At Oodooville.

April 6. By the kindness of our heavenly Father we are again at home, with the happiness of finding all our beloved brethren and sisters well. Had a favorable time from Manaar and came into Jaffna early this morning. Our dear Charles is not here to meet us, but we hope he is near the land of his fathers, and will ere long meet kind friends there, even those who love missionaries' children for their, or their mission's sake. I have seen many things while absent calculated to make me rejoice in my calling as a missionary, notwithstanding the trials connected with it, and many things to show that it is a calling vastly important, and involving unspeakable responsibilities. Ceylon, thongh favored above most other portions of the heathen world in the amount of Christian labor bestowed upon it, is yet desolate and barren. The moral aspect it presents throughout, is similar to that of its wilds in the interior. Here and there a small cultivated spot, but all around are dreary wastes of heathenism. A great part of the Cingalese population of the maritime provinces are baptised, and make some profession of Christianity: but they are still Budhists in practice, and what has more hold upon them, they are all Capuists or worshippers of the devil. The devil-dances and other forms of this worship, are more attended to and have a stronger hold upon the feelings of the people than the ceremonies of Budhism. Even the Hindoo gods, who though considered inferior to Budhu, are joined with him as objects of worship, are more feared and more frequently resorted to in time of sickness and danger, than Budhu himself. In the southern part of the island is a temple to Katheraman or Skundun. the son of Siva, resorted to not only by Hindoo pilgrims from the northern part of the island and the continent but by the Cingalese in greater numbers than flock to any Budhist temple. It is the scene of many miracles. Here many cut their throats and yet live, cut off their tongues and yet eat and speak, and

sometimes even cut off their heads and. have them joined on again! A wild elephant comes on a set day each year from the forest and assists in the public processions of the temple, and then returns to the forest. A tree, to answer for a flagstaff, springs up and grows to a proper height in a single night, and various other marvellous things are done, if report, is to be credited. The Budhists temples, on the contrary, boast of few or no miracles, a thing not to be wondered at, since Budhu is asleep, and therefore they attract comparatively few worshippers. The sermons of Budhu which are read by the priests, or their own wretched composition in place of them, are but poor substitutes, so far as attraction is con. cerned, for the public processions and shows and pageantry of a Hindoo festival. Yet though the Cingalese certainly sit more lightly to their religion than the Hindoos, I do not see that they are any nearer the kingdom of God. Of the whole Cingalese population, probably not more than four or five hundred can in any charity be reckoned as true Christians. The Wesleyans have nearly three hundred in their society, but they do not consider them all as truly converted. The Church missionaries have forty or fifty in communion, and the Baptists nearly the same number. Many a baptised Cingalese, when asked of what religion he is, 'Budhu?" "No!" "Christian?' "No!" "What then?" "Government religion!" Alas, when will such dry bones live? Not assuredly until there is some one to proph ecy upon them. Of almost the whole extended, and in some places, dense popula tion of the interior, it may be said. "how shall they hear without a preacher?" Except the Wesleyan station at Kornegalle, now left to a native, and the Church missionary station at Kandy, occupied by a single missionary, there is no one in the whole Kandian country to lift up his voice for Christ, or to proclaim to the multitudes who never yet so much as heard his name, that to them was born a Savior who is Christ the Lord. Oh when will it be said to all these, "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world." Not until the Christian church is more awake to its responsibilities and privileges, and not until the Lord gives the word, and great is the company of preachers. The Lord hasten it in his time.

Constantinople.

JOINT COMMUNICATION FROM MESSRS. GOODELL AND DWIGHT.

Buyuk-Dere, June 2d, 1832. VERY DEAR SIR-In addressing to you this our first joint communication, we would first of all acknowledge the goodness of God in preserving us and our families amidst various dangers, seen and unseen, and in now bringing us together to unite

our prayers and efforts for the salvation of the perishing multitudes around us.

Our families are now living in the same house at Buyuk-Dere; but for our own convenience, as well as that of Mr. Schauffler, now daily expected here, we shall obtain another in some of the villages below, or in one of the suburbs of Constantinople, as soon as possible; in the selection of which, we shall have regard to economy, health, comfort, and utility. The Committee are already aware that the expenses of living here are very considerable. Houserent is enormously high, particularly since the destruction of Pera; and the customs of the place, with regard to servants, are such that this item of family disbursements is much larger here than at Malta.

The languages which are most requisite for us to know are the Turkish, the Greek, and the Armenian. Of these the Turkish is most extensively spoken, and is more than any other the universal language of the country as the medium of conversation. It is very desirable that every missionary in this part of Turkey, for whatever class of people he may be designed, should be acquainted with the Turkish language. But as one of us has already a competent knowledge of this to enable him to converse on religious and other subjects with Turks, Armenians, Greeks, Jews, and other sects, and as our mission has more particular reference to the Armenians, it is thought best that the other should begin immediately the acquisition of their language; the importance of which, will, we think, appear evident to you when we shall have expressed more in detail the views which we entertain and to which we beg leave now to invite your attention.

The question, "In what way can we labor to the greatest possible advantage for the good of the Armenians?" has occupied many of our thoughts, and we trust has often been the subject of our prayers. And we are fully satisfied that, in order to begin at the right end with them, we must commence with elementary schools. To say nothing now of the universally admitted fact, that impressions can be far more easily

made on the mind of a child than on that of an adult, there are other strong reasons in favor of the course proposed to be pursued among the Armenians. Very few of these people comparatively, have ever been taught to read, and almost none have been taught to think.

If now we put into their hands the word of God, or valuable books of human composition, what important advantage will result, while they have not yet learnt to distinguish one letter from another? If we preach or talk to them, on subjects of eternal interest, the case may be somewhat different, for the Lord may cause light to shine in the darkest mind; but, as he ordinarily works through the understanding, and by means suited to enlighten

and convince it, all our preaching and talking to men who are full of prejudice in favor of a grey-bearded system, who have never been accustomed to think, and who if referred to the law and to the testimony cannot perhaps make out a syllable, or tell the name of a single letter-seems like splashing in the water, or beating the air. This difficulty is so obvious, that we need not enlarge. We must begin then with schools. We must teach the children to read. We must teach them that they have intellects, and that they have souls. Indeed the course of measures, that is now pursued with the Greeks, is essentially the same, as is imperiously demanded for the Armenians. But here we meet with an obstacle at the very threshhold. Suitable elementary books for schools the Armenians

have not. When we think of the advantages of the children in our own country in this respect, and then look around us in this laud of darkness, we are ready to sit down and weep. And we are quite sure that if the little boys and girls in America could for one hour make an exchange of all their nice little books, from the first lessons in the infant school and upwards, for the few unintelligible and worthless volumes, put into the hands of the children here, they would be willing to give all their toys and pocket money and even the whole world, if they had it, to get their little treasures back again. Now, in what way can we bestow a richer blessing on the Armenian children, and confer a greater benefit on their nation, than by putting them in possession of the juvenile literature of our own country? Translations, then, must be made, or suitable books prepared, and they must be made too, or prepared, in the Armenian language. This is their national language. This is the language in which ious feelings. And this, also, is the lanthey are accustomed to express their relig guage of their schools. Indeed according to patriarch, books in no other language are the present policy and recent order of the now permitted to be used in their schools. then, seems to be indispensable in order to A knowledge of the Armenian language, labor to the best possible advantage among

them.

Among the Greeks more than twenty Lancasterian schools have been established in this neighborhood within a year; and thus the Armenians have many examples of the good tendency of these institutions before their eyes; and have witnessed among their neighbors the result of experiment, which could not so easily have commenced among themselves. We have reason to think, therefore, that what has been done for the Greeks will prove to be a great

benefit to the Armenians. The former and present patriarchs, together with some of the bishops and other distinguished individuals of that communion, have formally visited these schools, and they express them

selves highly gratified with the system. But time only will show what will be the effect of labors here for the good of this interesting class of men. The ex-patriarch Carabet, has been lately appointed head of the school department, and it is difficult now to conjecture whether his influence will be favorable to our views or not, or to decide just in what way we can exert an influence without appearing to interfere with his prerogatives. We have, however, recently given directions to have the Lancasterian system and lessons translated immediately into their tongue for their use and benefit; and we are encouraged to hope from the interest they appear to feel in the subject, that we shall hereafter have some, yea much "fruit among them also, even as among other Gentiles."

But if the truths of the everlasting gospel are faithfully communicated to the Armenians, in whatever way, no doubt opposition will sooner or later arise. This we confidently anticipate. From the known character of the human heart, every where essentially the same, and especially from the fact that, here, all the moral deformities

of the natural man are concealed under a

rubbish of superstition, baptised by the name of Christianity, it cannot be other wise than that any attempt to enlighten and regenerate will be vigorously repulsed. We pray God to give us much of that "pure and peaceable wisdom" which cometh from above, to guide us in all our plans and at the same time to divest us entirely of worldly policy, and of a disposition to "confer with flesh and blood."

We think it proper to remark, that, in order to our carrying forward successfully the plan proposed with regard to schools, it will be necessary that the Committee furnish us liberally with the means; and we should like to know more definitely than we do at present, and as soon as possible, to what extent we may be authorised to go, as to expense in this department of our labors.

It is proper also to inform you that we have for the present employed Mr. Paspati, at 200 piastres a month for half his time, to give instruction to the Greek teachers of these new schools, in geometry and in other branches of science in which they may be found deficient. The other half of the time he has to himself, to devote to his own studies, to give lessons in English to those who may wish to acquire the language, at a reasonable compensation, &c. &c.

ject of it was to call the attention of this people to the subject of keeping the Lord's day holy. The demogerontes have also issued an order to have all the shops closed on Sunday, and to prevent buying and selling on that day, as has hitherto been the case. The fair is to be on Monday instead of Sunday. These acts of the bishop and the demogerontes have given me great joy. About this time I learned that a man of this place had been taken by thieves about three hours distant from Athens, and they have sent in, or the person taken has by their order sent in to the people here to pay five thousand piastres for his ransom. Last night a man was sent off with about 100 dollars, with the hope that the robbers would be contented with this sum. It is stated that last night they came, forty or fifty in number, to the mills on the road to Mencdi, one hour distant from this, and took a quantity of meal.

7. The bishop of Talanti, and his broth er and one of the demogerontes called on me. The bishop said he understood that I cient Greek; that he was very glad to learn was intending to employ a teacher of anthis, and approved of my plan. Spoke with him on the subject of what he had done in calling the attention of the people to the observance of the Lord's day, and read to him what Nehemiah said to the Jews who profaned the Sabbath.

8. Sabbath. The shops were all shut, so far as I had opportunity to observe, and no business, or little, done in the mar ket. In the afternoon it began to rain. There has been a draught, and the next day had been talked of as a day of fasting and prayer for rain; but the blessing came as soon as the people began to keep the Lord's day holy. This event was noticed by sev eral, in connection with the orders which had been issued above mentioned.

persons were present at my usual service; In the morning more than a hundred most of them, however, scholars belonging to my schools. There were several young All seemed very attentive. My principal men who are not inembers of my school. subject was repentance. At eleven, I had another service in Greek at my house, thirty-five persons were present.

11. The news came that the three resi dents had acknowledged the constitutional assembly as the lawful government of

Greece.

20. Last night some person or persons entered Mr. Robertson's house, broke open some trunks and desks, took a few articles of clothing, and then kindled a fire in one of the rooms, put on chairs and desks, and left. Early in the morning the fire was discovered and extinguished. It had burned a large hole through the floor, and some of the beams were entirely burnt off. It is a

wonder that the whole house was not con

sumed, with Mrs. R. and her children. A man named Theodore, who had been in Mr.

R.'s employ, was suspected of having done the deed, and was immediately arrested.

21. Theodore confessed his crime, and implicated another person, a young man who was last year for a while in my school, and afterwards in Messrs. Robertson and Hill's school.

26. In the morning, as I was walking out in the market, I saw two Turks preparing their pistols to fight with each other. Some other Turks stepped in between them, and prevented them from firing. Then one drew his sword, and tried to cut down the other, and broke loose from those who were holding him, and ran after his adversary and tried to kill him. At length he was caught. In the afternoon one of them fired at the other, and the ball entered his body. For a long time he was left to writhe in agony, and wallow in his blood, as if no one cared for him.

May 3. The workmen began to dig in order to lay the foundations of the wall around the parcel of land which I purchased last year for the female academy, or high school for girls, to be called Philadelphia.

8. In the morning a Turk concealed himself near one of the baths, and when two other Turks came out he fired upon one of them and killed him on the spot, and the ball passing through him wounded the other. The murderer fled, and a thousand piastres were offered by the selichtar as a reward to any one who would give information where he was concealed.

To-day I addressed a note to the demogerontes, inquiring whether it would be agreeable to them to give me their old hellenic school-house, for the purpose of my opening a school for ancient Greek. The note was politely answered the same day, placing the school-house at my disposition so long as I should have need of it; and towards the evening I made a contract with an Athenian teacher who had been recommended by the bishop, to open said school, and also to give instruction to a class of grammar scholars in the girls' school, one hour in a day.

16. A priest from one of the villages called to procure the New Testament, which I gave him both in modern and ancient and modern Greek; so that he might read, if he chose, one in the church,

17. The masons began to lay the foundation of the wall around the Philadelphia school. Two priests called to get books. They were sent, they told me, by the bishop of Talanti, and that he told one of them to pray for me in the church. One of them was from a village near Marathon. To both I gave New Testaments and tracts, and conversed much with them on the subject of the duties of a minister towards his people. Both seemed to be quite ignorant, but had great simplicity of manner. I asked one of them, if he knew how many commandments God gave to men. He answered "No; how should I know? We have no books." I gave him an Alphabetarion, They both seemed desirous to know their duty, and to perform it faithfully as ministers of the gospel, and listened with much apparent interest to all I said.

27. In the morning I addressed my scholars on the subject of the impotent man by the pool of Bethesda. Upwards of one hundred were present. In the afternoon expounded in my family.

28. A priest from Salamina called to beg for the New Testament in modern Greek, which I gave him, and also some tracts. He seemed delighted with them, and blessed me much. Gave several tracts to a Samiot captain, and put up a considerable number of school books and tracts to send to schools in Samos.

30. In the morning a priest called and spent about two hours in conversation. Read to him a recent work of Koray's, in which he attacks very strongly many of the things to be corrected in this church. Conversed with him on the subject of pastoral duties. He says there are fifteen priests at Athens, ten of whom are married men. In the afternoon another priest called and spent an hour or two with me;conversed with him also on the duties of a pastor to his people.

31. Was the feast of the ascension. All the schools were closed. Perhaps two thirds of the inhabitants went out to a monastery, about an hour and a half distant, to spend the day. The bishop and the demogerontes were among the number. Towards night I walked out to see the crowd of people as they returned-some on horses-some on asses-some on foot-men, women and children, with music of violins and bagpipes--groups here and there as

Cherokees.

EXTRACTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF MR. BUTRICK.

Notices of a persecuted Family.

THE history of Old Field here given, commences about the period when the troops of the United States, having been sent by the president to the borders of the Cherokee Nation for the purpose, as was supposed, of preventing encroachments upon the Cherokees by the inhabitants of Georgia, were withdrawn, and the troops of the state of Georgia took their place. The laws of Georgia then began to be executed against the Cherokees. This family were compelled to remove from Hightower, which lies in that part of the nation claimed by Georgia, to the neighborhood of Candy's Creek, lying within the chartered limits of Tennessee. The history of this family is not very unlike that of many others.

August 1, 1832. Visited Old Field's family, from Hightower, with whom Peggy resides, who is a member of the church, and also mother of Old Field's wife. The history of this afflicted family is briefly as follows. Old Field (this is his name, meaning a worn out field) has long been among the most respectable and influential Cherokees at Hightower. He was formerly captain of the light horse, and since the adoption of the new Cherokee government,

has been a member of the national council.

He and his family were industrious, and had acquired a handsome property. He was a firm friend of Mr. Ross, and adhered strictly to his advice; resolved to keep his ground and suffer the consequences. When the United States' troops were last in this country, a lieutenant told the Cherokees to bring him any Georgians who might be found in the country violating the intercourse law. Such were soon after found, and taken to the encampment, though then

released. Old Field was one of the number who took them, and has lately been

had every thing taken from him, except his clothing, and some articles of bedding, hid out in the woods. His cattle, horses, hogs, provision, and the produce of the field, ripe and unripe, were all taken. His family still continuing in the house, his wife was threatened, taken, shut up, then dragged about with a rope round her neck, &c., until at length, finding all their exertions to defend themselves fail, they resolved to leave that part of the country. Peggy, probably 80 or 90 years old, lived with another daughter, whose husband was a white man. He had, as we understand, enrolled, and had all her property or nearly all valued. This occasioned a difficulty between them, in which, it is said, she struck him; and on that account, in order to avoid being taken by the Georgia officers, was obliged to flee to the woods, and leave all she had for an inhuman wretch to squander as he pleased. One night when the family of Old Field had to flee from the Georgians, the poor old woman attempted to follow, but fell, and cut her arm so that the wound still remains unhealed. All these persons, with their little ones, are now within a might be called affluence in this country mile of us, reduced in a day, from what to complete beggary and want. Old Field had determined to maintain his ground in defence of the rights of his country. This drew the attention of those who wanted the country, and excited, no doubt, their cruelty; so that if any one deserves commiseration for suffering in behalf of the Cherokees, it is I think this family. Yet I fear but few will regard their distress, even among those who urged the course which has occasioned it.

5. Sabbath. Attended a meeting of the session of this church. Lucy, a black woman, was examined, and received as a candidate for church membership. The usual prayer-meeting was attended at ten o'clock. About noon I preached from Matthew vi. 31, 32. Baptised Lucy and received her to the church. Tiger made a confession for drinking, which was accepted; we then celebrated the holy com munion. After public worship the session spent some time in conversation with two Cherokee women, who wish to unite with the church.

State of the People in the neighborhood of

Carmel.

The mission families, it will be recollected, were driven from this station as well as Hightower by the authorities of the state of Georgia, nearly a year ago. A demoralizing influence, similar to what is here described, has been exerted by the intrusion of abandoned white men, and the sale of intoxicating liquors, through all that part of the nation claimed by Georgia, and where the laws of the Cherokees have been ren