the political and moral state of Greece," published in our January number.

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1. Those who are at heart unbelievers, but belong to a political party which makes use of orthodoxy to promote its ends.

2. Unbelievers who think religion a valuable national tie, and a good thing for women and children.

3. Those who make religion their craft, of whom are the greater part of the clergy. 4. Those who are sincere believers in religion, but without knowing what it is; that is, who have no idea of any religion except what consists in external observances, such as the keeping of fasts and feasts, making the cross, etc.

5. Those who are sincere friends of

The state of education in these parts is very far below the necessities and expectations of the population. In all cases I made it a point to ascertain the condition of the schools where they existed, and if possible, to visit them, or at least to see the teachers. Schools have as yet been established only in the larger towns, and many of these are in a miserable condition. It cannot be said that the teachers, so far as they have been provided, are incompetent. They are always required to pass through a very considerable course of train-religion, and at the same time, are better ing and a thorough examination, and many, informed in respect to its spiritual characwhom I have known, would do honor to ter, and true value. their profession any where. But the hands of these young men are tied in many ways. The buildings used for school-houses are often most uncomfortable, and unfit for this use. In the town of Arachoba, for instance, the building, though of sufficient size, is paved in the interior with round stones, like the streets of a city, and though in that elevated and cold locality, has no glass to its windows, and has not the possibility of being warmed. The cold air of winter must be admitted, or the light must be excluded with it.

But this is not the principal hindrance to teachers. A greater is found in the deficiency of the proper school-books. Schools are to be found in which only the fragments of a few books exist, and the children are dependent almost entirely on a few readingcards, which are suspended upon the walls and are bedimmed by the dust of many summers and by the frequent handling of many urchins. It indeed shows no little zeal and perseverance on the part of teachers and children to teach and to learn with such means.

There is a general interest in education among the Greeks; but if my observations have not deceived me there is not, even in the higher classes of the population of the interior towns, so great a desire for the thorough education of their children as to lead to any sacrifice or expenditure in order to attain it.

On the whole, education is evidently on the advance in Greece. Schools are increasing in number, and improving in character, and it is not too much to hope that existing evils will all gradually be remedied, and existing wants be provided for.

The state of religion.

My observations now, as at other times, convince me that religion in Greece is in a state of decay. Religion here is supported by the following classes of religionists.

Of all these classes, the last mentioned, which is unhappily by no means the most numerous, is the only one from which a consistent or very successful support could be expected. The mass of people in the interior towns and villages are of the class of those who are strict in the external observances of religion, but little affected by its influence on their lives. If no influence from without were brought to bear upon these, and their external relations were to remain unchanged, they would doubtless continue their cold formalities for generations yet to come, as they have for generations which are past. But their relations are already greatly changed, and are still in a changing state. A literature is forced in upon them, a periodical press is drawing them within the circle of sympathies with each other, and with other nations, and their own newly established political system is breaking up many old habits, opening new sources of interest and emolument, and concentrating a vast amount of moral influence in its metropolis. Unhappily this literature is almost exclusively secular, and to a considerable extent, an irreligious literature. Unhappily this political system neglects to provide religious instruction, and requires the violation of the Sabbath by all its grades of civil and military officers. Unhappily the metropolis is a nursery of deism and licentiousness, a propaganda of error, and is pouring its tainted streams into a thousand channels of circulation. As the minds of the people become enlightened, they will at once lose their confidence in external rites, as the means of salvation, and their respect for a system which they now discover has blinded them, and inspired them with false hopes. If then the advocates of a pure and spiritual christianity are not awake at such a moment to guard and possess the mind with a true exhibition of the religion of the gospel, and with substantial arguments in its support, there will

be a natural and almost necessary adoption | evidently affected the hearts of hearers. of error. Especially is this to be expected No act of the Greek synod, nor any other when we know that the great enemy of the recent event in the affairs of this kingdom, truth is busily thrusting the multiform pre- has afforded me more fervent joy and sentations of error before this people. He thankfulness to God, than this opening of has sent forth his agents among us, com- the mouths of these interesting young missioned with the impurities of the gross- preachers. It seems like an era in their est atheism, with the scoffs and sneers of church. May their own hearts be touched deism, and with the subtleties and false re- by the sacred truths which they preach, finements of German neology. To coun- and they become faithful and able pioneers teract all these there is engaged a very in their church. But what are these among small amount of intellectual and moral pow- so many? May the Lord of the harvest er. Religious instruction in the elementary raise up laborers for his harvest. It is a schools is confined to an occasional cate- crisis in the affairs of souls. This nation chetical exercise; while in the higher is just at the point of receiving its character schools and gymnasia, and in the universi- as christian or infidel, and the result will ty, no religious instruction is given what- inevitably involve the eternal well-being of ever, except to the theological class, nor is multitudes of our fellow-men. there any regular religious exercise in these institutions. Preaching has gone into almost entire disuse. Three priests were appointed two years since, preachers to the kingdom, and have occasionally preached a sermon in different parts. Except these, and the regular preaching of Mr. King in Athens, probably not a sermon has been preached in the Greek language during that period until since the commencement of the present lent. At this time four young men, who have gone through a regular course of classical and theological study, have been directed to preach in the churches of Athens. Their discourses, so far as I have heard them, and so far as I have learned from others, have been scriptural, and free from even an allusion to those usages of the church which we regard as injurious and delusive. Some of them have been in a good degree direct and pungent, and have

But at such a juncture there is a call for aid from abroad. We can, to any extent we please, give direct religious instruction to children and youth of the land. And we can contribute to the literature of the country evangelical works, which will be read by multitudes, which will, with the blessing of God, fix the attention, and engage the affections of the indifferent, and which will bring back to light and life those who have wandered far into the regions of disbelief and death. How glorious is our privilege! How peculiar, and in one view, how awful, is our responsibility! May we not prove recreant to our trust, and may God forbid that this nation should try the fearful experiment, and the experience which others in our own age have tried. May the truth be interposed, and be triumphant !—Miss. Herald.

Other Societies.

Baptist (Eng.) Missionary Society.

MISSION TO WESTERN AFRICA.

Our January number contains a notice of the mission undertaken by the above mentioned society, to Western Africa, and of the designation and departure of two missionaries, Messrs. Clarke and Prince, both formerly of Jamaica, (W. I.)-for that field of labor. They are destined ultimately, to some point on the river Niger, but as the way was not yet opened to that region, they have effected a preliminary settlement on the island of Fernando Po, which lies near the coast, and contiguous to the mouths of the Niger.

"This," says the Baptist Missionary Herald, from which we make the following extracts,

"has occupied the greatest part of the attention of our brethren, it being, in their judgment, the spot on which it is desirable to commence operations. The situation of the island, in relation to the mouths of the Niger, and of other great rivers, the intercourse carried on between it and England, the readiness of the natives to listen to instruction, the facilities it affords for the acquisition of African languages, and the comparative salubrity of its climate, have recommended it to them as the spot where a station should first be formed, which may be a stepping-stone to other stations, and a general rendezvous from different parts of the main land. Here, they say, the field is white already to harvest.' They have made some essays, and the results are encouraging."

Mr. Clarke, in a letter dated Feb. 2, 1841, | land is cleared near the towns of the nathus mentions their

We landed at Clarence on the first day of January, had a kind reception from Mr. Thompson the agent of the West African Company, and were invited to remain (until lodgings could be found for us elsewhere) at his house.

On the first Sabbath of the new year I commenced preaching to the interesting people who reside there. I addressed them from Luke ii. 10, And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. About 250 attended, and in the evening I again preached, and had a still larger congregation to hear from my lips the words of eternal life. On the Monday evening I commenced service in our dwelling, and every evening, when we are at Clarence, the people assemble in numbers varying from fifty to eighty and one hundred, to listen for an hour to the reading and expounding of the truths of God. Dr. Prince takes his full share in the work with me; and is, I believe, the means of much good to myself and to the people.

We meet in the cool of the morning and evening; we have the people seated in the yard, and worship commences about six o'clock, A. M., and again at five o'clock P. M. The people rejoice to hear, and some of them we hope are feeling themselves sinners, and in need of a Savior, and will soon show that the word preached has not been in vain.

The town of Clarence contains 170 houses, and 17 at Krou town, adjoining; besides 7 large houses belonging to the West African Company. There may be in Clarence 700 inhabitants, and of Krou men, at Krou town and hiding in the woods, 300. The Adeeyahs, or aboriginal inhabitants, are from 5,000 to 10,000 souls; their correct number cannot at present be ascertained. We have met this interesting people at three of their towns, and had about 600 of them in all to hear from us the words of eternal life. They are a most harmless race of people, and are not so covetous as most of the Africans usually are. They gave us a very kind reception and expressed themselves glad that white men were about to instruct them respecting God, and the way to be forever hap

tives, but elsewhere is overrun with tall trees and bushes. It is well-watered, and very well supplied with all the luxuries usually found in tropical climes.

Respecting the Adeeyahs, or original inhabitants of the island, the following additional notice occurs, in another letter from Mr. C.:

"I took a walk into the woods one morning, and came to a town of the Adeeyahs,' but for want of an interpreter, I could not talk to them of the Lord Jesus. I have now got a person, who was for eleven years among these people, and who understands their language as well as he He also speaks English does his own. moderately well, and will I hope, be able to do something for us among this people, who are, I should think, without exception, the most degraded that exist upon the earth. A male and a female who reside in this town, who understand English, and are a little civilized, are already ranked among the 'number of our inquirers after truth. God grant they may be the first fruits of a rich harvest unto God.

“These Adeeyahs are vulgarly called boobies:' their huts are scattered over the island in different directions. Those nearest to each other form a town, and of such I have got the names of above thirtyseven already; and have no doubt there are many, the names of which I have not yet been able to obtain; their numbers cannot be accurately known. They are a timid, inoffensive race, and are usually kind to such as go among them in a friendly way; but among themselves, they sometimes have war, and fight with the long Their lanwooden spear and the knife. guage is certainly very poor, and cannot be very difficult to acquire. It seems to me soft and gentle; but I have not yet heard a regular palaver;' I have only heard the more delightful sounds of a timid female

Adeeyah' teaching four of her countrywomen the truths concerning God, and his Son Jesus Christ. This may seem strange to you, but it was thus: last Sabbath I attempted to make myself understood, on my return from Krou Town,' in a very short conversation with one or two of these poor females. The result was, that five of them, neatly dressed, came to our dwelling on the following day; two of them understood English, and in the simplest way I possibly could, I put words into her mouth to speak to the others, praying God to bless the feeble effort, and to write conviction on each of their hearts."

On another excursion to the interior, they visited the native town of Bassilli. The de

A native town-Habits of the people.

scription which follows, is from the pen of Dr. | gamy is named, or either of us kneels at Prince. The play-place referred to is " an open prayer, or, what is still more offensive, space in the midst of the village, about 130 when Jesus is named, a laugh is excited; paces in circumference, and is surrounded by but I am disposed to believe that it is an palm-trees, wild canes, and a variety of shrubs. expression of a vacant mind, surprised into There is an open shed upon a bank of earth, something quite new to it, rather than incalled the 'palaver house,' where grievances the midst of my first address to them, and dicative of contempt or repugnance. In are discussed, disputes decided, and other so after I had striven to show them the fallacial business settled." ciousness of their superstitions, and to shake their confidence in their dotter, this man went on one side, and in a moment a great number gathered round him; I wondered what was to come, especially when thirty or forty ran off at great speed, as people pursued or giving chase. Our interpreter, however, made an agreeable solution of the riddle, by telling us that by command of the king, the runaways were gone to bring fowls to present to us a thank-offering; five were handed to us, besides bread-kind, and tope (palm-wine), and we were told they were very thankful, wished to hear more, and would gladly welcome a teacher. They say "they must believe what white man say." We disbursed a few beads to the piccaninny mammas, and gave his majesty a likeness of Queen Victoria that graced the bowl of a tobacco-pipe, and also delighted him in a present of some of the weed.

We passed a night of broken slumbers, but awoke refreshed at grey twilight, and our ears were almost at the same moment saluted by the proclamation shouted by the king (according to promise), from before his hut to the awakening inmates of his village. The call was made in a peculiar metrical tone, agreeable to the ear, and in short harmonious sentences from a stentorian throat. An immediate and general response was given, just as if the whole population had simultaneously started into life at the first sound of their ruler's voice, and as if all were in the attitude of attention without their huts. Silent as death till his royal pleasure was fully declared, they then, as with one tongue, sounded their consent in tones like the gay and cheerful crow of a number of chanticleers. The king replied, and there was a short pause, till presently I heard a sound as of the rustling of leaves and shrubs, and forthwith started from the thicket that surrounded the play-place a ready company of expectant hearers. The sweet morning air, the music of the little songsters in the tree before us, the faithful voice of the heathen king, and the ready compliance of his simple subjects, the novelty and sublimity of the purpose for which they were assembling, altogether originated in my breast an inexpressible delight, and opened the day with unusual cheerfulness. Abont 130 collected, dividing themselves into sections nearly corresponding with their ages.

Here and elsewhere the women are the most tardy in giving attendance; the larger proportion who do come bring infants or children; their backwardness is partly referable to the custom of excluding them from palavers. When we have signified a desire for their presence and have stated that our palaver is for women also, and good for all, surprise has been manifested, and the women seem amazed and timid; they also betray a shame to appear in their naked condition before us, and crouch down and attempt to cover themselves as they approach or retire; they commonly shrink from our proffered hands at first interviews, and few take them with apparent confidence. Whenever too the subject of poly

I shall add to the interest of this tale by a short account of a second visit we paid to them yesterday. We set forth at half past five, A. M., on foot, to see the people of Banapa, a village a little nearer than Bassilli. As we approached, those we first espied ran away from us, bolting into the bush as usual; but as soon as we conveyed to them what is our errand, to talk to them about " Dupee " (God), and that we were their friends come all across the great salt water" to teach them his book, they peep out of their lurking places, and ere long are pleased more than they can express; and frequently after we have thus been fled from at our entrance, the contrast of conduct at our sortie from the villages has been very striking; they then laugh and gambol around us, and vie with each other who shall have most of our regard. We had not succeeded in apprising Banapa of our intended visit, and therefore had a very scanty attendance, the more so as they are preparing for a festival to be holden on Tuesday next, to provide for which many are in the woods hunting.

Thence we went to our better acquaintance the Bassillians, who no sooner saw us passing by their scattered huts than out they came to welcome us as old friends, and as a matter of course, and unbidden, accompanied us to the play-place. This was in the forenoon, and our arrangement

was to defer till the evening our preaching, | having been two or three times summoned as a time most suitable to them, for the by the king in the interval of our visits, to convenient hours are in the first of the be reminded by him, and by his grey-beard morning before they go to their farms or chiefs, of what the white men had said, provision grounds, and in the evening after may be the first beginnings of a heaven -born they return. We had come prepared for struggle, it may be the kindling of a flame another night in the palaver house, but destined to consume the stubble of superseeing so goodly a number of volunteers, stition and to light the way for these heaand finding the chief would enlist many then people to the mansions of peace and others, we quickly agreed to meet them as purity. soon as we had cooked and ate breakfast, during which operations we had about us a crowd of spectators, with whom we endeavored to cultivate an intimacy. It was with great difficulty one or two could be persuaded to taste of our food; success was obtained with these by urging that we should take it as a token of their confidence that we were their friends.

Upwards of two hundred assembled: a more attentive auditory could not be given: sobriety and concern were depicted upon their countenances; and during the three quarters of an hour which I engaged them, by illustrations familiar to them, and calculated to convince of the depravity of their hearts, and the alienation of them from

God,—of his right to them, and of the only way they could become friends with him, and pointed out, by such parabolical figures as they could understand, their helpless state and need of a heavenly friend, they seemed not to tire, and showed the same respectful, earnest interest when br. C. followed and gave a concise exposition of the ten commandments. We have great pleasure in visiting the aborigines; though so dark in their minds, disgusting in habits, and so truly a distinct and neglected race, yet there is a simplicity, a harmlessness, and a childish good-nature belonging to them, which engages both the compassion and confidence of an observer: and though our ministrations amongst them are impeded by unacquaintance with their language, and by the difficulty of descending to the scale of their intelligence, yet I experience in these difficulties, and by the grace of God, a profitable humbling of a vain mind, and have that word most seasonably impressed, which says, "Without me ye can do nothing."

CALCUTTA.

Annual report of the missionary society.

The Baptist (Eng,) Missionary Herald for October, contains an abstract of the above report, which we copy below.

The twentieth annual report of the Calhas been recently received. Like the recutta Auxiliary Baptist Missionary Society port of the preceding year it includes an account of the Baptist Mission in India, and gives a brief survey of the Parent Society's operations in other parts of the world.

The report of missionary labor in India the first detailing the operations in or near is, as last year, divided into three parts: Calcutta carried on in immediate connexion with the Auxiliary Society; the 2nd the other operations of the Baptist missionaries in Calcutta; and the 3rd those conducted by missionaries of the Parent Society at the

other stations.

I. Under the first head are mentioned: 1. Preaching to the heathen, &c. The report states: the committee should have rejoiced, had the circumstances of the mission allowed of its being carried on with greater vigor and to a greater extent. Mr. Aratoon, Shujaat Ali and Ganga Narayan Sil, have been constantly engaged in this good work, aided by Mr. W. Thomas, and Mr. De Monte, when in Calcutta. Several of the senior students in the Theological Seminary also have been more or less employed in making known the gospel to their countrymen.

2. Native Churches.

1. The church in South Kalinga-forBefore we separated we put a few ques- merly under the pastoral care of the late tions, with a view to ascertain whether any Rev. W. H. Pearce. Present pastor: Shueffect had been produced upon them, and jaat Ali. Number of members, 40: of requested that if any one had felt the ris-whom a considerable proportion are East Inings of sorrow for having lived so long a stranger and enemy to God, such a one would declare it; the general reply was,

Nobody's heart broken." I attach a value to this ingenuous response, and do not faint because of it, for the Holy Spirit works in man ere the subject can discern his operations, and the fact of these people

dians.

2. The church in Intally. Pastor, the Rev. J. D. Ellis. Members, 19.

3. Stations near Calcutta. 1. Haurah and Salkiya. Pastor and missionary, Rev. T. Morgan. Members, 18.