TURKS AND GREEK CHRISTIANS. 81 saint you deify, you ascribe wonders to her, you run to her, you pray to her. The name of the only Saviour, Christ, you forget on her account. And from this error you have plunged into a greater. In that church lived a mad woman, who acted as servant about the church, and professed to converse with the saint. She dies, and you immediately canonize her. You say that holy fire descends every night upon her grave; you say that she works miracles; you kiss her tombstone, and take of the earth around her grave to use as charms, &c. Ought the Jews and Turks to hear of such things? Are they not right when they call you idolaters and Giaours?" Many said, "Mr. M. is right." Others said, "He wants us all to be Protestants." I said, "Only Jesus Christ can take away the veil which is before your eyes, and deliver you from darkness, and save your souls from sin.” Two of our Missionaries, the Rev. Messrs. Weakley and Wolters, have been on a journey into the interior, visiting various towns and distributing the word of life. In doing so they have been exposed to much hardship, and the Greeks have taken notice of this, as will be seen from the following passage Referring to the journey of Messrs. Weakley and Wolters, some Greeks asked me how far those gentlemen were going. Mont. "To Koniah, please God." Greeks. "A long journey." Mont. "For men it is a long journey, but for the Gospel a short one, Christ has bidden us to preach the Gospel to every creature." One Greek. "It is true. In the present day we see well educated persons who, for the Gospel's sake, verily bear the cross of Christ, and follow Him. They toil, expose themselves to trouble, and even risk their lives for Christ's sake, and we sleep." Another Greek. "We have no need of such things." Others. "Do you know what your speech is like to? The man who is wet through has no need of rain to wet him' (ironically). Since we have nothing we do not need any thing. Is there any comparison between our nation and the English? Are we more noble or more enlightened? They have heard and are following the voice of Christ, and travel to the east and west, to the wild places of the earth, and even amongst cannibals they preach the Gospel; whilst we, orthodox Christians,' don't even need it. And shall we say that we have no need of any thing?" I asked the Greek, "Why have you no need of the Gospel?" Greek. "Because we proclaim it in the church, and have no need that others should preach to us." Mont. "Do me the favour, then, as a good hearer of the church, and a good Christian, to tell me a few of those things which you have heard in the church concerning the Gospel, so that I, too, may be benefited. It is your duty to scatter the good seed which you yourself have received." Greek. "I am not a 'Iepокnpu" (a preacher.') All the rest (laughing) to the Greek, "When you are unable to talk, then learn to keep silence." THE DESIRED HAVEN. LORD, the waves are breaking o'er me and around; Lord, the night is closing round my feeble bark; Lord, I would be near Thee, with Thee where Thou art- Oh! to see Thy glory, Thy wondrous love to know: Lord, the lights are gleaming from the distant shore, Oh! how sweet their summons falls upon my ear! Hark, the solemn answer! hark, the promise sure! Yet a little longer, weak and weary one! More to perfect patience, to grow in faith and love ; More my strength, and wisdom, and faithfulness to prove; Loose the cable, let thee go. THE ORPHANAGE AT SECUNDRA, NEAR AGRA. AGRA was founded by the magnificent Emperor Akbar, and was thirty miles in circumference previous to his death. The magnificent mausoleum, the Taj, was erected by him, at a cost, it is said, of four millions sterling. The Church Mission was commenced here in 1812, by the Rev. D. Corrie, afterwards Bishop of Madras; and a converted native, Abdool Messeeh, once a Mahratta trooper, having been admitted to holy orders, laboured here as an evangelist for many years. An orphanage was formed here after the great famine in 1838, Akbar's mausoleum THE ORPHANAGE AT SECUNDRA, NEAR AGRA. 83 at Secundra, with its corridors, being arranged and fitted up as an asylum. This orphanage grew up into a body of native Christians, supporting themselves by working at a printing-press. This establishment was broken up by the mutiny, and the native Christians have been transferred to Allahabad, where they have successfully resumed their former occupation. About three years after the mutiny another great famine swept over the North-west Provinces, and so many children were left orphans, that the orphanage was resumed in the old premises at Secundra. At the end of last year it contained 328 children, the boys and girls being nearly in equal numbers. Some of the girls are blind, and read the Holy Scriptures in the raised Roman type. It is a most interesting sight to see the blind orphans read their books. On first discovering that, blind as they are, they yet can learn to read, their pleasure is intense. There is one woman in the establishment who belonged to the old orphanage. She has been blind for many years, but recently she has been taught to read, and it is to her as though she had been restored to her eyesight. The establishment is industrial. There is a press and bookbindery. They are also taught to do carpenters' and tailors' work; while washing, baking, and drawing water, are taken by the boys in turn. The press helps to the support of the establishment, having brought in last year 600/. Since the beginning of the present year two new branches have been opened a blacksmith has been engaged, and preparations made to start the manufacture of Hindustanee paper. Besides the 328 orphans, there are about 100 adults and children residing in the Christian village, the inmates of which increase year by year, as the young people from the orphanages intermarry, and settle down in life. On the first Monday of each month, a Missionary prayer-meeting is held in the church, at which the catechists in turn give an account of some part of Missionary labour in India. A subscription was also commenced for Missionary purposes, and every Christian, without an exception, has put down his name, so that another reader has been engaged to preach in the surrounding villages. When the orphans were asked by one of the catechists if they would contribute any thing towards bringing the word of life to their countrymen, they willingly gave up an extra allowance of their weekly food, i.e., their púrís, small cakes baked in ghee or oil, which they used to receive once a week. We are persuaded that every thing is being done to guard against the peculiar tendency of these institutions, namely, to grow up in isolation from the heathen round, and so have all their sympathies and interests turned inwards on themselves. The superintendent of the orphanage asks for some gifts from friends at home, such as two terrestrial globes, of about one foot in diameter, or larger; an orrery of the larger size; two sets of school-maps; stationery; and an harmonium for the church, of the larger size and a powerful tone, the one in use being very small, and entirely drowned when a tune is sung which is known to all. CHINA. ONE remarkable feature at the present time in Missionary operations is the wide door for usefulness in diverse directions. Some fifty years ago the difficulty was to obtain access to the heathen, the opportunities were so strait. China proper was long closed against Missionary action. The earlier Missionaries, who placed themselves at Macao or Canton, found themselves in every way obstructed by the watchful jealousy of the native authorities. Voyages were attempted along the coasts, but wherever Missionaries attempted to land they were objects of suspicion. It may be well to retrace some of the experiences of the past, and to contrast them with the advantages of our present position. In 1835, the late Rev. Dr. Medhurst was engaged in one of these coasting expeditions. Rounding the promontory of Shantung, they cast anchor in the bay of Wei-hae, and proceeded to land, taking with them a supply of books for distribution. They found the shore lined with a dense crowd, into the midst of which they made their way, and began to distribute their books; but had not advanced far before they were met by the chief Mandarin and his retinue. They were immediately challenged as to their business; and on their reply that they had come to do good, an adjournment to one of the junks was proposed, where a conference might be held. This they agreed to, after distributing their books; but on their attempting to move in the direction of the town, the Mandarins placed themselves before them, and said they would not be permitted to go in that direction. The ground was that of the Celestial Empire; and the Emperor, who commanded all under Heaven, had given strict orders that no foreigners should be permitted to go one single step into the interior. On the Missionaries persisting, the Mandarins took hold of their hands, repeating that they could not be allowed to proceed, as it was forbidden by the laws. Finding it useless to persist, the Missionaries returned to the beach, and began to distribute their books. There was no unwillingness on the part of the people to receive them; nay, they were too eager; for, crowding around them, they snatched them away: many, putting their hands into the baskets, helped themselves. So soon as they got hold of the books they disappeared up their large, loose sleeves, out of the sight of the Mandarins, who saw all this, and could not prevent it. Now our Missionaries have free access into the interior. Our Missionary at Fuh-chau recently proceeded up the course of the Min to a city 350 miles in the interior, no one hindering him; our Missionaries at Ningpo make constant itinerancies into the country districts; and lately a tour has been made in Mongolia by an American Missionary, the publication of which we must, for want of space, defer to next month. |