Missionary Retrospect and Foreign Intelligence. BAPTIST MISSION, BATAVIA. LETTERS have been received from Mr. and Mrs. Phillips at Batavia, from which the following are extracts: burnt. The conquering party, according to their custom, were about to kill the boy and their other prisoners, and to devour them; when, providentially, he made his escape, by running to a Chinese merchant, who had visited the island for trade. This Chinese protected him, kept him as his servant for two years, and afterwards gave him as a slave to the chief officer of our ship. This gentleman has taken great care of him, and I I either of them be willing to part from the The only vessel we hailed on the passage was bound to Philadelphia. Since that period we have been apparently solitary in the watery world, but the watchful care of Heaven has pre served us from the perils of the tumultuous deep. Nearly 15,000 miles have we sailed without accident, and but few occurrences to excite alarm. On Christmas-day we cast anchor for the first time since we left England, and on December 27 we landed on the shore of Batavia, surrounded by Chinese, and the more singular Malays. The first intelligence we received was indeed of the most painful nature; on inquiring for the house of Mr. Robinson, we heard that dear Mr. Trowt had been removed by death. We found Mr. Robinson in a comfortable residence, about three miles from Batavia, and there we learned the sad tale of woe was true. We are bent, indeed, but not too much cast down, by this blast of sorrow. could do was, to remain with Mr. Robin-racter; and though he has nearly for All we son till we could gain some knowledge of the language. We find that Mr. Bruckner is pursuing the study of the Javanese." From Mr. Phillips, dated April 1, 1817. "Our ship's crew being composed principally of Lascars, I had no opportunity of preaching; but every Sabbath afternoon Mrs. Phillips officiated as chaplain, by reading Mr. Evans's sermons in the cabin to the captain and our fellow-passengers. There was one black lad on board, about seventeen years of age, servant to the chief officer, in whom we both felt much interested. He is a native of one of the Fejee islands, and belonged to a race of cannibals. In one of those battles which frequently fall out between the dif ferent tribes, this lad, with three or four others, was taken prisoner; his father and mother had been killed, and the whole town in which they lived was gave him. I used sometimes to read parts of the Bible to him, and to endeavour to explain to him the great truth, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. There is a great deal of benevolence and generosity in his cha use, he can speak English, Malay, and gotten his native language through dis Bengalee tolerably well. As his master intends some time or other to take a voyage to the island, and to take him with him, I think that possibly the boy might be the means of diffusing know ledge, if he had previously acquired it; this induced me to spend a little time with him. "We are now in the place which has been termed 'the grave of Europeans;' but, through mercy, we have no reason to complain of the unhealthiness of the climate. The heat of the sun is intense, bnt owing to a land breeze which sets in about eleven o'clock at night, and lasts till nine in the morning; and a sea breeze which sets in about noon, and lasts till seven or eight in the evening, we can manage to keep ourselves tolerably cool. Excepting a short attack of the fever, which I had soon after I arrived. we both have had our health very well. We were very much amused on our first arrival, to observe the singular manners of the Chinese and Malays; but we now begin to get familiarized with them. I consider the Chinese as a very interesting set of people; without them Java would be a very poor place indeed. They work at all sorts of trades, carry on every kind of business, and are very industrious. As no Chinese women are allowed to emigrate from China, the men marry Malay women, and there are now in Java thousands who call themselves Chinese, who have descended from these persons. Mr. Robinson considers them as being the most hopeful description of persons, as they are not so bigotted to the idolatry of the Chinese as their fathers are, nor have they such a reverence for Mahomet as their mothers. The Malays are a sullen set of people, many of them are slaves; they are of a copper colour, stoutly built, and have continually in their mouths a mixture of betel nut, seree, and tobacco, of which they chew so much as to dye their lips and teeth with a very deep red tinge. They are kept in the greatest ignorance by their priests, and whenever a missionary mentions the name of Jesus, they will endeavour to put an end to the conversation as soon as possible. We are indeed in a land of darkness, superstition, and idolatry. There are upwards of three millions of souls here, who know not the way in which sinners can be saved. I earnestly desire to be able to preach to them, with the hope that the God of missions will prosper our undertaking. Our circumstances try both faith and patience; we feel much the loss of Christian society, but if we are but made useful, we shall not repent having made any sacrifices. The Master whose we are, and whom we serve, will abundantly compensate for every privation we may undergo. had a man who could pray in their vil lage? They said they had not, and assigned as the reason that they had but lately erected the place, and had not yet obtained a priest. He then asked if any of them could read Malay? A young man was then fetched, who said he could. Mr. Robinson gave him a tract, and asked him to read it to the people. He did not, however, like to do this. · Well,' said Mr. Robinson, sit down, and I will read.' They seemed pleased, and sat down, or rather squatted down on the ground. He then read and explained a part of the tract, asked them questions, and succeeded in gaining their assent to what was said as being true. I understood the greater part of the conversation, and was gratified at beholding their attention. After inviting them to attend the Malay worship which we have at our own house,and giving away a few more tracts, we returned home, and held our weekly prayer meeting for the spread of the gospel." REV. DR. CAREY. We are happy to present our readers with the following extract of a letter from Mr. Lindeman of Calcutta, to Mr. Burls, dated April 1, 1817. "We have just returned from hearing Dr. Carey preach: he has been ill; but is (praised be the Lord) quite restored.” AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSION. IN Burmah, the press has already, by the labours of brethren Judson and Hough, commenced its useful career, having specially in view the object of giving the Bible to that nation, and the surrounding nations, in their own language. Religious tracts will also be Extract of a Letter from Mrs. Judson, dated Rangoon, June 14, 1816. "I wish that it were in my power to send you an account of thousands flocking to the standard of the cross, and re-printed there. nouncing all their dependence upon Mahomet, by believing in Christ alone : but this pleasing information I cannot yet communicate. There is but little curiosity among the Malays, and they seem to rest satisfied if there be one man in a campong, (so their villages are called,) who can pray. Last evening, I went with Mr. Robinson to a newlyerected village, inhabited by persons who have emigrated from Bali, a village contiguous to Java. We saw two or three men together at a house, and we went to them. Mr. Robinson then spoke to them in Malay, and asked them whether they "I have just been reading over your kind, affectionate letter, for which I sinI should have ancerely thank you. swered it before, but multiplicity of business prevented. You ask, my dear Mrs. Lovett, Is not the mission attended with more difficulties and dangers than you anticipated?' I answer, perhaps they are of a different kind from what I formerly imagined. As it respects real personal suffering, I have which are now ready for printing. He has also got some way in the translation of the scriptures. "I must now finish this long letter, requesting you will follow my example in its length. Remember us affectionately to all our friends. That we may meet in heaven, and spend an eternity together, is the sincere prayer of your affectionate NANCY JUDSON." Extract of a Letter from Dr. Carey to "I am, as usual, quite busy with the translations of the Word, which have never realized more than I anticipated; | have but one object on earth, and we or rather, I have felt a greater support make every thing bend to this. Mr. under trials than I expected. But the Judson has completed a tract, (a sumalmost insurmountable difficulty of ac- mary of the Christian religion,) and a quiring a foreign language, and of com-grammar in the Burman language, municating religious knowledge to the dark mind of a heathen, cannot be known by any but those who make the trial. In a short time one can get enough of a language for common use. But to think, to reason, and to get hold of the little connections and idiom of a language entirely different from one's native tongue, is quite another thing. Then, after the language is in a tolerable degree acquired, new terms must be invented to give them right ideas of a Being of whom they are entirely ignorant. But the difficulties do not stop here. The mind, in its native state, is slow to receive new ideas. Very little can be received at a time, and that little constantly repeated, or it is soon obliterated. But even when truth is received and retained, if it is received with the notion that self has no concern in it, it has no effect. O how utterly now become so numerous, that the mere impossible it is that these Burmans can be converted by any other than the reading of the proof-sheets would ocpower of God! This is our only hope; cupy the whole of a person's time. It this alone keeps us from discouragementskrit language makes it easy for me to is true, my acquaintance with the Sungand despair, and will continue to encou rage us, so long as we have such examples of distinguishing power and grace before us as the conversion of the Otaheitans. The conversion of a nation wholly idolatrous, is not the work of a day or year. Though it is infinitely easy for God to effect it even in so short a time, yet he has not seen fit thus to operate; nor have we any reason to hope that he will vary so far from his usual method of operation. The scriptures must be translated, tracts circulated, schools established, and a spirit of inquiry excited, before we can hope to see any essential alterations. The natives must have time to examine the effects of a new religion, by observing the conduct of the missionaries, before they will be willing to renounce their old. Alas! what can one single missionary do in a country where thousands are needed! And yet, should a host of missionaries arrive, it might at once destroy this little beginning, by exciting the suspicions of the natives, naturally jealous, and occasion a total banishment of every missionary. Thus we are compelled to see the miseries of this people, groping in thick darkness, without being able to relieve them; and knowing also it must be some time before any thing can be effected. But, my dear Mrs. Lovett, we are not idle; we feel we VOL. IX. acquire a competent knowledge of all those derived from it; especially as nine out of ten of the words current in them are either entirely pure Sungskrit, or so evidently derived from it as to be easily recognized. All the versions, except five, are of this sort. That, therefore, which would be hard labour to any person about to begin the study of any one of these languages, without a previous knowledge of the source from which it is derived, and which could not in that way be extended to many of them, is to me easy, being previously acquainted with seven-eighths of the words. I consider this as a circum stance for which I am bound to be grateful to God, as it enables me to carry on this work with much greater certainty, and to a much greater extent, than I could possibly have done without it. "The Pushto, spoken by the Affghans, undoubtedly the remains of the ten tribes, is on that account highly interesting to me. It abounds in Hebrew and Arabic words, but contains also some of Sungskrit origin, and many which are pro bably received from the Tartars, who inhabit the countries north of them. Much indeed shall I rejoice, if I may be successful in giving that portion of the ancient people of God, the word of truth in their own language," 3 K Extract of a Letter from Mr. Judson to Mr. Rice, dated Rangoon, November 14, 1816. us. " My beloved brother Rice;-In encouraging other young men to come out as missionaries, do use the greatest caution. You have hit right in brother Hough; but one wrong-headed, conscientiously obstinate fellow, would ruin Humble, quiet, persevering men; men of sound, sterling talents (though perhaps not brilliant,) of decent accomplishments, and some natural aptitude to acquire a language; men of an amiable, yielding temper, willing to take the lowest place, to be the least of all, and the servant of all; men who enjoy much closet religion, who live near to God, and are willing to suffer all things for Christ's sake, without being proud of it: these are the men, &c. But O, how unlike to this description is the writer of it! Still, however, I am, with neverceasing affection, your most affectionate brother in the Lord, A. JUDSON. The two brethren, James Colman and Edward W. Wheelock, accepted by the Board for the Burman mission, will soon, with permission of Providence, take their departure from this country. It is hoped, too, that the time is not far distant, when others will follow; particularly some one who, like Luke the beloved physician' of apostolic times, shall further the work of the Lord by an acquaintance with the healing art. The testimony of their tutor, Mr. Chaplin, it is proper here to insert. After giving a particular statement of the proficiency made by them respectively in literature, he thus concludes:-" In closing this communication I beg leave to add, that as far as the acquaintance I have had with them enables me to judge, they are modest, amiable, and pious young men; judicious in their views, and prudent in their conduct: and they both appear to me to be uncommonly promising as candidates for the gospel ministry." "Their own letters of applica tion to the Board follow: impressed with the glorious work of evangelizing the heathen; and I have long felt a settled conviction that, should the Lord be pleased to grant me an opportnnity, it will be my indispensable duty to engage in this arduous, this allimportant work. From the commencement of my Christian experience, my mind has been deeply affected with the deplorable state of the poor heathen. Nearly three years since, I wrote two letters to the Rev. Dr. Staughton, who was the instrument employed by a gracious God to awaken my attention to the things which belong to my everlasting peace. In those letters I stated my Christian experience, my exercises relative to preaching, and those also relative to going to the heathen. As Dr. Staughton, if you request it, will, I trust, favour you with those communications, it wilk be needless for me, at this time, to be minute upon the subjects to which they relate. My mind has ever remained as it was when I wrote him, except that my desire to be employed as a missionary to the heathen, and my devotedness to the cause of missions, have, I trust, much increased. Indeed, language fails me when I attempt to describe my feelings on this subject. Thought is poor, and poor expression.' "To you, honoured fathers, is my mind directed, as to those who, under God, must decide my case. To you I offer, freely and joyfully offer myself, to become your missionary, to aid those already under your patronage, in turning the poor Burmans I from idols, to serve the living and true God.' And, O! if it is consistent, that one so unworthy, and so unqualified as myself, should engage in this glorious work, deny me not, I beseech you, the unspeakable privilege; deny me not the fondest, the most ardent desire of my soul that can, in this world, be gratified. To deny me this, would be to deprive me of the greatest happiness which, in this world, I can possibly enjoy. I had rather be a missionary of the cross than a king on a throne. Let the men of this world possess its glittering toys; let the miser grasp his cankered gold; let the voluptuary enjoy his sordid pleasures; let the ambitious ascend to the pinnacle of earthly honour; but let me enjoy the sweet satisfaction of directing the poor Pagans to the Lamb of God.' court no greater good; I desire no greater joy; I seek no greater honour. To Burmah would I go; in Burmah would I live; in Burmah would I toil; in Burmah would I die; and in Burmah "Danvers, April 5, 1817. "Honoured Fathers in Christ;-It is with a deep sense of my unworthiness to engage in the service of God, and my insufficiency for it, that I now address you. May God direct my pen, and enable me to write in such a manner as shall afford you satisfaction. "My mind has long been deeply would I be buried. I Honoured fathers, I leave myself at your disposal, willing, if you desire it, to sail immediately for Burmah; and praying, ardently praying, the great Head of the church to direct you to the adoption of such measures, respecting myself and the Zion of God, as shall best promote his glory, and the salvation of the heathen. I am your very unworthy, EDWARD W. WHEELOCK. "P.S. For a knowledge of my cha racter and literary attainments, I refer you to the communication made you by my highly esteemed tutor." American Intelligencer. (To be continued.) Extract of a Letter from Mr. R. Oliver, dated Newark, America, May 4, 1817, to his brother John at Haddenham. Dear brother;-As you wished me to send all the good news I could concerning the Redeemer's kingdom in America; the circumstances which have transpired in my immediate neighbour hood will rejoice your heart. "When I first came here, there ap peared no life in religion; but now, hundreds are flocking to Christ. The revival began among the Presbyterians, of which here are two churches; I hear there are about a hundred to join one of them to day. We have one Baptist church, where I attend. About seven weeks back, the ice was broken in order to baptize eight in the river; two weeks after, seven more were baptized; since that, eleven more have been baptized; and to day six more are expected, one of whom is the eldest danghter of our brother Williams. "The work of the Lord is going on, and many more are about to say, We will go with you also, for the Lord is with you of a truth." The annual meeting of this Society was held at Oxford on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 1817. In the afternoon the Society met for business, and after prayer by Mr. Morgan, of Birmingham, It was moved by Mr. Hinton, seconded by Mr. Jarman, and resolved unanimously, 1. That William Burls, Esq. of London, do take the chair. The minutes of the last meeting were then read by Dr. Ryland; who proceeded afterwards to read various extracts of intelligence lately received from our missionaries; on which it was moved by Dr. Newman, and seconded The Committee assembled in the afternoon of the former day, and in the evening a sermon was preached by Mr. Birt, of Birmingham, from Isaiah, liii. 11," He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied." Mr. Ivimey, of London, commenced in prayer, and Mr. Birt concluded. At half-past sixby Mr. Coles, the next morning, a public meeting was held for prayer, when the following brethren engaged--Davies, of Oakingham; Welsh, of Newbury; Walton, of Cheltenham; Saffery, of Salisbury; and Adam, about to sail as a missionary to the East Indies. 2. That the substance of the Report now given be printed and distributed under the direction of the Committee.. Mr. Hinton moved, and Mr. Joseph Hall seconded, t 3. That the thanks of the Society be given to Mr. King, the Treasurer, for At half-past ten assembled again for his past services, and that he be republic worship. Mr. Cox, and Dr. New-quested to continue them another year. man, of London, engaged in prayer; Mr. Hughes, of. Battersea, preached, from Heb. xiii. 16; Mr. Hall, of Leicester, from 1 Cor. i. 18: and the service was closed by Dr. Ryland, of Bristol. On the motion af Mr. Cox, seconded: by Mr. Edmonds, it was resolved unanimously, 4. That the thanks of the Society be given to Dr. Ryland and Mr. Hinton, the Secretaries, for their services, and |