"Our schools first commenced by your own generous donation, have been multiplied to the number of twenty-five, containing not less than 1200 heathen, Mahometan and Jewish boys. In all our schools the ten commandments, catechisms, prayers, and other moral lessons are committed to memory, and the Scriptures daily read by the scholars. Three of the schools under my more immediate care, with their teachers and others, meet in rotation in my premises every Sabbath. They read, and are catechised, and afterwards I deliver to them a lecture, and pray in Mahratta. We preach daily to the natives, and a considerable impres sion has been made upon the minds of many of them, though we know of none who have been truly converted, but we labour in hope that God will yet reveal his power and love to the conversion of the heathen here. We coon slowly with the translating and printing the sacred volume, not because we could not soon get up a version of the Bible in the Mahratta language,but because we think we ought to bestow the utmost labour, in order that what we publish may be as perfect as it is in our power to make it. We have printed Genesis and a considerable part of the New Testament, and have translated a still greater part of it."

Matthew, Luke, John, Acts, and the epistles of James, Peter, John and Jude had also been printed. The editions of Genesis, Matthew, John, and Acts were exhausted, while for copies of some of them the natives are almost daily asking.

We understand that application has been made to the American Bible Society for aid in printing the Scriptures in the Mahratta language.

"We have prepared, and published, and circulated a very large number of tracts. We see omong the people no impediment to the extension of schools, and the dispersion of Christian books and tracts all over the country. NOTHING BUT MEN AND MONEY ARE WANTING-if not straitened in our funds and number, we might have hundreds of schools under Christian instruction, and circulate millions of tracts, &c. But we are distressed at the smallness of our missionary number. Death has removed Mr. Newell, and sickness Mr. Bardwell, and three missionaries are left. We are most desirous to have our number increased, and have lately written in urgent terms to our society to this effect.”

This letter also embraces several inquiries relating to the future welfare of the mission, respecting which Mr M. in a letter to the Rev. Samuel Nott, observes, "I shall be most happy to forward the interest of the American Mission at Bombay, to which I feel warmly attached, from previous experience of its great usefulness, an' great esteem for its members." He has assured the society at Boston, that he will with pleasure promote its interest at the East India House, and in every way possible. We have solicited the privilege of copying the above extract for the purpose of bringing before the public the testimony of a gentleman in a high official station, who has no purposes to serve in lauding Christian missions other than the glory of Christ in the enlightening of the heathen and their salvation. The favourable opinion of such characters is calculated to inspire in the minds of the friends of this mission, a confidence in the missionaries and in those who manage the concerns of the society at home. If those who count this Christian enterprise as a quixotic and visionary scheme, will weigh well this testimony, it may go far to convince them that the mission in question is founded in true wis

dom, on scriptural principles, and has generally been conducted with an uncom mon degree of prudence as well as pious zeal.

Though the calls for more missionaries to labour at this station is very argent, yet we apprehend the apparent want of success is not so much owing to a deficiency in the number of labourers, or a want of faithfulness in those already engaged, as the comparative neglect or coldness concerning the heathen which prevails at home. We are forcibly impressed with a passage in the 13th report of the Prudential Committee, in relation to the mission at Bombay, which merits particular attention. It is as follows:

"The committee would affectionately ask, have not we, have not the friends of missions in this country, been unhappily wanting in faith, with respect to the success of this mission? Have we not too slightly regarded the spiritual miseries of these pagans? or unconsciously yielded to a sort of religious fatalism, and considered their condition, however deplorable, as fixed and not to be changed by human effort? Have we prayed for them, and for their religious teachers, with all that earnestness and importunity, which their case demands, and which love to the souls of men would prompt? if our consciences give not a satisfactory answer to these inquiries, what remains but to gird ourselves anew for the spiritual conflict; to feel a deep solicitude for these perishing millions; and to plead with faith for the influences of the Holy Spirit to accompany the labours of our distant brethren."

The importance of a missionary chapel was remarked upon in our number for June last, and there still seems to be the same necessity for an effort to supply this almost indispensable part of a missionary establishment, as we are not aware that any measures have been adopted to raise the required funds.-It was our design in this article to make some extracts from the journals of the mis sionaries, which would exhibit in their true light the abominable and cruel idolatries of the deluded Hindoos, but our limits forbid. That system of debasing superstition, which is interwoven with all the affairs of ordinary life, by a duration from time immemorial, is rendered impervious to every effort for enlightening their minds and improving their hearts except the simple power of the Gospel. The missionaries may give them the pure word of God in their own tongue, and declare its searching truths in both their lives and ministrations, but after all, God alone can give the increase, and this he has promised to do in answer to the prayers of his people. The friends of missions are then called upon to let this first attempt of the American Board be remembered in their supplications; and especially in their Monthly Concert of Prayer should earnest cries be offered at the throne of Grace for the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit on this dry and thirsty land.

RUSSIA.-LONDON JEWS' SOCIETY.

Extract of a letter from the Rev. Dr. Pinkerton, to the Committee of the London Society for promot ing Christianity among the Jews.

THE nation of the Jews is not to be neglected in this time to favour all nations. They have not remained inattentive observers of the signs of the times, nor are the intelligent and thinking part of them unacquainted with the conflicts which Christianity has sustained, and the conquests

which she has gained over her numerous and powerful enemies. The extraordinary events which so rapidly succeed each other in our daysthe fall of modern infidelity, in its direful effects upon the good of society -the change which is now working in the moral and religious state of all nations, by means of the anslation and universal dissemination of the Old and New Testament, have had a powerful influence on the hopes and fears of many among the Jews, and have brought not a few of them to their wit's end. But there are still more favourable intimations of this people's being in a state of preparation for receiving the seed of the new Covenant doctrine-intimations unknown in the ages that are past. Numbers of the Jews, in the countries where I have visited them, have fallen off in their rigid attachment to their former superstitions—their prejudices against Christians and their religion are lessened-the hatred and prejudices of Christians against the Jews are much diminished-the willingness with which many of them receive copies of the New Testament in the Hebrew language, and read them-the liberty with which they both read and converse on the merits of the grand question between Jews and Christians, whether Jesus of Nazareth be the Messiah-the state of despair in which many of them now are, of their ever beholding a Messiah such as they desire-the fact, that the yoke of Judaism has really become insupportable to many among them, and that not a few are joining the different Christian communions in the towns of Poland almost weekly-are intimations of no ordinary kind relative to the nation of the Jews, and seem clearly to point out that an important crisis in the religious state of that people is not far distant. For "they also, if they abide not in unbelief, shall be grafted into the church."

During my late tour through Polaud, I had many opportunities of gaining information and making observations which tend to illustrate and corroborate these statements. I no where found the Jews unwilling to converse with me on the subject of Christianity. I distributed about seventy copies of the Hebrew Testament among them, which were always well received. I repeatedly entered their synagogues and schools, and with the utmost possible freedom argued the points at issue between them and us; and I never found the smallest interruption, but on the contrary, a great desire in many of the people to hear and to read. At Minsk, the Russian Archbishop told me, that since my visit to him in 1816, he had baptized fifteen Jews, and had then several candidates under a course of instruction. The Catholic Canonicus of the same place informed me, that he had lately baptized four Jews. At Wilna, where the number of Jews is upwards off twenty thousand, the senior Lutheran pastor Nicholas told me, that on the 5th of May last he had baptized a married Jewess, whose husband was also about to embrace Christianity on the 16th, a Jewish child-on the 30th of the same month, a Hebrew youth of sixteen--on the 10th of June, a Dr. Bernard with his wife and daughter; and that he had still four candi dates for baptism under a course of Christian instruction. He farther informed me, that on the 6th of May, the Catholics had baptized fourteen young men of the Hebrew nation; and the Police master of Wilna told me, that since the publication of the memorable Ukaze, granting permission to the Jews to join whichever Christian communion

they choose, he had been present at the baptism of about fifty Jews into the Catholic church. Nor is there a town in Poland almost, where frequent instances of Jews entering Christian communions are not to be met with. But what I have already stated, plainly proves that there is a favourable change of sentiments in many of the Polish Jews towards the religion of Christ, and urgently calls upon those who long for the conversion of the ancient people of God, to use means for furnishing them with correct knowledge of the Gospel of salvation.

The number of Jews subject to Russia, is reckoned to be greatly above two millions These reside in the kingdom of Poland and in the Russian provinces of Ekaterinosloff, Cherson, Podolia, Titomir, Tschernigeff, Kief, Mogileff, Witepsk, Minsk, Wilna, Grodna, Bialastoks, the Krimea, and Moldavia.

UNITED STATES.-AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MELIORATING THE CONDITION OF THE JEWS.

The object of this society is to invite and receive, from any part of the world, such Jews as do already profess the Christian religion, or are desirous to receive Christian instruction, to form them into a settlement, and to furnish them with the ordinances of the Gospel, and with such employment in the sttlement as shall be assigned them; but no one will be received unless he comes well recommended for morals and industry, and without charge to the society, and both his reception and continuance in the settlement will be at all times at the discretion of the Directors. Distinct funds will be received and applied by the Directors for the education and employment of Jewish Missionaries, and for distributing among the Jews the Hebrew New Testament and other religious publications; and donations of books for the formation of an extensive library suited to the use of those who are preparing to be missionaries, will be gratefully acknowledged. In finethe object of this society is, to unite the zeal, the prayers, and the contributions of American Christians and render them instrumental in the conversion of the Jews, that "these natural branches" may "be grafted into their own olive tree,” and become the true Israel of God; "For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be but life from the dead?"

The attention of our readers has frequently been called to this institution, and we hope their interest in its success has proportionably increased. At the last meeting of the directors, their “Committee of ways and means," by R. MILFORD BLATCHFORD, Esqr. chairman, presented a report which it will be our present business to notice. The entire report is worthy the consideration of every friend of "God's chosen people," but our present limits will confine us to some of the most essential parts and the others must be reserved for a future occasion.

It was expected that the "intrinsic difficulties attending the establishment of a Christian Jewish colony, and the great variety of incidents involved in so great an undertaking" would “combine to embarrass the committee," and hence they have proceeded with a commendable caution. The committee advert to the bequest ~f Dr. Boudinot, late president of the society, and remark that the land

(4000 acres) if accepted by the society "must be used and occupied by them as a settlement for the Jews, with the allotment of 50 acres to each family, who may become a settler under the direction of the society: this condition of course renders the land of no other value to the society, than that which may arise from the advantages which it presents for the establishment of the colony contemplated by the board of Directors,—if it was ever so valuable in itself, at is by this condition put beyond the power of the board to turn it into money ;— if, they accept of it, it must be used for the purposes of a colony."

The Committee have taken pains to make proper inquiries respecting the location of this land, and find it is part of a large tract in the north western part of Pennsylvania, in Warren county The agent of Dr. Boudinot, Mr. Heildeksper, who resides in Crawford county, thus writes on the subject: "I am unable to tell what specific portion of these lands (meaning a tract of 43,000 acres belonging to Dr. Boudinot,) has been bequeathed to you, but even if I knew, the information I could give you would still be imperfect and unsatisfactory, for though the lands have been a number of years under my agency, yet as they are situated at a distance from this place (about 60 miles) I have no particular knowledge of the quality of the particular tracts, 1 shall, therefore, give you such information as I possess respecting this body of lands. Though there are some very good lands among them, yet taken as a body, they are by no means equal to the general quality of lands in this part of Pennsylvania, which is extraordinarily fine." He then gives a further general description of the lands in question, and adds, CL as to the actual value of the lands, I can say nothing, because wild lands can hardly be said to have any value so long as there is no demand for them." This information, and the consideration that these lands are not sufficient for the purposes of the board, in either quantity or quality, we think are sufficient to show the wisdom of the committee (without further extracts from this part of the report) in recommending to the board to accept the alternative of 1000 dollars, and relinquish their claim to the land.-The "committee are inclined to believe that Dr. Boudinot himself, whose judgment would be entitled to great weight, was, from the fact of the option which he has given to the society, undecided in his own mind, as to the suitableness of the land." The board of Directors (a large number being present) unanimously agreed to adopt this recommendation; and instructed the proper officers of the society to carry it into effect

The committee are of the opinion, that the colony should be in this state; and their report supports this opinion with the most clear, forcible, and conclusive statement of facts and arguments. As we cannot quote this part of the report at length, we would glance at some of the advantages which this state offers, and among them, the low price of land, the success of agricultural pursuits, our internal improvements, the advantages of our markets, the easy transportation of settlers by our canals, the more direct superintendence which the board would have over the colony, are of great importance. The committee have not been able to fix upon a tract of land which they deem suitable, and in order to bring before them at once such tracts as are for sale, they have advertised for 15 or 20,000 With respect to the quantity, however, the committee observe they have found great difficulty in coming to a decision. The novelty of the undertaking and the infancy of the society, afford them no rule, by which to guide them in their deliberatious."-"They agree that it will be for the inte rest of the board, to purchase as much as their funds will admit of-being satisfied,

acres.