numbers, at their first arrival in several places, no less than fifteen, or sixteen thousand families."*

In 1806, the Rev. Dr. Kerr, senior chaplain of Fort St. George, and Rev. Dr. Buchanan, Principal of the college of Fort William, the former by desire of the governor of Madras, the latter by appointment of the government of Bengal, visited these Christians, and inquired extensively into their history and present state. Their very interesting reports, may be seen at large in the Panoplist for April, 1808. vol. iii. p. 518, to 532.

One of these gentlemen, in a letter to his friend in England, after giving an account of his visit to the celebrated Hindoo Temple, at Juggernaut, "which appears, (he says,) to be the chief seat of Moloch in the whole earth, and the centre of his dominions in the present age;"+ thus describes, in contrast, the scene presented by the Christian churches of Tanjore. "Here

Millar's History of the propagation of Christianity, vol. i. p. 296. who quotes, as his authorities, Maffei, Hist. rerum Indicarum. lib. 2. p. 8588. Osorius de rebus Emanuelis, lib. 3. p. 119. and Dr. Cave's Lives of the Apostles.

Since preparing this note, the following more full description, probably from the same pen, of the awful "moral darkness," in which the Hindoos are involved, has fallen under my notice. In hope that it may add to the motives of Christians, to promote the spread of the blessed gospel in this benighted region, it is here subjoined.

"I have indeed (he says) seen that darkness; but it is not easy to describe it. No man can know what it is, who has not seen it. It is no less dreadful, than when the Israelites beheld at a distance, the thick darkness of Egypt from their dwelling in Goshen, where there was light. I have been, in what the Scriptures call the chambers of imagery,' Ezek. viii. 12; and have witnessed the enormity of the pagan idolatry in all its turpitude and blood. I can now better understand those words of the Scriptures, 'the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. Ps. lxxiv. 20. I have seen the libations of human blood, offered to the Moloch of the Heathen World; and an assembly, not of two thousand only, which may constitute your number, but of two hundred thousand, falling prostrate at the sight before the idol, and raising acclamations to his name.

"But the particulars of these scenes cannot be rehearsed before a Chris. tian assembly; as indeed the Scriptures themselves intimate to us, Eph. v. 12. I only wish the Great Council of our nation could behold this darkness; then there would be no dissentient voice, as to the duty of diffusing light. It may suffice to observe, that the predominant characters of idolatry are the same, which the Scriptures describe; cruelty and lasciviousness! blood and impurity! I may further notice, that the fountain head of this superstition in India, is the temple of JUGGERNAUT. That temple is to the Hindoos, what Mecca is to the Mahometans; it is the sacred spot of their superstition.

"It will give you satisfaction to hear that the Gospels have been recently translated into the language of Juggernaut. The Christian world is indebted to the labors of the missionaries of the Baptist Society in India, for this important service."

See Rev. Dr. Buchanan's Sermon before the Society of Missions to Aftica, and the East. June, 1810

there is becoming dress, humane affections, and rational discourse! Here the feeble-minded Hindoo, exhibits the Christian virtues, in a vigor which greatly surprised me! Here Christ is glorified."*

In the Caucasian Mountains, not far from the Black Sea, is a people called Sonnas, from their country of this name, amounting to about 200,000 souls, inhabiting 60 villages, some of which are towns of 900 houses. These people acknowledge Jesus Christ to be their only King and Savior. They pray that God would bless them for Christ's sake, observe the sabbath, have priests who baptise their children, and administer the sacrament of the Supper. They have many church books, but know not the meaning of them. They believe in a future judgment. They are said, some of them, to labor under deep convictions of sin, and to pray night and day. They consider their preservation, and the preservation of Christianity among them, as a miracle. They innoculate their children for the small pox; have gardens enclosed with stone walls, and abundance of fruit, and live in harmony and comfort.t

Christian Observer, vol. vi. p. 335.

Rev. Mr. Brunton's letter from Karass, Tartary, Feb. 1806. See Christian's Magazine, vol. ii. p. 457.

APPENDIX.

INDIANS.

Marshpee and Martha's Vineyard Indians.

THE SOCIETY, at the annual meeting in May 1809, voted to propose to the Corporation of Harvard College, to take the whole charge of the MARSHPEE and MARTHA'S VINEYARD INDIANS; and that the Society, in consideration of their acceptance of such proposal, take upon them to make the payments to Rev. Mr. Sergeant, heretofore made by the Corporation. This proposal was accepted; and the Society, at a meeting in November following, voted, "That, in conformity to an agreement with the Corporation of Harvard College, the Rev. John Sergeant, Missionary to the Stockbridge Indians, receive from the Treasurer of this Society 120 dollars, it being the sum which he has usually received from said Corporation annually, in part of his salary; and that this be in addition to the 100 dollars, which he has usually received from the Society."

Stockbridge Indians.

Mr. SERGEANT continues his Journals with precision, and transmits them to the Society with punctuality. In June 1809 is the following important entry: "Captain Hendrick, whose name has been often mentioned in my Journals, some time in October last, succeeded in part of his business, which was to obtain from the Miamis and others, the native owners of the country on White River, an Indian title to the same for his nation, together with the Delaware and Munsee tribes. In December he went with a number of others to the seat of government. From the President of the United States he obtained a

بھی

patent for the same, that it should be the property of said tribes for ever.

"In consideration of his faithful services, he was offered, and. accepted from the government, an appointment to superintend the Indian affairs on White River, for which he is to receive a handsome support. He arrived here to visit his tribe in March; and set out again in April for the Western Country with a few companions.

"Before he left this place he told me that now every thing would be settled to the general satisfaction of the Indians: That the Delaware and Munsee Tribes would make large settlements on this river: That the school proposed by John Jacobs would be opened immediately on his return: That I should soon hear from him on the subject."

Mr. Sergeant concludes his Journal by observing, "This place, where I have resided with my family for about ten years, has proved unhealthy for my wife and part of my family; on which account I have found it indispensably necessary to remove them about four miles distance from hence, and in the neighborhood of white people, and on land I obtained from the State, to which I have a good title; as I can own no land on the Indian ground, only so long as I continue in office. I have served the Indians in their temporal affairs for 40 years; I never asked them for any reward, neither did they ever give, or even sell me, any of their lands."

In the Journal terminating January 1st, 1810, are the following extracts from Captain HENDRICK's letters, relative to the proposed school among the Delaware Indians. Extract from the first letter, dated, "White River, July 7th, 1809. I have at last obtained a final answer from the Delaware tribe of Indians who reside on White River, with respect to the school proposed to be set up among them; every difficulty don't as yet seem entirely clear, but still I have much encouragement." Extract from the

second letter, dated September 3. "We are still here, attending to instructing the poor heathen in the way of civilized life, in cultivating their lands, &c. We constantly enjoy their smiles, and intire approbation in every plan we recommend." Mr. Sergeant subjoins: "I learn from some of our people, who have returned the fall past, (but have promised the western Indians to go back next spring) that some of the old Chiefs, who were much in favor of promoting the instruction of their children are dead. Other Chiefs, who have now the government of their Tribes, are not so friendly in this business, but with much patience and perseverance Hendrick expects to gain his point, with respect to school affairs, as well as the introduction of the Gospel. There have been twelve children born, and only two deaths, the year past."

In a letter to the Secretary, dated January 1, 1810, Mr. Sergeant mentions "the new difficulties Hendrick has to struggle with," (in regard to the Western School) and adds, "I have good reason to hope all difficulties will be finally surmounted. I expect every mail to hear from him again. If any of your Societies in Boston have Bibles, Testaments, or Psalm books, to bestow on the poor, I could give them away to much advantage, not only to inquiring Indians, but to white people, who are poor and destitute. I might mention Negroes and Mulattoes, from whom I often have application. There seems to be a considerable degree of seriousness among whites and blacks in this vicinity."

Narraganset Indians.

The Society has recently paid particular attention to the NARRAGANSET INDIANS. The Rev. Mr. Coe, during his mission at Rhode Island the last year, repeatedly performed religious service among them. He also made inquiry concerning their numbers and condition; the result of which appears in the following statement of the Secretary, compiled chiefly from Mr. Coe's Journal, and communicated to the Society at the late semi-annual meeting in November.