the Tamul District from February to June, the annual minutes have not yet arrived, and we are not yet able to give the official report of the state of the missions in the northern part of the island. The following are extracts from the letters most recently received:-

TRINCOMALEE.-Extracts from the Journal of MR. ROBERTS. OCTOBER 5th, 1823, (Sunday morn- responses with fervency, and were reing.)-I have been to the bazar, and markably attentive during the service. had a very large and attentive congre- 26th. (Sunday.)-This morning I gation. The subject of the discourse was greatly delighted with my Tamul was the flood; and the people appeared congregation. Surely the seed sown satisfied with the evidences I adduced will bring forth fruit to the glory of of that fact, as they were within the God. In the evening I preached in scope of their own comprehension. English. Four Brahmins were passing by at the time of the service, and I invited them to come near. Several of the congregation also desired them to come, but they put up the right hand, giving, at the same time, one of their negative motions, said they were busy, and retired amidst the invitations of the people. 12th. (Sunday.)-This morning I have had a good congregation in the bazar, and was somewhat interrupted during the service by the people frequently calling out, "Meethan,' True.

16th. This evening I had the largest congregation in Portuguese I have yet seen in Trincomalee. They read the

December 1st.-During the last month the weather has been so unsettled as to occasion me to have small and irregular congregations. On the 7th I occupied my accustomed place in the bazar. The subject was the rich man lifting up his eyes in hell; which excited their serious attention.

11th.-I had an interesting congregation in Portuguese. I have also commenced a meeting for singing, and the commandant has kindly allowed one of the band to come out with his instrument to assist us.

14th. This morning, in the bazar, the congregation could not be less in

number than two hundred. The mark- so many years without regular services, ed attention and seeming interest they that they appear to consider them usetook in the account of raising Lazarus less. from the dead, was truly gratifying to my mind.

16th.-This evening I have been into the fort, and have had the pleasure of admitting eight soldiers and two women into society, who had been previously on trial.

On

11th. (Sunday.)-This morning I have had an unusually large and attentive congregation in the bazar. This was occasioned by the sudden death of two families, who were poisoned by eating a small fish, called in Tamul, the sooda-mene: by the English, Sardinia 21st. (Sunday.)-I delivered an ex- fish. It appears that people have been position in Tamul, on the 18th chapter poisoned at three different periods from of Luke. A young Brahmin, after the the same cause, at this season. service, inquired, "What is God? board his majesty's ship Minder, there What is the devil?" He did not ap- were forty people taken ill within ten pear satisfied with my answers, and minutes of each other, who had breakmuch less was he satisfied with my ap- fasted on this fish, but through the plication. He had no wish to know in prompt assistance of Dr. Rogers, (a what relations he stood to God.-I have again been into the Fort, and met the society. They are pressing forward in the good way.

most amiable man, who died of the cholera morbus, after having cured hundreds in the same complaint,) only three died. The poison must be very 25th.-I preached in Portuguese, to powerful, as death ensues in about two a large congregation, on Luke, chap. hours. It appears that on Saturday ii, verse 15; and in the evening in night soon after the first family had exEnglish, when many of the soldiers pired, the collector sent an immediate were present. In the morning the notice to the inhabitants of the melanschool-boys went to pay their respects choly event; but, unhappily for one to the commandant, the collector, and other of the inhabitants. Several of them did not know before that we had so many fine heathen children under

our care.

family who lived outside of the town, they did not hear the announcement, and they partook of the fatal food. For the morning exposition, I selected the ninetieth Psalm. That part of it which compares our life to grass, is very touching in Tamul,-" In the morning it flourisheth and groweth up: in the evening it is cut down and withereth."

January 1st, 1824.-The school-boys were assembled in the chapel, and examined as to their proficiency in learning, &c. There certainly was much cause for satisfaction in reference to 18th. (Sunday.)-I have had a large many of them. and interesting congregation in the 8th. In the evening the Portuguese bazar. One little boy, who had comcongregation was so small, that I mitted to memory that part of the 115th thought it best to hold a meeting for Psalm which relates to the gods of the singing. Few people can appreciate heathen, stood upon a bench, and remy difficulties in reference to the Eu- peated it to the people. They were ropean descendants. They have been much interested.

JAFFNA.-Mr. Carver has been called to an afflictive exercise in the death of Mrs. Carver. The following notice of this painful circumstance is from the Ceylon Gazette:

On the 7th March, 1824, died MRS. took place at the Wesleyan chapel, and CARVER, wife of the Rev. R. Carver, our excellent funeral service was read Wesleyan Missionary at Jaffna, in a in a very impressive manner by the few hours after having given birth to a Rev. Mr. Knight, church missionary; daughter. Her funeral was conducted and another missionary, the Rev. B. C. in a most truly Christian and interest- Meigs, delivered a serious address. ing manner, and had a solemn effect The great concourse of people, of all upon the natives, to whom she was so descriptions, that surrounded the place well known, and upon all present. The of worship, which was quite insufficient helpless babe was first baptized in the to accommodate the whole, showed house at the foot of the coffin, by the how much this interesting young pername of its departed mother, amidst son was beloved and respected. Mrs. the anguish of her afflicted husband Carver was twenty years of age, had and weeping friends. The interment been married about eleven months, and

after leaving her defenceless babe to the red, resting her hopes of eternal happimercies of a kind providence, she expi- ness on the merits of Christ herSaviour. The following notice of the mission in Jaffna, is from the Journal of Mr. England, who spent a short time in Ceylon, on his way to Madras:

In surveying the walls of our Zion in of all ages were issuing in rapid sucJaffna, I was much pleased in observing cession, rolling down the steps like so our whole economy in active operation. many trunks of trees. As the god proOrder, in the management of the affairs ceeded, they continued to issue from of the church, and union among the the door of the pagoda, and follow his members, distinguish this station; re- track, till at length a line of five hunflecting credit on the brethren, and dred of these miserable, degraded hucalling for thankfulness to the great man beings were thus rolling on the Head of the church. I attended the ground. The rapidity with which they evening weekly missionary prayer meet- revolve is truly surprising. On "the ing, and was delighted at the numerous abominable thing" coming in front of attendance. A devotional spirit appears us, it became immoveable; in vain the to prevail generally among the people. people pulled the ropes to make the I met the class at the mission-house; wheels revolve. They were then cheerabout twenty persons were present; ed, and stimulated to pull stoutly by the and for scriptural Christianity, depth of priests, but still their labour was in piety, and propriety of expression, it vain. Some commotion was now visiwould be difficult to find, even in Eng- ble among the Brahmins, and the eyes land, a class of equal numbers, at all of the people were turned toward us; superior to this. This affords another the Brahmins, no doubt, having given proof, in addition to the thousands that intimation that the god refused to pass have been furnished, that Christianity the Padrés, who paid him no respect; is suited to all places, and when cor- and a considerable stir was actually dially embraced, operates in the same made by some of the people near us, manner all over the world. to induce us to pull off our shoes! The

In company with brother Osborne whole, however, was a mere trick to and brother Bott, I went early this induce the people to offer their gifts morning to Nellore, a large village more liberally, and was caused by one about three miles north of Jaffna, to of the wheels being defective, having witness a grand heathen procession. a flat on one side, requiring a consideThe whole district had been kept in a rable power to set it in motion when at state of commotion by this festival for rest, but which only caused a jerk when upwards of a week, and day after day the wheel was revolving. A lever was was appointed for the procession, but now brought, and again the car moved from day to day it was deferred, the on, amidst the shouts of the people, who god being unwilling to move, the peo- were now "inflamed with their idol" ple not having been sufficiently liberal almost to frenzy. This interruption to in their gifts to the Brahmins. On ar- the progress of the car, afforded a timeriving at the spot we found from twenty ly rest to the five hundred, almost exto thirty thousand people assembled, piring creatures, rolling after it; and and the roads in all directions thronged who are bound, by vow, to perform thus with devotees hastening to swell the the circuit of the field, nearly a mile in concourse. No sooner did the god ap- circumference, in order to obtain the pear at the door of the temple, (or pa- remission of their sins. O how my goda,) than every arm was raised aloft heart sickened at the sight, while it as high as it could be stretched, and longed for the ability to point them, in every eye eagerly directed to the tem- their own language, to the "fountain ple, to obtain a glance of the wretched opened," by the God of heaven, for the idol. From the door of the temple men sin of every lost man in the world.

OBITUARY.

Died, at his residence, in King and Queen county, Virginia, September 25th, 1824, the Rev. PETER B. DAVIS, in the 53d year of his age. The following particulars of his life and death, were communicated to the editors by Mr. Hezekiah M'Lelland :

PETER B. DAVIS was born in Glou- 1771. His father died while he was an cester county, Virginia, in the year infant, and before he had attained his

fifth year he was left an orphan by the the "glad tidings of salvation." He death of his mother. Being thus left was restored-and his vow was not fatherless and motherless, his educa- forgotten. tion devolved upon his uncle, Mr. How long he exercised his gift as a William Brooks. local preacher I have no means of In the 15th year of his age, he was knowing; but in May, 1799, he was awakened to a sense of his lost condi- received into the itinerating ministry tion, under the preaching of the Rev. in the Baltimore Conference, and was Thornton Fleming. In much bitter- appointed to the Alleghany circuit. In ness of soul, and sorrow for his sins, 1800 he was sent to form a new circuit on he sought the Lord until Jesus appear- the Beaver and French creeks. Here ed for his deliverance, and set his feet he succeeded in making " full proof of upon "the Rock." Some time after his ministry," in the awakening and this, he attached himself to the Baptist conversion of souls, while he was subchurch. Finding himself, however, jected to all those privations and harddrawn toward the people among whom ships which are peculiar to newly sethe had received his first religious im- tled places. While labouring here, a pressions, and being convinced of the circumstance occurred, which, as it truth of their doctrine, he did not con- illustrates the watchful care of divine tinue long with the Baptist denomina- providence over God's servants, may tion, but became a member of the be worthy of recording. Mr. Davis Methodist Episcopal Church. When lost his horse, and was obliged to pledge asked his reasons for so doing, he his word for part of payment toward would modestly reply, "When I was another at a specified time. The time a child I spake as a child, I understood had nearly expired, but he found as a child, I thought as a child; but himself unable to redeem his pledge, when I became a man, I put away which gave him no little concern, as childish things." he considered his character might be

It was not long before he was im- compromised by a failure of this kind. pressed that it was his duty to "call While his mind was occupied on this sinners to repentance." This impres- subject, as he was passing the post-ofsion he resisted by connecting himself fice, the post-master called to him, and in temporal business with a gentleman asked if his name was Davis; being in Richmond county. The impression answered in the affirmative, the posthowever, still followed him, and to master told him there was a letter in elude if possible the call of God, he the office for him: on opening the letleft his present residence, and set off ter he found enclosed the exact sum on a journey to Kentucky. But while he needed to liquidate the debt he on his way, in Frederic county, he was owed, an unexpected present from stopped by sickness, and for awhile his a friend residing in the circuit Mr. life was despaired of; but being visit- Davis had travelled the preceding ed by a Methodist friend, he took him year. The letter enclosing the money from the Inn where he lay sick to his contained these words:" You are own house, nursed him with all the travelling in a new settlement, and tender solicitude of a father and friend, perhaps may want a little money." until his health returned. Having This circumstance he kept in grateful thus exhausted his funds, he was obli- remembrance, as he often mentioned ged to postpone his intended journey, it as an instance of the truth of that and he engaged in business with his scripture which saith, The Lord will kind friend who had administered to provide.

him in his sickness, in which he con- After travelling several circuits with tinued about two years. Here "the acceptance and usefulness from this word of the Lord came to him again;" time till 1805, he entered into the marbut he continued disobedient until the ried state with Miss PEGGY MANN, and Lord chastened him a second time by the succeeding year he located and bringing him near to the grave; at settled in King and Queen county, which time, being conscious of the ne- Virginia, where he spent the remainglect of his duty, he promised in the der of his life. Though, like most men most solemn manner, that if the Lord who occupy public stations, he had spared his life, he would no longer some enemies, he had many warm confer with flesh and blood," but friends, during the eighteen years he would immediately arise and publish lived in this place as a local preacher.