Much as I

had heard of their usefulness and its results, I was not prepared to witness such evidences of it as I have seen; not in their school-rooms only, or in the attainments and conduct of their pupils; but in the aspect of the whole community, amongst whom they have been toiling ; and the obvious effect which their care and instructions have been producing on the industrial, social and moral character of the surrounding population.

The number of professing converts recorded by your people may be small, as compared with those occasionally announced by other missionaries or ministers in Ceylon; but the field of their labors pre

ning; and those new to the work, are apt | pled success in this colony. to think that their more experienced brethren rely too little on preaching, and too much on the slower methods of instruction. A missionary from Ceylon told me that soon after his arrival in that field, he ventured to suggest his doubts on this subject to the oldest, and certainly one of the ablest and most devoted of his brethren. That elder brother was then ill, lying on his bed, opposite an open window. He said to his doubting brother:-From that window, you can cast your eye over a number of villages, embowered in trees: as I lie here, I can in my mind go from house to house through all those villages, and tell you the names and character of every family. In a course of years I vis-sents to me this remarkable feature, as ited them so often, I so often conversed with them, and preached to them, that I know them all, and know them intimately; yet I never saw any fruit from all that labor. Their minds were so darkened, their moral feelings so degraded, that the truth could gain no access, and made no impres-reality still only heathens at heart; whilst sion. We were literally forced to adopt the method of regular teaching; and you see the result. A Christian nation is rising up around us. Another missionary from the same field, who had been twentyfive years on the ground, expressed his firm conviction that if God would continue to bless their labors for the next five and twenty years as he had hitherto done, the whole Tamul people would be as thorough-structure of pure and practical Christianity. ly christianized as any nation in Europe.

Let it, however, be distinctly understood, that we advocate no exclusive method of instruction. The business of the church is to teach, and to teach in all the ways by which the truth of God can be conveyed to the understanding; but that work must be accomplished.

SUCCESS OF THE CEYLON MISSION.

In the Missionary Herald for August, there is a letter from Sir J. Emerson Tennent, Colonial Secretary to the Government of Ceylon and President of the Committee of Education, written on occasion of a recent visit to the province of Jaffna, the seat of the Ceylon Mission; from which we take the following paragraphs.

compared with all others in this island, that whilst elsewhere and in the other provinces we have multitudes of nominal Christians in ostensible connection with our churches, there are but too sad grounds for believing that the vast majority are in

at Jaffna, and more especially in the vicinity of your stations, even those of your pupils and hearers who still profess to be heathens, exhibit a far advance towards Christianity in their conduct and life. Practically their ancient superstition has been shaken to its foundation; and the whole fabric will shortly totter to the ground, and give place to the simpler

The whole appearance of this district bespeaks the efficacy of your system. Its domestic character is changing; and its social aspect presents a contrast to any other portion of Ceylon, as distinct and remarkable as it is delightful and encouraging. Civilization and secular knowledge are rapidly opening the eyes of the heathen community to a conviction of the superiority of the external characteristics of Christianity, and thereby creating a wish to know something of the inward principles which lead to an outward development so attractive.

Thus the school-room, operating simultaneously and in harmony with the pulpit and private counsel, is pioneering and preparing the way for the course of that spiritual enlightenment, which, I firmly believe, will ere long pour forth in a flood irresistibly, and pursue its wide and calm career comparatively unimpeded for every grosser obstacle will have been gradually but effectually removed beforehand.

Having at length visited in person all your stations, however unusual a spontane- I hope that this spontaneous tribute of ous communication of this kind may be, I mine will be regarded by you only with cannot resist the impulse to convey to you reference to the impulse which suggests it, my strong sense of the sustained exertions of admiration of your labors, and, I may of your missionaries, and of their unexam-say, of astonishment at their success.

As

a private gentleman and a Christian, I could not witness, without emotion, the good which your faithful servants are so widely diffusing. And identified as I am by position with the Government of this rich and important portion of the queen's dominions, I could not regard, without gratitude to your Board, the Christian lib. erality with which you are animating and directing a movement, the practical results of which have already manifested themselves in this province of Ceylon, in the moral elevation, the social enlightenment, the extended industry, and the spreading prosperity of our people.

IMPATIENCE IN THE WORK OF MIS-
SIONS.

"It is often wrong to judge by appearances. Experience proves that lands the most difficult to cultivate, are frequently the most fruitful when the time of harvest arrives. May not this be true of the inhabitants of our country? Naturally distrustful, they reflect long before they welcome new things among them; but if they once accord to you their confidence, you may count upon the continuance of their

esteem

I am afflicted, like your

selves, because the reports of your laborers do not contain more interesting facts: but I tell you frankly what I have said to other friends, that I am far from believing, with some Committees, that without the recital of facts the Societies cannot receive the funds which they need. The Lord can make abundant succors flow to his children, as well in ways unperceived as by means of which Committees make too little account."

Too often it happens, when fruits are late in showing themselves, that in our impatience to see a positive result of our Our brother's thought is ours also. Too labors, we ourselves complain because our often we seek to precipitate the times and efforts are not crowned with success; and the seasons, of which our heavenly Father when a faithful laborer has toiled for one hath reserved the disposal to himself. "If or two years, without being able in his re- the vision tarry, wait for it." Heb. 2:3. ports to inform us of actual conversions," Cast thy bread upon the waters," saith we counsel him to abandon a population so difficult to be enlightened. Our friends say to us, "Send us interesting facts, and we can collect funds for your work; but if you say nothing striking and pointed, we cannot maintain an interest in it." Such requests throw us into great perplexity; for our evangelists, the best and most active of them, sometimes have no such facts to communicate to us; and at other times there may be things of profound interest which, by reason of their delicate nature, cannot be made public.

One of our correspondents, to whom we had made known our painful impressions on seeing the many places in which our work had been prosecuted without offering equivalent results, to the sorrow of the laborers and the apparent loss of the moneys expended,-writes to us as follows:

the Lord, "for thou shalt find it after many days." Eccl. 11: 1. It was thus that the English Baptists commenced in 1793 the mission at Serampore in India, and they gathered no fruit till in 1800, after waiting seven years. It, was thus also that the pious Christians of Denmark and Moravia acted,—models of patience and devotedness to the missionary work,— who during seventeen years prosecuted their painful mission in Greenland without seeing a single conversion. Their faith was stronger and more persevering than ours, even as the Lord tried them with a trial which we could not endure. We should, therefore, be thankful that he treats us with tenderness, and grants to us the sweet privilege of seeing even now the fulfilment of the declaration, My word shall not return unto me void."_ Cir. of the Geneva Evan. Soc.

66

American Baptist Missionary Union.

RETURN OF MR. AND MRS. WADE. The arrival of these faithful and beloved missionaries in this country, and the causes which have compelled them a second time to retire from the missionary field, after nearly twenty-five years of labor,-labor rewarded with an almost unexampled mea

VOL. XXVIII.

46

sure of success,-are already known to our readers generally. But we find pleasure in enabling them personally to state the grounds and circumstances of their withdrawal, and especially the feelings with which they have regarded this painful suspension of their accustomed toils. We

we

single cheerful consideration, "Such is the will of God." After the first eight or ten days at sea, even this clear spot in our horizon began to be overcast; a storm arose, our vessel sprang a leak, and doubts whether we had not mistaken the divine will in undertaking the voyage, prevailed. My own mind became fearfully depressed, and my physical strength scarcely enabled me to rise from my berth; sleep left me, and I expected to die at sea. The weather continued rough, with now and then an interval, until we rounded the Cape of Good Hope; after which it was fine to St. Helena. But the leak, which required the pumps to be kept at work about one eighth of the time, day and night, continued to be a source of anxiety. And though my health began to improve during this latter part of the voyage, it was still precarious when we reached the island.

as to our duty to leave them, were much discouraged while they contemplated the increasing labors to be performed, and the decreasing number of those who were to perform them. At length the hour for our departure came. We commended the mission and one another to God, who is able to do all things, gave each other a tremulous hand, and sighed farewell. The first stage of our homeward journey brought us to Maulmain. Here were detained some four weeks for an opportunity to proceed. But we did not regret this. We loved to linger on the missionary field. It gave us also a precious season of intercourse with precious friends. There was Dr. Judson, who, after the death of the first Mrs. Judson, had resided in our family for some years, and we had had but one heart in our missionary work. There was br. Mason, with whom we had been most happily associated dur- Br. Judson had given us a letter of ing thirteen years of our missionary introduction to Mr. Carrol, the Amerilife. There were several Burman can consul, and Mr. Bertram, a Baptist Christians, who were the fruit of our minister; and we determined, if justiearly labors in Maulmain. Some of fied by circumstances, to wait there an these were then children; now they opportunity to get a direct passage were in middle life, with groups of home in an American vessel. We met their own converted children about the consul on board ship; he was very them. Others, who were then in affable and kind, offered us a room in middle life, were now leaning upon his house if we should choose to restaves, with silvered locks and furrow- main awhile on the island, and said he ed cheeks, which told us that in all would use all means to secure for us probability we should see them no the earliest opportunity to proceed on more on earth. There were also other our voyage in an American vessel; brethren and sisters, missionary and which, he had no doubt, would occur native, who, though less connected in the course of a week or two at farwith us in personal labor, were very thest. Mr. Bertram said we must stop, dear to us. But the time came for us-God was pouring out his Spirit upon to depart; we gathered around the the people of the island; a number mercy seat,-commended each other who had gladly received the word, to God in prayer, and then moved to were expecting soon to be baptized. the wharf. This seemed much like They had purchased and fitted up a our own funeral procession. convenient place of worship, and were now constructing a baptistry, which would be completed in about a week; and then, for the first time on the island, the rite of baptism, as held by our denomination, would be administered. "God," said he, "has sent you here to help us,-He has done it in answer to our prayers,-He has a work for you to do here, and you must not leave until it is accomplished." I confess I was not much convinced that God had a work for me to do there, for I knew that my physical and mental debility rendered me quite unfit for any public duties; but I hoped God might make a short stay on the island a means of recruiting my wasted strength, and of refreshing our souls

Soon the scene changed; every loved one had disappeared; and we were launched upon the broad ocean with the

* While detained in Maulmain, we wrote to Calcutta to inquire whether there was there any American vessel in which we could get a direct passage home. Only two American vessels were found which would take passengers, and the captains of those utterly refused, when they learned that the proposed passengers were invalided missionaries. They said they would not take missionaries on any consideration, for they should be annoyed all the voyage with efforts for their conversion. We, therefore, engaged a passage in an English ship, then loading in Maulmain with timber. Timber vessels, we were informed, are generally old and leaky, being unfit for other cargo; but this, so far as we could learn, was an exception to the general rule.

BASSA MISSION.-Extracts from a Letter of Mr. Vonbrunn dated Bexley, June 23, 1848.

The people amongst whom I preach, pay very good attention to the word of the doctrine of eternal life. I preach to my benighted brethren the true sayings of God, the great things of his law, the sure word of prophecy, whereunto we do well to take heed. I endeavor to preach the excellent and wondrous things, even the counsel of God, relating to our redemption by the Holy Lamb of God, which taketh away the sius of the world. In my own language, I try to compare spiritual things with spiritual. May the people derive more real advantage by the blessing of God. Many come from a distant place to join worship, and express a great

The Lord has lately visited us with his mercy and grace. In the month of June, that is, since br. Clarke left, two of the students have come forward, and with a vehement testimony of their conversion were gladly received into the congregation of Christ's earthly