We were of different countries, and different classes of society, but we felt that we were all one in Christ. We had lent all our own cups and saucers, and borrowed from friends as many more as we could; but we had still far too few. This want had to be supplemented by black delf ware, coarser than the coarse brown jars used at home to put jelly in. We don't admire these, neither do our native friends. Next morning we were exchanging congratulations on the way our tea-meeting had passed off, when one of our people said they all disliked this coarse ware, and asked if I would not write to England for better teathings. I said yes, if they would make a collection among themselves to begin with. To this they readily agreed; and now what we want is, that some of the young readers of the "Juvenile Missionary Magazine" should give us a little to help. A .nd friend in one of the manufacturing towns of England supplied our friends at Mirzapore lately with a tea-set for three hundred people, every piece having the name of the mission on it. We don't want fine things: good common blue stone would be best. We should so like to have them by next year's meeting, in November. When they reach I'll write again, God willing, and tell you how we like them; also something about our schools and other missionary work. P.S. Will any readers, young or old, kindly help to supply the wants of our friends at Benares ? for about seven guineas we could send a set of tea-things containing about 940 pieces, with the name of the mission inscribed on each. Contributions can be sent to the Editor, the Rev. Robert Robinson, at the Mission House, or to Mrs. Corbin, of Haringey Park, Hornsey, N., and will be thankfully acknowledged. THE SHANARS OF INDIA. N giving you a description of the Palmyra of South India, I spoke of the cultivators and climbers of those high trees as a race of men called Shanars. I will now give you a short account of the religious belief and practices of these hard-working people. Shanars in their heathenism seem to have no idea of a great and good God who made heaven and earth and man. If some of them do appear to know a little of so great a Being, that knowledge probably was obtained by occasional intercourse with Christians. Their religion is the worship of devils. They do not learn to love them as you are taught to love our God and Saviour Jesus Christ, but they fear them, for they are in constant dread lest they should do them harm. They do not think these devils come from hell to torment them, for "they know no heaven, they fear no hell;" but they believe them to be the spirits of bad men, who, while they were living, were notorious for their wickedness and bad passions, and who came by their death in some sudden and awful manner. They think that such wicked characters cannot quietly remain in their graves, but that the restless spirit must still be doing evil, and therefore they walk to and fro in the earth, and are ever planning to do mischief. If a high wind blows off the roof of a house, they think the devil has done it. If fire burns down their home, it is attributed to the malignity of the demon. If strange noises are heard, they do not consider that they may have been caused by a jackal or hyena, but, with a scream, announce that a péy or devil has been seen scampering off in mid-air. They, however, believe that the power and malice of the demon are chiefly exercised in inflicting disease and death. When cholera rages, when small-pox, fever, and measles are prevalent, then the devils are supposed to be very angry, and every means must be used to pacify them. The Shanar thinks it is of no use to try to gain their favour. Prayers and tears will be of no avail. The demands of the demon must be satisfied before their malicious designs can be arrested, and the offering of a sacrifice is the only means that will prevail to avert the threatened calamity; for they are supposed to delight in blood. These devils are thought to reside in trees, and those which they are said to inhabit are often indicated by a daub of red ochre painted on the trunk. Generally there are péy-coils, or devil temples, erected under or near these trees. They are simple erections, consisting of a pyramid of mud or brick, about four or five feet high, and striped with red ochre and whitewash. Sometimes a wall surrounds the péy-coil, but frequently there is none. In front of the pyramid is a flat low erection, about a foot square, upon which the blood of the sacrifice is poured. A higher order of devil is called ammen, or mother, perhaps because it is thought to be more malicious and powerful. To these ammens a hut is erected, and inside an idol is placed, made of earthenware, of the most hideous shape that the potter could conceive. These sometimes represent the ammen as swallowing an infant. Upon the walls of these péy-coils, or suspended from the roof, may be seen rude imitations of arms, legs, or a cradle with a baby inside. The former have been placed there by relatives whose friends are injured or diseased in those limbs, the latter by a mother whose child is ill. In each case a vow has been made that if the ammen will restrain her anger and restore |