Etems of Entelligence. A'SA'M. A letter has been received from Mr. Cutter, dated Jaipur March 11, 1841. Mr. Brown and family had returned from their visit to Calcutta, and the mission was proceeding in its labors as usual. They ask for an additional press, for the purpose of printing tracts, of which there are several prepared, and an edition of the New Testament entire. A tour of exploration through the several districts of the province had been proposed, of which, and of the prospect of itin erating labor, he remarks: Br. Barker has left for Jorhath to select a station for himself, and we hope soon to Both br. see him settled in that district. and sister Barker have made good progress in the language. The whole of A'sám is as it were unoccupied. In the short tour I made through a part of that district, I was surprized to find so large a population; and I believe the Nowgong district is still more thickly settled. The amount of work on hand just now does not allow me to be one of the number to make the proposed tour, and br. Brown is just ready to go on with the translations to advantage. Br. Barker was anxious to be one of the number, as he could at the same time fix upon the most important post for himself to occupy. Br. Bronson was also at leisure to go, but he has again been attacked with fever, and has since been very ill. He went to Rungpore for medical aid and is now improving a little. I remarked that almost the whole of A'sám remained unoccupied. Br. Brown is confined to translations, and I am most of the time confined to the printing office, so that it matters but little in what part of the field we are stationed, provided it be a Br. Bronson being conhealthy location. nected with the Naga branch of the mission, there only remains br. Barker as an active missionary, i. e. a preacher and itinerator, among the whole of the A'samese. It is my impression that the population of A'sám is far greater than that of the Tenasserin provinces, but I am not able now to state how the two fields compare with certainty. I hope the first missionaries sent to any quarter will be sent to this interesting province. FRANCE. From a letter of Mr. Willard, dated Douay June 3d, 1811, we present a few extracts. Mrs. W.'s health is still very feeble, as it has been for a long period. Amid many disheartening circumstances, they still meet with rome cucouragement in their labors. I left Douay on the 14th May, on a visit We to the départemente de l'Oisne. found all prosperous there. We passed the Sabbath at Manicamp, this village being more central than Genlis. The friends from the neighboring towns were present; also the schoolmaster and several other individuals from Blérancourt, a bourg one league from Manicamp. A man by the name of Haution, resident at Chauny, came to Manicamp late on Saturday evening, was examined and received by the church. Mr. Crétin intended to baptize him that to defer it till the next day, at the request evening, but the man said he had promised of his wife, who wished to witness the ordinance. Brother 'T'.'s room was full on As she was desiSunday. Madame Boileau, of Chauny, also, came about noon. rous of being baptized, the members of the church retired to the house of a friend to hear her relation, while the service was performed at Toynenne's. After the baptism Mr. Crétin broke bread to the little flock. It was the most interesting day in many respects, which I have passed in France. The work appears to be taking deep root in that region, and since the organization of the church none are baptized without undergoing a thorough examination. This is as it should be. Lepoix left Douay yesterday with his family for Chauny, in which town he will reside for the present. The two persons baptized 16th May at Manicamp, reside at Chauny; there exists at present no opposition in that town. Lepoix may receive visits at his house, may visit at the houses of others and hold small meetings without fear. I hope this is but the beginning of good things for Chauny. Brother Crétin has already baptized four persons this year, and there are as many more who will not probably long delay obedience to the command of the Savior. The character of the people is very different from that of the inhabitants of this country. They are independent and fearless-they I was forcibly tell you what they think. reminded on one occasion, of what I have often witnessed in my own country. We called on the friends at Genlis the day before we left. Several of them came together, and among others a woman who is no stranger to the doctrines of the bible. Mr. Crétin spoke to her very plainly of her guilt in delaying so long to embrace the Savior, telling her she had made but little progress for four years, &c. To all these things she replied continually that she was convinced of the truth-that she knew it When the others had ended their was so. remarks, I observed to her that according to her own confession she was not ignorant of the truth-that I was surprised to hear the excuses she made for not obeying it, and begged of her to remember that Mr. Crétin was not her judge and to bethink herself well if she had a good excuse to present to her God when she should meet him-that it was a very serious business, and should be attended to without delay, lest she should be called to her account unprepared. She again assented to the truth of what I said and burst into tears. There really seems to be an interesting work going forward in that region. GREECE. Mr. and Mrs. Buel, it will be recollected by our readers, embarked, on the 27th of April last, in the barque Catharine, for Corfu, via Malta. A letter announcing their arrival at the latter place, has been received from Mr. Buel, dated Malta, June 14, 1841. The unexpected departure of the French steamer this day, obliges me to write but briefly. After a voyage of forty one days, the Catharine anchored in this port on the evening of the 6th inst. and the next day proceeded to Smyrna, leaving us to a four days' quarantine, previous to entering the city. The passage from Boston was on the whole a pleasant one, though at one time attended with circumstances of great peril. We cannot speak too highly of the uniform kindness of Capt. Gardner in attending to the comfort of the passengers, by which he has endeared himself to all of them. After being out twelve days, a heavy gale from the south west overtook us, which made it dangerous for our deeply laden vessel to run before it; and we were obliged to lay to" about two days. During this time we were very near being run down, in the evening by a large vessel, that came within two cables' lengths before discovering us. There was but just time to avoid a collision. But the angel of death swept by us only to show by a most startling providence, that often in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh." The improved state of br. Love's health we had the happiness to learn from Mr. Andrews before leaving the vessel. The kindness experienced from the U. S. Consul and the valuable services which he cheerfully rendered, relieved us from any embarrassment that we might otherwise have suffered among strangers. CHEROKEES. The following extract of a letter just received from Mr. Evan Jones announces his safe return to the Cherokee country, after an interruption of his labors for nearly two years. The letter is dated Cherokee Nation, Ind. Ter., June 26, 1841. We yesterday arrived in this country, after a long and fatiguing journey. We have abundant cause for gratitude to our heavenly Father, for bringing us in health to the place of our destination; and especially, that we have arrived before the commencement of the sickly season. We met br. Bushyhead last evening, on the way to his appointment for a two days' meeting. My family and the wagons went on to his house, while I returned to attend the meetings. The Lord we trust was present in the assembly. At the concluHere I met a great many old neighbors and sion, fourteen came forward for prayer. christian friends. Many additions have been made to this church, of hopeful converts, during my absence, and the prospect is still very encouraging. June 28. Yesterday we had a number of very interesting meetings, which were closed by the baptism of eleven Cherokees: two males and nine females. The reports from the other churches are equally interesting and encouraging. 292 Heath, females of Bap. ch. 8,00 Shelburn Falls Bap. ch., mon. concert, 12,00 B. Whitfield 25,00 per William Heath, 20,00 Young Ladies of Alabama Salein, 2d Bap. ch., a mother for Female Athenæum 49,75 her children 1,00 180,07 Boston, Federal St. ch., united monthly concert, 25,00 do., Miss Wetherby 5,00 Mississippi. New Bedford, a feinale member of the Williams St. Bap. ch., per Rev. Henry Jackson, North Randolph Bap. Fem. Miss. Soc., Mrs. Grace S. Peabody tr., per Rev. Charles H. Peabody, 10,00 35,27 per William Colgate, 154,97 Newton, 1st Baptist ch. monthly concert for a year, per Rev. Ohio. Prof. Ripley, 43,40 Neponsett, Ladies' For. Miss. So ciety, Miss C. Minot tr., 30,00 Worcester Baptist church, John Lawville tr., per William Col Williamstown, friends to missions, gale, 85,00 per Josiah T. Smith, East Bridgewater, a female friend, per Mrs Lydia Kimball, 1,00 Springfield, Miss Z. Cheney 10,00 Chesterfield Bap. ch. 1,00 Greenfield Bap. church, per Syl per Rev. J. W. Eaton, 11,00 vester Bingham, 13,00 Cambridge, For. Mission Associ Lamarsh Bap. ch. 1,50 ation of 1st Bap. ch., William La Salle Bap. ch, per Mrs. B. Hovey tr., 370,35 Lucy G. Bingham, 10,00 -622,02 Peoria Bap. ch. 1,00 Pleasant Grove Bap. ch. 1,62 Rhode Island. per Rev. Thomas Powell, Another year has rolled around, and it becomes my duty to lay before you what we have attempted to do the past year, as well as our prospects for the year to come. It has been our pleasure as a family to be more actively employed in missionary work during the year that is past than at any former period of our lives. The experiment of living upon the Naga hills with a family, and that too during the rainy season, has been fairly tried; and I can truly say, that until sickness entered our abode, we were never so truly happy in this heathen land. During the greater part of the eight months that we were on the hills, our little school was continued. A number of young men of good standing can now read their own language, and the romanized A'sámese; and can repeat the Naga catechisin: several other smaller lads can only read easy sentences in Nága. The larger boys can write tolerably well also. Mrs. Bronson has devoted almost her whole time to the school, which, with her domestic affairs, has required no small amount of labor. The first two weeks of our departed sister's missionary life was spent in the school,-with inexpressible joy to herself, and with great satisfaction to us all. Boliram, our valuable teacher, has been very faithful and useful. We daily instruct him also, and hope he may yet not only prove useful as a teacher of language, but of the blessed gospel also. VOL. XXI. 38 Bhugchand, the interpreter, has also aided in teaching the smaller boys. The Nagas are a people of such a character, that what they do, they do with their might; and when they come to read, all wish to read at once-and not wait one for another; so that it has been a very useful measure to employ these assistants. Since we came down I sent Boliram up to see if they were daily reading or had forgotten what they had learned. He brought back a very favorable account of their reading together evenings. We should have been able to accomplish much more if it had not pleased God to afflict us so severely with sickness. Of our little daughter Mary's severe illness, and of sister Rhoda's illness and death, I informed you in former letters.* To administer to the sick, often required all our time, so that many days the assistants were obliged to conduct the school alone. At last my own case became alarming. Having bad returns of fever for three months, I not only became disqualified for all duties; but found myself growing rapidly weaker and weaker, notwithstanding I was using those very means which had before always been blessed to my restoration. Having continued in suspense, hoping in vain for a return of health, for three months, and finding that were I to wait longer, there was no certainty that any oue would come and carry on the work we had begun, I felt that it was not my duty to incur the expense of living there, while we were able to do comparatively nothing for the people; and especially while our lives might be jeopardized for want of a suitable *See the May number of the Magazine, page 116; also the July number, pp. 215–18. FROM A LETTER OF MR. BARKER, DATED, JAIPU'R, DEC. 28, 1841. change of air and diet. We therefore | EXTRACTS Most of the intelligence contained in this letter has been anticipated by previous communications; but as it embraces some particulars The Naga language-Translation—not before published, and serves to give a conProspects of the station. nected account of Mr. B's. labors, we present a few extracts. In looking back upon the time we spent there, I desire to be thankful for the frequent opportunities we had of explaining the truths of the bible to these poor people; and for the confidence and affection manifested towards us. I have also had considerable time for studying the language, which I find to be rather more difficult and complex than I at first anticipated. I have gone several times over with the "History of the Creation, and of the Flood." These can now be preserved in manuscript; and if we are to have any more help to carry on the Nága mission, they can be afterwards printed. I have made a beginning also of Matthew's gospel, but found it very difficult to proceed for want of a suitable teacher. As yet I am obliged to explain and get all Nága terms and phrases through the A'samese. Mrs. Bronson has just revised Worcester's Primer in Nàga, and it is through the press. Voyage to A'sám. You have long before this heard of our arrival both at Calcutta and at Jaipúr. Mr. Pierce, at C., was very, very kind to us, and aided us in every way in his power. Our stay was only eight days in the city. We were two and a half months on our voyage from Calcutta to Jaipúr, which was a short time compared with most of the journeys made on that river. On arriving at Jaipur, we found that Mr. Bronson had removed to the Nága bills, and that brethren Brown and Cutter were settled at Jaipur. Not being able to go to the hills, we went into br. Brown's house, where we continued until within two weeks past. We have now moved into a house which I have built for temporary use, near to his. Mrs. Barker has been engaged about three months in teaching some little girls in reading and sewing. She has had eight or ten in number, and has succeeded, thus far, beyond my expectation. They are pleased with making clothes for themselves, and their parents allow them to come because of the advantage they derive in this. My time has been mostly spent in making journeys, &c., until within a short time. I am now laboring to acquire a knowledge of the A'samese language. In regard to our prospects for the coming year, I know not what to say. I never commenced a year under so discouraging circumstances before. Sickness has driven us from the field. Sickness and death obliged us to postpoue our intended journey for the restoration of health. Our fond hopes of having fellow-laborers are blasted, and feebleness now prevents me from travelling and laboring as I desire. Expecting to have assistance, new plans have been devised, and some of them have been commenced; expenses have been incurred, and the hopes of good people in this country raised, which, so far as I can now see, must be dis-joiced to hear of so many revivals in appointed. It pains me deeply to see things progressing so tardily, chiefly for want of two or three active and devoted missionary brethren. I am trying to improve my health, but am sorry to say that it is poor at the best, and a little exposure, or over exertion, brings on all my feverish symptoms. Still my hope is, that I shall yet have strength to toil in this long neglected portion of our Lord's vineyard. To this cause I desire to devote my days. My progress in the language must for the present be slow, yet I hope soon to be prepared to commence a school either below or in Mattak, should the Board favor my request. We are re America-that the Lord is thus refreshing his people from his presence, and increasing their number greatly. May we not hope to have more missionaries? As yet we are few and feeble; and the obstacles with which we have to contend are many; while poor health is the portion of some of us, most of the time. Our sister Bronson, with whom we journeyed so many thousand miles, has been removed from our midst by the hand of death. Brethren Brown and Cutter |