The last object of a Christian church to which I propose to refer on this occasion, is their mutual watchcare. There is no duty perhaps which has been more clearly explained and more solemnly enjoined than that of Christians to watch over each other for their spiritual welfare; and yet there is scarcely a duty oftener abused or neglected than this. While on the one hand, with a view, at least professedly, to the accomplishment of this object, unlawful and unworthy means are employed, on the other, through fear of giving offence, even a friendly admonition is withheld. A church of Christ was never intended to be a body of censors to scrutinize one another's conduct and character, much less was it ordained to be the tribunal at which to arraign every delinquency we may see or fancy that we see in our brethren. So far from any thing like this, we are constantly enjoined to look not so much upon the faults of others as upon our own. And in all our intercourse with others we are exhorted, "as the elect of God, to put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven us." But yet there is a duty we owe to one another which we cannot discharge by passing over in silence the faults of our brethren. While we are required to forbear and forgive, we are also required to warn and rebuke. To discharge this duty properly, requires great wisdom and prudence, and we may add, no small share of selfdenial. There is a way, however, in which we may administer reproof without the fear and pain of giving offence. It is by living ourselves above all reproof. There is power in such a life. It speaks with a voice that must be heard. If God shall permit us to realize our hopes, we shall soon admit to our fellowship and watchcare some who but a short time since were pagans. We shall, of course, expect to find in them evidence that they have been renewed, and also that, under the influence of the Spirit of God, they are being changed into the same image from glory to glory. But we can hardly expect not to find in them also much that will occasion us regret and sorrow. They have long been heathen, their friends and associates are heathen still. The ten thousand rites and ceremonies with which they have been familiar from their infancy, and which have almost become a part of themselves, are heathen rites and ceremonies. Nor is this all,-they still think and speak a heathen language. Disciples placed under such circumstances must have made more than ordinary attainments in piety, not to be found frequently departing from the right way. This must be true in all heathen countries, but there are few countries where it is more emphatically true than in this. The peculiar system under which the Chinese are born and educated, has over them tremendous power when they would break away to become Christians. If it be true, as is sometimes asserted, that they are less strongly attached than other pagans to the ordinary forms of idolatry, it is also true that they have a form to which they are bound by chains of tenfold adamant. To pluck these asunder is difficult indeed. 1 allude to these things, not as demanding any mitigation in our mode of discipline, but as circumstances which we are not to lose sight of, lest we should not at all times be sufficiently patient and forbearing. Let us not forget that a precious gem may be much encrusted with dirt; and that we have need to be careful lest that which is most obvious turn our eyes away from that which is most precious. We are about to take upon ourselves solemn vows and solemn obligations. We pledge ourselves to labor for each other's spiritual welfare. These vows will be heard in heaven. Oh may the last great day disclose that they were made in dependence upon God, and that they have been faithfully observed. American Baptist Missionary Union. TAVOY MISSION.-Journal of Mr. Ben- from the commencement of the station nett. Yearly visit to the churches. Dec. 20, 1847. Left home in my boat for the yearly visit to the churches of Newville and Yaville, on the Tavoy river, with mingled feelings of hope and fear. Other men have labored, and the writer is now about to enter into their labors. These churches, where br. Wade has for the last several years labored, are left almost as sheep without a shepherd. When a retrospect is taken of the past, and we look over the history of these churches, it produces mingled feelings of pain and pleasure. Newville. Newville, to which we are approaching, is a Christian village, two tides distant from Tavoy. The inhabitants are mostly from the banks of the Toungbyouk, a large stream emptying near the mouth of the Tavoy river, and considerably farther south of Tavoy than their present residence is north of it. There, this church was first formed many years since. Miss Gardner (afterwards the companion of our dear br. Abbott, and whose remains await a glorious resurrection in the Karen wilds of Arracan,) visited these people, and br. Mason has also labored among them. But the difficulty of reaching their abode, and the time necessarily consumed, preventing visits to other equally promising fields, led to the advising of their removal to a more convenient location for the missionary. Hence they were located on this river, and their place called Newville. to the present moment, far be it from the writer to intimate censure on those who have preceded him, though they recates. He is well aware they would may have practised what he here depgladly have had it different if they could. As a consequence of concentrating the Christian families by themselves, their children are benefited by the schools, and the children of the unconverted have not this advantage. As a consequence, missionary operations, which ought to be aggressive into the dominions of the prince of darkness, are necessarily expended in keeping the churches in full strength and prosperity; and the accessions, of course, are mostly from Christian families. After all, there is much fear, it more laborers are not soon added, (and not one or two only, but five or six good and faithful men,) those who are now on the ground will scarce be able for the next ten years, (should they live so long,) to keep the respective churches at the same figures they now This, confessedly, ought not so to be. But where shall the blame lie? The writer does not wish to reflect upon the Committee, or the churches at home; he merely states facts as they stare him in the face, and really desires that measures may be taken, so that others, when he is in the grave and forgotten, may not from necessity be forced to write in a similar strain. are. There are at least four, perhaps six, and probably ten times as many families of Karens living on the banks or head waters of the Toungbyouk river still unconverted to God,without the Sabbath, without schools, without any means of grace, and some of them dying annually and going to the judgment of the great God,-as there are gathered in this peaceful, quiet and rural Christian village. Who will go to the lost sheep upon the mountains of the Toung-byouk valley, and tell them of Jesus and of heaven? Who will visit the water brooks there, and finding a hamlet, make known to its inmates that the blood of Jesus cleanseth from all sin? Shall they be As a consequence of this change, the place from whence they came on the Toung-byouk, has not been visited for many years by a foreign teacher. Thus all the unconverted are left in their native wilds without instruction. The propriety of settling the Christians by themselves, away from their heathen countrymen, though it may have an argument or two to recommend it, has often been called in ques-left to perish? tion, and as we conceive, properly. But under the limited means, and paucity of foreign laborers at Tavoy, even 21. Found myself moored to a steep bank of the river this morning, and the boatmen on shore preparing for breakfast and waiting for the tide.ly for this young man, and my desire Scrambled up the bank and found a is, that he may become a child of God. Burmese house, surrounded by a lux- After a discourse by teacher Ko-laurious plantation of sugar cane, plan- pau this evening, two females were tains and other vegetables. Before examined and received by the church sunset we reached Newville. In the for baptist. They belong to families evening the people assembled, and that have removed here from the Pateacher Ko-la-pau, who is with me, law valley. preached to the people from the words of Christ to the sisters, on the resurrection of Lazarus. Assembly from fifty to sixty. 22. Meetings as usual to-day, and inquiries into the state of the church. 23. After the morning prayer meeting, the church met to examine into the case of two of their number who have sinned. In the evening teacher Ko-la-pau preached an impressive discourse that drew tears from many Worship-Baptism and the Lord's Supper. 26. Lord's day. Prayer meeting in the morning. At the usual hour the people assembled for worship, and heard a discourse from the words in Phil. 3: 1. It was an interesting time, and we hope there were many who rejoiced in God. After worship, we gathered together on the banks of the clear stream, with singing and prayer, and the two candidates were baptized. In the evening, after a short discourse, the death of the Savior was commem orated. 27. Early prayer meeting as usual. About noon the head man from Yaville came down, who has had some difficulty with his wife, and they have separated and have been living separate for several months. She is living with her children she had by another husband. They are both old people and influential, and, of course, the difficulty affects others beside the two more particularly concerned. He seemed more tender and affected than he did when in town before Mr. Wade left, still he does not seem disposed to humble himself, or to live with his wife. He was most faithfully exhorted to do his duty, and rather to follow what God requires than the old nature, which is prone to ill. This is a very bad case, and needs much wisdom to advise, or to pursue a right course. A few years since, they had a similar difficulty, but made up their differences and lived together. An interesting up-country Shan. After dinner to-day a young man came in, who has wandered far from his home and kindred. He says he is an up-country Shan, born north or east of Ava. He talks Burmese fluently, and a little Karen. He was made a Burmese priest when a boy and has been almost all his life a priest. His age I should think about twenty. In his rambles, when a priest, he says he has visited Rangoon, Bassein, Arracan, Ava, Bomau, Mo-goung, Toung00, Zemmay, Maulmain, and various other places. He said he had never seen a Burmese printed book; I gave him Mr. Judson's Digest of Scripture, and he read off as fluently as if it was an old acquaintance. Said he had never seen such language before. On the subject of religion he seems light and trifling; but it is evident he is no Boodhist, though well versed in the system. Could we find half a dozen such young men as this, and the Spirit of God should convert them, and they go like Paul from city to city, and nation to nation, we might hope that with his Spirit they too might turn the 28. People met for prayer meeting world upside down. We did not won- in the morning, as usual. After tiffin, der, when we looked upon this young left for Yaville, sending the boat up man, that it is said of the Savior when the river over the rapids while I go the young man came to him and in-myself overland, at least a part of the quired the way to heaven, “he loved way. After walking near an hour, him" for the good such young men came out upon the river, where we might do is incalculable. I felt strong-found boats waiting for us to take us Preaching again in the evening. This church are about building a new chapel; of course, their contribution to the Tavoy Missionary Society was only about half as much as usual,-being only ten rupees, fourteen annas. There was a school here in the rains of eighteen pupils. Passing the rapids-Arrival at Yaville. over to the other side. Here we stop- | through it on 'to the zayat, situated on ped for the boat to arrive, and here are a gently rising hill, and on looking a collection of rapids, and a dangerous around, beheld one of the most lovely place to get over in the river. Here spots I have ever seen in India. The it is said the most of the accidents in village is situated at the base of the the river take place. It was here hill on which the zayat stands, and on where the Tavoy assistant to the Com- a steppe, above the high waters of the missioner was upset, and himself, his river in the rainy season; and almost people and all their effects in the boat, all traces of the river are lost, being were emptied into the roaring waters, hid by the dense foliage of the forest. when he came up in company with br. From the zayat you look down upon Wade last year. When my boat came the roofs of sixteen houses, some of in sight, some half a mile or more them double ones, surrounded by their down the stream, several young Karen gardens and the primeval forest. Nine men were despatched to bring it over months ago it was all jungle; but these the falls, the Burmans not being com- villagers then settled here, having repetent to the task. All the things moved down from the old location at were taken out of the boat, and the Lur-tu,-some half a day's distance coolies brought them over the rocks, farther up the river. To the west, while the boat was being dragged by a rise into sharp peaks the high tops rope and poled with bamboos over or of a chain of mountains running down up the falls, where at last all safely ar- the sea-coast from near Ya river to rived. After all things had been prop- the mouth of the Tavoy. The peak erly arranged, we all took to our boats opposite, or to the west of the zayat, again, and arrived at Yaville before the is some 800 or 900 feet high, and has sun had set. "dingly dells" and "sunny slopes" and sides in the dense foliage, enough to gratify even the most fastidious beholder. It seems to be very near,— not more than a mile distant; and the uninitiated would never suspect that the waters of the "majestic Tavoy river," as it has been called by some who have only seen its mouth, which is twelve miles wide, roll between him and the mountain. The appearance is very similar when you take an eastward view, where the mountains are nearly as lofty, though far more distant, and the base is washed by little rills, as they are now, but which swell into mountain torrents during the rainy season. On every side the trees and shrubbery are covered with jungle creepers and their flowers. Shans or Siamese. Here we found encamped on the bank sixteen Shans or Siamese, who emigrated from Siam some two years since, and have settled themselves on a small stream einptying into the Tavoy river on tide water, and near where it is said there was in former times a large Taling village, but broken up by the incursions of the Siamese. How strange often the changes in life. Here are Siamese leaving their own country, because of its oppression, and settling down in the very place, where, probably, Talings or Tavoyers, now living in slavery in Siam, ouce had their quiet gardens and peaceful homesteads! These people, I learn, are waiting for more of their party to arrive, when they all go up the Tavoy river some three or four days, where they employ themselves in washing the sands for gold dust. And they find it too; or rather I should call it gold sand or pebbles, for a specimen that was shown me was pure virgin gold, in flattened pieces, some rather small, from the third of a grain up to one piece of some twenty or thirty grains. I am given to understand these people can read Siamese, and regret I have not a Siamese book with me. Beautiful scenery. We soon passed up the bank of the river to the village of Yaville, and selected for a residence here below; and though God had made it, and made it lovely too, he had a much better place, where he was inviting us to come. It was a pleasant time, and indications were good. A full assembly at the zayat. In the evening the zayat was well filled, and the people listened to the gospel from Eph. 5: 1. As this chapter contains instructions to husbands and wives, it was selected for reading. 30. Meetings as usual to-day. In the evening the address was from 2d Cor. 5: 10,-on the general judgment. It was a solemn time. I was glad to see my up-country Shan friend present. May the truth reach his heart. Affecting prayer meetings. 29. People met for prayer in the morning, before sunrise, to the number of fifty-eight. Teacher Ko-la-pau read the scriptures and made some remarks, and one after another prayed. There was much weeping, and sighs and sobs were heard all over the house. At 9, A. M., the people assembled again, and teacher Ko-la-pau addressed them from 2d Thess. 5. He was much affected himself, and wept as well as others; when he had done, a few remarks were added, and a brother was called upon to pray, who proceed-ral who attempted to pray were choked a space and broke down through weeping; then another, and another, and another, not one of whom proceeded through his prayer; and, finally, Ko-la-pau prayed himself. It was a real Bochim. Gold washers. Toward evening went down to the bank of the river where the Siamese gold washers are encamped, and endeavored to hold some conversation with them through the up-country Shan mentioned on the 25th. He says his countrymen speak much the same language, but a different dialect, and that he learned this dialect while he was a Burman priest. Found them all Boodhists, extremely ignorant; they had never heard of the eternal God nor of the Savior. Two of them are old, grey-headed men. Endeavored to tell them something of the creation and fall of man, and of God's compassion in sending his Son to die for sinners. It seemed difficult for them to get hold of these ideas so as to understand them; partly, it is probable, for the want of suitable terms in the language to express religious ideas. They have, several of them, visited Bangkok, but they did not know that Christian teachers were there. They emigrated from the country in Siam, from a parallel a little north of Mergui. In order to satisfy myself whether they had ever visited Bangkok, I inquired if it was as large a city as Tavoy? A shout of laughter at the absurdity of the question, showed that they had been there. They replied that it was very much larger; and added, "there are villages in Siam as large as Tavoy.” Jan. 1, 1848. The new year here was commenced by a prayer meeting before sunrise, and it was a real Bochim. At times there was probably not a dry eye in the assembly. Seve ed by sobs. At 9, A. M., the people came together for covenant meeting, when many were so affected in confessing their sins, that they could not give utterance to words for some time. Some had one delinquency and some another to confess and mourn over. It has been a good day, and I hope the Spirit of God has been with us. Thus has opened another year, and an eventful one it may prove to many of us. O for more grace, love and joy in the Holy Ghost. It has been my desire, ny earnest desire, that my visit here may be overruled for good,-that all we do may be done with right intentions, and all for the glory of God and the salvation of sinners. 2. Lord's day. Our prayer meeting this morning was another Bochim. At 9, A. M., the zayat was crowded, several boats of people having come up last evening from Newville, and all listened to an exhortation from John 14:15. In the evening teacher Ko-lapau gave us a short exhortation from Paul's departure from Ephesus, after which the death and sufferings of the Lord Jesus were commemorated. A pleasant season; between sixty and seventy communicants. Thus closes our visit to this place. Here are many of the dear disciples of Jesus, and our earnest desire is for their spiritual prosperity. This village was originally formed by people from the vicinity of the Ya river and on its head waters, and the Christians removing here, have left the unconverted still uninstructed in the wild jungle. On this subject, we have already remarked in the commencement of this journal. Before these people removed, they were visited by brn. Wade and |