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when sharks were worshipped by a par ticular class of the Natives, infants were often sacrificed, by throwing them into the sea, to be devoured by the

monsters.

After describing the contention of a man and woman respecting a child, which both wished to retain, when about to separate from each other, the Missionaries add

Such contentions and separations are not unfrequent in this country. Mr. Young related to us the following incident, which shews something of the barbarity, sometimes practised here:

A man and wife having determined to separate, each insisted on having a child, which had been born to them. The Father -kept it for a while, then the Mother got possession of it: the Father took it away again; and so things went on, till the Father, to end the dispute, put an immediate end to its life.

Letter of Thomas Hopoo, a Native Christian.

This Young Man was one of the Natives who accompanied the Missionaries from America. It is remarked on this Letter

We give his own language. There is a satisfaction in beholding the exact lineaments and workings of a mind, once shackled and degraded by the grossest superstition, but now set free and ennobled by the Gospel. Comparing the two states, we perceive an illustration of the divine saying-If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. We see the contrast. The views and feelings, the motives to action and the objects of pursuit, the apprehensions and the hopes, are quite different from those of the former state. Hopoo may not be a true Christian; but he writes like one, and we trust will be enabled always to feel and act like one.

The Letter was addressed, from Woahoo, to his former Instructor in the Mission School. It is dated Oct. 6, 1821. My Dear Friend—

I am glad to receive your most affectionate Letter, that you send by George Sandwich. I always like to think of you, and those of my dear countrymen with you. I remember you, my Dear Friend, in my prayer, ever since I bid

you, and your favoured Institution, farewell.

I have not the least doubt, that you will rejoice to hear, that God has inclined the kings of these islands to cast their idols into the fire: and now they are wishing to have the knowledge of the True God. I hope I shall soon reap this great harvest of souls. May the Lord bless my feeble labours, in these very islands; and make me an instrument of turning many souls of my countrymen from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.

The Lord has, indeed, poured out a rich blessing upon this island, where we are now settled. It was last month we had a Meeting-House finished. This work was done by the charity of the sea captains, who have often visited these islands. I think it is my duty now to view this noble blessing, as a token of love from that Saviour, whom I am bound to serve, as a foretaste of eternal good. It becomes me, who now labour together with God, to stretch my imagina

tion to the utmost of the Sandwich

Islands, and to raise my soul higheṛ than Moun-ah-ka-ah*, while I am among these dwellers of the sea. I hope not one of my thoughts shall miss of the object before me; nor a wish of my heart be disappointed. For I know that the Lord is now preparing many hearts of the Natives of this place, as I trust, to come and fill this very house.

This news, as I doubt not, from your friend Thomas, will now gladden your very pious heart; and cause you to say, like the old Simeon, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. May you and I remember the prayer of Henry Obookiah, and his sweet words-he who, I hope, knows what you and I are doing

now.

If my life is spared, and my health preserved, I must try to do all that Henry Obookiah wanted to do, to make known Christ and His great salvation to my countrymen. I hope you will pray to God for me, that I may still be supported by grace, until Christ shall commence His universal reign upon the Sandwich Islands.

About a year and seven months since, I had a great pleasure of talking daily with Reho-reho, and his Queens, about My common visits about the great salvaJesus, at Owhyhee, Mowee, and Woahoo.

The high mountain of Owhy hee,

POLYNESIA..

tion among chiefs and men, were many and good. It is, indeed, a pleasure to me to visit them, so often as I have time, to make known Jesus unto them. In my favouring these dwellers of the sea, it was no small joy to me, that I should be a worker together with God, in the accomplishment of His holy purpose, respecting that joyful event, and the glory of His church on earth. Oh, when will the time arrive, when my friends Reho-reho and Tamoree shall be favoured like Pomare, with fruits of the Christian Love!

Speaking of the arrival of Tamoree at Woahoo, he says

I think

How glad am I to see Tamoree here, as a friend of the Mission! Tamoree's goodness is very great, in taking good care of Mr. Ruggles' and Mr. Whitney's families, in Atooi. hope Jehovah will bless his soul, and make him a blessed fruit of Atooi.

I

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prayer. He inquired for the Doctor, ways felt composed, after a season of answered him, "He thinks it uncer"Does he say that I shall get well!" I . tain." He then said, hovah, will kindly take care of me." " “The King, Jeis very good day," he observed to me. "It I said to him, "You are very glad to see the light of Jehovah's day, after a dark, distressing night."

preach Jesus to him. Aug. 9 This evening I went to indeed, wide awake, during the whole My heart was, night. I thought, in the night, it was good for me to preach Jehovah to this poor man. This made my heart cry, Lord, prepare this soul to receive that crown of immortal glory. I spent the great part of the night in secret prayer to God for this man, and found a sweet communion with God. It seemed as if I could not enjoy my heart in any worldly business,

as I did in praying to God for this sick soul. I can say, as I trust, that the

After sending his salutations to a Spirit of Jesus has been with me this number of his friends, he adds

All these, I hope, will remember Rehoreho and Tamoree, in their prayers to God; that they may soon be brought to know Jehovah their God, and Christ their Saviour.

The Mission Family here, and at Atooi, send their respects to you, and to your School. I wish you would, Dear Sir, write to me, and tell me as much as you can about Connecticut. And while you live, may Jehovah ever be with you; and in your death, may His grace conduct you to glory!

Promising Indications in some Natives.

In a Letter to Mrs. Daggett, the Wife of his former Teacher, Thomas Hopoo gives a detailed account of his visits to Holo, a chief of Woahoo, while on a sick bed, from which we make the following ex

tracts.

After a sea

After I had said a few words to him about Jehovah, he would turn his eyes to heaven and say, 66 Jehovah, come quickly down to save me!" son of great distress, he said, "If I put my trust in your God, I need not fear what mowee (sickness) can do unto me."

I often had good seasons with this man, in praying together alone at his bed-side. Our souls, I thought, then appeared to be knit together, like those of David and Jonathan. This man alDec. 1223,

night.

66

Aug. 16-This day, he requested his people to weep, before Jehovah take him. Many people attended, and many tears were shed upon every cheek, for the losing of their Chief. "If you," said I, were to die now, where will you go?" "I go to Jehovah in heaven."—"Do you love Jehovah ?" "Yes, I very much love Jehovah."-" Well, follow not," I said to him, "after the example of your countrymen about you, but after Jehovah; and make no kind of excuse but turn now unto God, and live." I went out. He said to me, 66 You will Tell them, I hope I shall see them soon. remember me to the Mission Family. You must tell them, I hope I pray to Jehovah every day and night."

of Owhyhee, a prayer of this Chief,
Hopoo then gives, in the language
of which the following is a literal
translation.

lowed be thy name. Thy kingdom on
My Father, which art in heaven, hal-
earth come. My Father, which art in
vah, holy King, Jehovah, do right. Take
heaven, clothe me with thy power. Jeho-
me, Jehovah, in heaven, when I die.

Mr. Bingham says of another
man, a native of Atooi-

where he has lately boarded, though for
John E-e came to the Mission House,
two or three days he has attended the

4 C

t

Queen, and said to me, in a very pleasant and sober manner, "I am come near to going away from you: I want you to pray with me first." Taking him to my room, we kneeled down together, and I endeavoured to commend him to God, and the word of His grace, and implored blessings on the Kings and people. To my inquiry after prayer, he answered, that he understood, in some measure, what I prayed for. I then requested him to pray with me. He replied, very modestly, "I do not know how to use the words, but I pray in my thoughts." I replied, "God can understand your thoughts, when your words are but few and broken, or even without words; but it is well to express your thoughts sometimes, in words." He knelt again with me and, in a child-like manner, offered a short prayer to this import-"Our one Father in heaven, we love thee-we desire thee to take care of us-take care of the King and all the Queens. Make all the people good. Take care of all the Iand-make the devils give it up. We thank thee that Missionaries come here. Take good care of the Missionaries here, and at Woahoo, and of all good people. May we go to heaven. Amen."

Encouragements and Trials.

On Sunday, March 24, 1822, the Missionaries at Woahoo write

God, they are sometimes invited to dine
at a table spread with fruits and wine,
for the purpose of destroying the good
effect, which the duties of the Sanctuary
are fitted to produce, and also for the
sake of telling them that the Bible is a
fable and the Missionaries impostors!
For one to make his boasts of such wick-
edness as this, is arriving at a pitch of
depravity that is seldom found, and is
assuming a responsibility which might
We are
well cause him to tremble.
happy, however, to state, that, in the
present instance, the King refused to
comply with the invitation, saying, “I
shall eat and drink in my own house to-
day. I must take care of this day."
We rejoice that the heart of the King is
in the hand of the Lord, and that He
can turn it whithersoever He will. He
can cause the wrath of man to praise
Him, and the remainder thereof He
will restrain.

Letter from Tamaahmaah to the Board.

The following Letter was composed and wholly written by the King. It is dated Woahoo, March 18, 1823.

To the Body of the American Board. Great affection for you all, dwelling together in America.

This is my communication to you all. We are now learning the PALAPALA, The King, five or six of the principal [reading, writing, &c.] We have just Chiefs, and of honourable Women not a seen, we have just now heard, the good few, with a goodly number of the com- Word of Jehovah. We are much pleased mon People, besides the Seamen in port, with [or much do we desire or love] the in all not less than 300, listened to the good instruction of Jesus Christ. His Word preached from Is. xlv. 22. It alone is the good instruction for you and was peculiarly pleasing to see so many us. [That is, for all.] This, recently, assembled in the House of God, and is the first of our being enlightened. We listening to the words of eternal life. have been compassionated by Jehovah. We have increasing reason to believe, He has sent hither Mr. Bingham, and that the holy truths of the Gospel are Mr. Thurston, and the whole company exerting a silent influence on the minds of Teachers, to reside here with us. Our of this people. We are also encouraged islands are now becoming enlightened. to hope, that the Sabbath, at no very Our hearts greatly rejoice, in their good distant period, will be acknowledged by instructing of us. Greatly do our hearts the Natives of these islands. rejoice in what Jehovah hath spoken to us. This part of my address is ended.

It is, however, extremely painful, to see how much exertion is put forth to turn away the minds of the King and Chiefs from the truths of God's Word, and from the hopes and promises of the Gospel: even in the House of Worship, efforts are made to divert the attention of the King and Chiefs from the subject of discourse; and, at the close of Divine Service, before leaving the House of

This is another communication to you. You have heard perhaps before; but I will make it more clearly known, for your information. Our gods, in former times, were wooden gods; even in the time of my father before me: but, lately, in my time, I HAVE CAST AWAY THE WOODEN GODS. Good, indeed, was my casting them away; before the arriving

here of Mr. Bingham, and Mr. Thurston, together with all the company of in

structors.

Our Common Father hath loved you all. Benevolent also was Jesus Christ; that, in speaking unto you, He should say unto you, "Goye, teach all nations! proclaim the Good Word of Salvation." The Ministers came hither, also, to do good to us; and we have been exceedingly glad. Moreover, at some future period, perhaps, we may possibly become truly good. We are now observing the SACRED DAY of the great God of Heaven, the Author of our Salvation.

Spontaneous was your love, in your thinking of us; and in your sending hither, to this place. Had you not sent hither the Teachers, extreme mental darkness would even now have pervaded all our islands. But no. You have kindly compassionated us; and the people of our few islands are becoming enlightened.

Grateful affection to you all. May you and we be saved by Jehovah, and also by Jesus Christ our common Lord. TAMAAHMAAH, King of Hawaii.

North-American States.

BOARD OF FOREIGN MISSIONS.

THE Thirteenth Report supplies the following account of the

Foreign-Mission School.

The School now contains thirty-five members-viz. eight from the Sandwich Islands, one Tahitian, one New Zealander, one Malay, eight Cherokees, two Choctaws, two of the Stockbridge Tribe, one of the Oneidas, two Tuscaroras, one Narragansett, two Caughnawagas, and an Indian Youth from Pennsylvania, a Chinese, and four Youths of our own people. From this list it will be seen, that, of the 31 Youths of Heathen Parentage, 19 belong to eight tribes of the

American Aborigines, nine are from Polynesia, one is from Asia, one from the Asiatic Islands, and one from Australasia. It is becoming a subject of conversation among intelligent Christians, and a subject of serious inquiry, whether more extensive measures cannot be

adopted to educate Young Foreigners, who are cast upon our shores ignorant and destitute; but who, in many instances, are susceptible of great improvement, and might hereafter, with the advantages which this country is well able to afford, prove great blessings to their countrymen. Should such measures obtain the sanction of the public, a selection of the most promising Youths might be made for the Foreign-Mission School; and thus a succession of wellinstructed Heralds of the Cross might be going forth to many distant commu. nities now lying in darkness and the shadow of death.

Number of Labourers.

The Board state, on this subject

Besides the Missionaries and Assistant Missionaries, who are waiting to embark for the Mediterranean and the Sandwich Islands, two Licensed Preachers have been received under the patronage of the Board, and another will probably be received in the course of the present month. There are several applications, also, from individuals, who wish to engage as Assistant Missionaries among the Indians, and who may probably be sent in that capacity.

From a late Circular, we add the following summary of the whole number of Labourers connected with the Board :

There are 71 persons employed by the Board among the Heathen: of whom 28 are Ordained Ministers of the Gospel, Besides and 7 Licensed Preachers.

these there are 54 Female Helpers, a few of whom are Single Women, but most of them are Wives of Missionaries.

Miscellanies.

THE BURYING OF A HINDOO WIDOW ALIVE.

(With an Engraving.)

THE Engraving connected with this article is taken from a representation, by a Native Artist, of a mode of self-immolation almost entirely confined to the Widows of one caste among the Hindoos. The Priests have surrounded their victim, who is repeating the formularies which they dictate to her; and, while nature speaks strongly in the grief of some of her relatives who follow her to the grave, other

Natives, employed for the purpose, are filling the air with sounds of exultation, and others dancing as in celebration of a great exploit.

At p. 427 of our last Volume, we quoted from the late Mr. Ward's “Farewell Letters," an affecting description of this species of suicide: from his "Hindoo Mythology," we here add some further particulars.

The Widows of the Jogees, a description of Weavers, are sometimes buried alive with their deceased Husbands. If the person have died near the Ganges, the grave is dug by the side of the river. At the bottom they spread a new cloth, and on it lay the dead body. The Widow then bathes, puts on new clothes, and paints her feet; and, after various ceremonies,descends into the pit that is to swallow her up: in this living tomb she sits down, and places the head of her deceased Husband on her knee, having a lamp near her. The Priest (not a Brahmin) sits by the side of the grave, and repeats certain ceremonies; while the friends of the deceased walk round the grave several times, repeating words, which, in their common use, are equivalent to " Huzza! Huzza!" The friends, if rich, cast into the grave garments, sweetmeats, sandal wood, rupees, milk, curds, clarified butter, or something of this kind; and the Widow directs a few trifles to be given to her friends or children. The Son, also, casts a new garment into the grave; with flowers, sandal wood, &c.: after which the earth is carefully thrown all round the Widow, till it has risen as high as her shoulders; when the relations throw in the earth as fast as possible, till they have raised a mound on the grave; when they tread it down with their feet, and thus bury the miserable wretch alive. They place on the grave, sandal wood, rice, curds, a lamp, &c. and then, walking round the grave three times, return home.

Among the Voishnuvus also, are instances of Widows being buried alive with the dead bodies of their Husbands.

On inquiring among the Brahmins and other Hindoos, employed in the Serampore Printing-office, I found that these murders were much more frequently practised than I had supposed. Almost every one had seen Widows thus buried alive, or had heard of them from undoubted authority.

In the Papers, printed by Order of the House of Commons, on "Hindoo Widows and Voluntary Immolations," this practice of Self-interment is repeatedly mentioned. The number of such sacrifices was small, however, compared with that by burning the living Widow with the deceased Husband.

In 1815, the Widow of Gorynauth, a deceased Jogee, refused to complywith this barbarous custom of her tribe. She was moved with compassion for her child, a girl of ten years of age, who, at the instant of the final parting from her parent, when the mother was on the eve of submitting to be buried alive with her deceased Husband, uttered such bitter lamentations as to shake the resolution of her Mother, and lead her to spare herself for the sake of her child. (Papers, p. 75). In various instances of intended self-immolation, the voice of nature has thus prevailed over the infatuation or delusion of this wicked system.

This subject having been brought, by different Gentlemen in the service of the Company, under the notice of Government, an inquiry was instituted into the authority on which the practice rested. The result was, that the following Regulations were adopted, Sept. 9, 1817, for its Abolition, and were issued in Circular Instructions to the several Magistrates and Police Officers :

The following Rules, prohibiting Widows of the Jogee Tribe from burying themselves alive with the bodies of their Husbands, are published for general information :—

1. It having been ascertained that the Shaster contains no authority for a practice, which has prevailed among the Jogee Tribe in some parts of the country, especially in the district of Tipperah, of burying alive the Widows of persons of that tribe who may desire to be interred with the bodies of their Husbands, such practice must necessarily be regarded as a criminal offence under the general Laws and Regulations of Government.

2. The Magistrates and Police Officers, in every District where the practice above-mentioned has been known to exist, shall be careful to make the present Prohibition as publicly known as possible: and if any person, after being advised of it, shall appear to have been concerned in burying a woman alive in opposition thereto, he shall be apprehended and brought to trial for the offence before the Court of Circuit.

3. The Magistrates and Police Officers are further directed to use all practicable means for preventing any such illegal act, and an attempt to commit the same, after the promulgation of these Rules, though not carried completely into effect, will, on conviction, be punishable by the Zilla or City Magistrate, or by the Court of Circuit, according to the degree of criminality, and circumstances of the case.

At the close of the next year (1818), one of the Acting Magistrates, in allusion to the quiet Abolition of this practice, thus argues (Papers, p. 239) in favour of the Abolition of the more general and destructive practice of Concremation. The forcible reasoning of this humane Magistrate (E. Lee Warner, Esq.) applies equally to any mode by which the Hindoo Widow is seduced to self-destruction.

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