The fact became known to his friends, who immediately removed him from our Institution, and prepared to send him to a distant part of Bengal, under the care of his brother. This forced the matter to a crisis, and, to prevent his passing away beyond our influence altogether, we received him amongst the number of our converts. Whilst living with us, before his baptism, he was visited by several of his friends; his mother, in particular, was earnest in her entreaties to win him away. The morning after her visit his uncle came, and, by false and exagge rated statements of her state of mind, persuaded him to visit her; as we well knew, this was but a trap, and Hurrish fell into it. When he left us, we did not expect to see him again; but, to our joyful surprise, he returned two days afterwards. The discovery of the false means by which he had been tempted away, and a consciousness of the mistake he had committed, led him to resolve to return to us as soon as he could. As an illustration of native feeling, I may mention that none of his near rela tions visited him after this; they no doubt came to the conclusion that it was his fate to become a Christian, and that therefore their attempts would be altogether in vain. "I am happy," adds Mr. Storrow, "to inform you that my chapel at Cooley Bazar is now free from debt. During the last two years we have gradually been reducing it by monthly subscriptions, and recently we contributed more than sufficient to pay off what was still remaining. This clears the way for increased effort in favour of the London Missionary Society, and for building a minister's house. Towards accomplishing the latter object, I have already purchased a small house, paid one-fourth of the cost, and arranged for the gradual payment of the remainder. "I think the church and congregation are gradually improving in numbers and in spirit; not, indeed, so rapidly as I could wish, but perhaps as rapidly as I have any right to expect. The moral and religious growth of all communities is slow." PROPOSED NEW MISSIONS IN CENTRAL SOUTH AFRICA. It will be in the recollection of our readers that the Rev. R. Moffat having been invited by the Directors to afford his valuable assistance in the esta blishment of the projected new Missions, expressed in his reply, inserted in the "Missionary Chronicle" of November ult., his cordial concurrence in the measure, and his intention to set out with the least avoidable delay for the country of the Matabele, in the hope that, through his influence with their potent sovereign, Moselekatse, the success of the enterprise might be promoted. Accordingly our honoured Brother commenced his long and somewhat perilous journey at the end of July, and after the delays on his route necessary for the rest and refreshment of himself, his fellowtravellers, and their oxen, and having visited, in succession, Sechele, chief of the Bakwains, and Sekhomi, chief of the Bamanguato, he arrived, on the 5th September, within ten or twelve days' journey from Moselekatse's country. The following extract of a letter just received from Mrs. Moffat, bearing date the 5th November, and embodying the above facts, will be read with interest. "My dear husband's last letter to you, of July, would lead you to expect he would leave us about the end of that month to proceed to the far interior to make prelimi nary arrangements with Moselekatse for commencing a Mission there. This he did on the 28th of that month, since which we have from time to time continued to hear from him by companies of natives going to the south to seek employment. Hunting parties too keep coming out, and one of the first of these brought us most cheering intelligence in addition to Mr. M.'s letters. While he was at the Bamanguato a messenger arrived there from the Zula (or Matabelian) monarch, Entreating of Sekhomi to change his habits and be more peaceable, not to kill people or annoy travellers :-he said Moshete (Moffat) had advised him to do so, and he had followed his good counsel, had laid his spears in the water, and was expecting Moffat, and was longing very much to see him again, and he hoped Sekhomi would do nothing to hinder him.' This intelligence was most seasonable to me, for up to that time I had, when in low moods, had some misgivings about the new project, We have Mrs. Moffat's letter is accompanied by a portion of her husband's journal, but as the incidents recorded, although in themselves of considerable interest, are nearly of the same general character as those which occurred on the former journey, an extended notice of which appeared in the January and three following Numbers of the "Missionary Chronicle" for 1856, it has not been deemed necessary to repeat the information now furnished. During his temporary sojourn with Sechele, and afterwards with Sekhomi, Mr. Moffat had the opportunity of discovering some new and singular traits in the characters of those chiefs; but his intercourse with them on this occasion had no direct bearing upon the main object of his mission, excepting so far as they and their people formed connecting links between the Kuruman Station and the country of the Matabele. It will be remembered that Sechele and his people, when residing at Kolobeng, the station formerly occupied by Dr. Livingstone, were, in the year 1852, exposed to a ferocious attack from the emigrant Boers, who destroyed the settlement and killed numbers of the inhabitants. Sechele has for many years professed the Christian faith, and although it cannot be denied that his acts have too often belied that profession, he has uniformly approved himself the steady friend of the Missionaries. On the contrary, Sekhomi, the chief of the Bamanguato, has long been notorious for duplicity and chicane in all his transactions with the Missionaries. It was this man who intercepted the letters and supplies forwarded to Dr. Livingstone when on his journey in the interior. It is, however, remarkable that Sekhomi, though extremely jealous of the power of the formidable Moselekatse, and averse to his holding correspondence with the Missionaries, did not venture to oppose any obstacle to Mr. Moffat's journey-another instance, among many, of the extraordinary influence our friend is enabled to exercise over the rude minds of these native despots. It is a striking fact, adverted to in Mrs. Moffat's letter, that while Mr. M. was still sojourning among the Bamanguato, a messenger arrived from Moselekatse with exhortations from that redoubted chief to Sekhomi to abstain from war and bloodshed, upon the strength of the Missionary's counsels to that effect. Well may the incident be regarded by our devoted Brother as a providential token in his favour, and serve to animate and encourage him in the prosecution of his enterprise. NEW MISSIONARIES FOR CENTRAL SOUTH AFRICA. We have great pleasure in announcing that preparations are in a state of forwardness for sending out four young Missionaries with a view to commence the projected new Missions on the Zambese. These Brethren will be accompanied by the Rev. H. Helmore, at present on a visit to this country, who, by seventeen years' experience of Missionary life and labour in South Africa, possesses peculiar qualifications for the work of directing and co-operating in this important enterprise. The Missionary band will, it is expected, embark for their destination in about two months from the present time, and we feel persuaded that the prayers and best wishes of our friends will attend them. CHINA. recent THE labours of the Missionaries at this Station continue to be followed by visible and decisive tokens of the Divine favour. Within a very period eleven new converts have been added to the native church, and on the minds of many of the young especially, under training in the schools, the truth has made saving impressions. At the date of the appended letter, the city of Canton was still holding out against the allied forces of England and France, and although it has since been captured, there is no reason whatever to apprehend that the amicable relations previously subsisting between the people of Amoy and the Missionaries will be disturbed by that event. Indeed, the late hostile operations against the Cantonese appear to have been regarded from first to last with singular apathy and unconcern by their countrymen at a distance from the immediate scene of action. Under date Amoy, 9th December ult., the Missionaries observe : "We are thankful that the war now vigorously prosecuted against the Chinese in Canton province has not as yet had any effect in producing feelings unfriendly to us n the minds of the people of this place; and we trust that, even although Canton city be taken possession of by the British, we may still go on uninterruptedly with our labours here. "Through the Divine blessing, which we continue to enjoy, eleven additional converts have recently been added to the church. Three of these are Chinese women, and the other eight are men. "One of these Chinamen was baptized by Mr. Lea, at our weekly church prayer meeting; his name is Siau Tek-ch'un. He is engaged as cook on board a square-rigged vessel, having Chinese owners, which was about to sail next day for Singapore, and wished to confess Christ publicly ere leaving Amoy. Before the members of the church, and a goodly number of other Chinese then assembled at our chapel, he avowed his faith in Jesus as his Divine Redeemer, and his d ́ermination, through strength derived from Hi, to live henceforth as His obedient and devoted disciple. "The other ten adults, and also four little children belonging to them, were baptized in our chapel on last Lord's Day morning, December 6th. The chapel was, as is usual on such occasions, crowded to the door by earnestly attentive Chinese, females as well as males. Two of the gentlemen of the British Consulate, and Mr. Sandeman of the English Presbyterian Board, as well as the Brethren of our Mission, were present at that service. Mr. J. Stronach preached the introductory sermon, taking as his text 2 Cor. vi, 1. Afterwards he baptized the three women, three children belonging to two of them, and and one man. The other six men, and an infant son, held in the arms of the first of them, were baptized by Mr. A. Stronach, who also addressed the converts and the congregation, and concluded the deeply interesting service with prayer and praise to God. "Of the three women then baptized, the first, Go Lim'so, has long listened to Divine truth at the meetings held near the north gate of the city, and also at our principal chapel. The other two, Ch'wa-chan-chim, and her daughter-in-law, Ch'wa-o-so, first heard the Gospel at a meeting held weekly by Mrs. Stronach, in the house of one of our zealous church-members, and they have since also attended at our services in the chapel. All these three females appear to have cordially received the love of the truth by which they may be saved; and their conduct is thoroughly consistent with the profession they have made. "The seven men baptized last Lord's Day were all pleasing instances of apparently sincere conversion. The man baptized by Mr. J. Stronach, Lim Ma-chwan, is a literary man, and teaches a school of Chinese boys near the north gate of the city. There he has long and earnestly listened to the preaching of Divine truth. He has attained a clear and influential knowledge of the Saviour's grace, and appears indeed to 'believe in his name.' "Of the six men baptized by Mr. A. Stronach, the first, Lim Sui tai, is a boatman, and has charge of the cargo boats of one of the English merchants here. His father is a member of the church under the care of our American Brethren; and his wife and his sister-in-law are members of the church under our pastoral care. During many years he has been attending at our services; but it is only within a few months past that he has truly known and loved the Saviour. We have every confidence in him as being now an enlightened and earnest disciple of Christ. "Lim Sin-tind is a son of the man just mentioned. He was formerly one of Mr. A. Stronach's day scholars, and appears at length to have become a truly converted youth, and happy in being admitted, along with his father, into the visible fold of the Good Shepherd. "Lim Sui-tai's infant son, Lim hwa-siong, was baptized at the same time; for in the spirit of Joshua of old he says, 'As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.' "Lim Ki-beng, a young boatman, is the younger son of one of our zealous female church members, Lim Hwat-so, and nephew of Lim Sui-tai. He is only fourteen years of age, but appears truly in earnest in his desire to follow, with his mother and his other relatives, along the way of holiness,' until all shall appear before God in His dwelling place of blessedness above. เ "U K'hai-hak is a dealer in teas. He has during several years past attended almost daily at our chapel, and appears to be now a sincere and earnest believer in Christ. "Tang-hwan-ch'ai is a pewterer, mostly employed in making the linings of tea-chests. In order that he might be able to keep the Lord's Day holy unto the Lord,' he has refused situations where he might have received much higher wages than he gets at present. He has acquired much knowledge of Divine truth, having long attended regularly at our religious services in the new chapel, and seems to be an earnest Christian indeed. 66 Chung Sien-g'u is one of Mr. A. Stronach's boarders. He has been nearly three years at school, and is now sixteen years of age. At our meetings for the examination of candidates, and afterwards at his baptism, he answered all the questions asked him with a readiness and a heartiness which evinced a clear knowledge of the Word of God, and the lively interest which he feels in its sacred truths. His conduct and his spirit harmonize with his profession of faith in the Saviour, and of love towards Him. He has two uncles church-members, Tan-tai, and Tan Siok-hoey; they too are glad that he has come forward, and entirely approve of his being admitted into the church. "On the afternoon of last Lord's Day ou principal chapel was again crowded to the door during the sermon; and afterwards, when the Lord's Supper was administered, numerous spectators looked on the enlarged church partaking together of the Lord's Supper. "During the past half year four of our male church members have been removed by death, besides the two of whom we wrote in our last half-yearly letter. "Since the 1st of March 1848 we have baptized at Amoy 193 adults and 41 infant children belonging to them. The present number of church-members is 177 adults52 women and 125 men-of whom 22 have been baptized this year, and all these are communicants. POLYNESIA. HERVEY ISLANDS. IN consequence of the severe indisposition of the Rev. A. Buzacott, and his intended removal to Sydney for the benefit of his health, it became necessary for the Rev. G. Gill to repair to Rarotonga, in order to relieve Mr. B. from the charge of the Institution and Mission on that island. In a letter, dated Rarotonga 30th June ult., Mr. Gill gives an interesting account of the circumstances attending his leaving Mangaia, and his entrance upon his new field of labour. "The John Williams,"" writes Mr. G., "arrived at Mangaia on the 31st of March, and as soon as possible we embarked for Rarotonga. My departure from Mangaia, after twelve years' labour, you will readily imagine awakened feelings of a most peculiar character. When I thought of what these people were some thirty years ago, as heathens, savages, and cannibals, when I thought of them as when I first landed in their midst, and with all these associations joyfully remembered that now many, very many, profess to be the children of God and the disciples of Christ, I felt humbly thankful that it had been my honour and privilege to be an eye-witness of the transforming power of the Gospel of God. Here most emphatically we can say we have seen the |