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I was grieved to learn that the missionary || site of buildings and graves. When the considered himself as under no obligation dead are displeased with the situation of to preach to the natives, and that their feet their sepulchres, it is supposed that some were not allowed to tread the threshold temporal calamity, generally a defeat in of this sacred place. No wonder its own money projects, is the certain evidence, and children had dwindled to a handful, and the punishment. A small temple is erected on candlestick been well nigh removed out of the ground, most frequently dedicated to its place. He that watereth shall himself "the god of happiness," and believed to conbe watered. ciliate the spirit of the place.

In one of the idol temples belonging to the Budh sect was a number of old stone images, representing Budh, Vishnu, Scheva, Ganesa, Doorga, and other figures of Hindoo origin. These had been thrown aside upon the introduction of Mohammedanism, and afterwards procured by the Chinese. Before the temple were stages erected, and children acting in the most unmeaning style for the amusement of the populace. Mr. Medhurst was interrupted in pub

a deranged Chinamen, who has either conceived a strange disposition to imitate the missionary, or been incited by wicked men or devils to oppose him. He appeared with a book in his hand, and after the manner of Mr. M. pretended to quote a text and explain it to the people. He generally conceives a most absurd sentiment, which he gravely repeats in the reading dialect, as though borrowed from some sacred book, and then descants on its meaning in the colloquial dialect. His conversation to-day was so obscene that we thought it prudent to leave him. Many sentiments were uttered and books distributed before we returned. The Lord in mercy shed down his enlightening Spirit, that the living may be instructed to pay due regard to themselves, and not waste their time on those who heed not their folly.

April 5. To-day is the commencement of the tsing-ming season with the Chinese, when they repair to the graves of their deceased relatives and sacrifice to their manes. Desiring to improve the opportunity of usefulness, we visited the largest cemetery in the neighborhood of Batavia, and spent part of the morning in conversation and distributing tracts. Many thousands were present and the whole scene presented a confused mass of heterogeneous characters and things. None of that solemnity or sad-lishing "the glad tidings of great joy" by ness of association, which are generally connected with the place of the dead, and which might be thought to result from communion with invisible spirits, could be discovered. The graves were, with perhaps a few exceptions, adorned with colored papers. One of the tombs containing the dust of a mortal of earthly distinction, was covered with mats, and converted into a scene of pompous ceremony, and shameful carousal. This tomb was more magnificent than any thing of the kind I saw in China. || It occupied enough ground to bury a hundred men in ordinary graves, was composed of a high and spacious mound with a platform of cement in front, surrounded with a wall, and decorated with pilasters of the same material. Two hideous stone figures, more like lions than any other creature of earthly shape, were seated on pedestals to guard the entrance. On the platform, covering an area of probably fifty feet by twenty, was spread a table with a great variety of viands, fruits, preserves, &c. denominated sacrifice to the dead, but designed to gorge the living. Before the table two men were kneeling, one with his head in contact with the ground, the other holding a small tablet in his hand, from which he read for the information of the departed spirit the devotion of the relatives and their desire to be reciprocally honored. The tablet was repeated in a corruption of the Mandarin dialect, which is generally considered the most dignified expression of the Chinese character. When this was performed the men arose; the assembly began to talk and laugh; the music struck up; and the dead appeared to be forgotten. We did not remain to witness the revel which ensues, and which adds so much zest to the observance of this ceremony. The tombs of the wealthy generally face a pond of water, and extend to its edge.

The Chinese have a strange superstition about what they term Fung-shuy, an expression meaning "wind and water," and applied to the science of determining the

[To be continued.]

Sandwich Islands.

EXTRACTS FROM A GENERAL

LETTER OF

THE MISSIONARIES, DATED JUNE 28TH, 1831.

By the arrival at New Bedford of the ship Co

lumbus, Capt. Osborn, letters have been received from the missionaries at the Sandwich Islands of as late a date as September 14th, bringing down the history of the mission more than eleven months later than the last published accounts.

It is also learned by this arrival, that the Rev. Messrs. Baldwin, Tinker, and Dibble, and Mr. Johnstone, with their wives, who embarked at New Bedford, on the 28th of December, 1830, in the ship New England, Capt. Parker, reached the Islands on the 7th of June following, after a very comfortable passage of 161 days; during which they experienced kind treatment from Capt. Parker and the officers of the ship.

At the general meeting of the missionaries which occurred soon after the arrival of the New

England, the location of the several members of || couch, and walk about, and spend an hour or two each day in the office.

the reinforcement was agreed upon. Mr. Johnstone is to reside at Honolulu to aid in the secular labors of that station. Mr. Baldwin is to reside at Waimea, the new station for invalids, on the island of Hawaii, with reference to the medical wants of that station. Mr. Dibble is to reside at Hilo, to which station Mr. Green is also to remove, while Mr. Goodrich is to take charge of the press at Honolulu, during the ill health of Mr. Shepard. Mr. Tinker is to remain for the present at Honolulu, with reference to his proceeding to the Washington Islands, should Providence open the way for the establishment of a mission there.

Preaching and Admissions to the Churches.

You will rejoice that at all the permanent stations preaching has been maintained, and listened to as usual, and that for a considerable part of the year 1830, it was maintained at Wailuku on Maui, and at Waimea on Hawaii, where there appears the same encouragement to preach the word, to be instant in season and out of season, as in every other place where the doctrines of the cross have been faithfully exhibited in the isles of the Pacific. While your missionaries have been holding forth the words of truth, we trust the Spirit of God has in

not a few cases made it the means of sanc

The general state of the mission, as well as its progress in the several departments of preach-tifying the sinner and edifying his people. ing, education, printing, and the preparation of books, will be exhibited in the extracts which are subjoined. The general letter from which they are taken was written immediately after the annual meeting of the missionaries for consultation

and the transaction of business; which was held at Honolulu, beginning on the 15th and ending on the 28th of June.

Health of the Mission Families.

Having been brought by a merciful hand to another general annual meeting of our mission, we are in a special manner called upon to unite our thanksgivings to the great Lord of the plenteous harvest for the gracious smiles and undeserved favors he has been pleased to bestow upon us since our last general letter, of January 1830, was addressed to you.

All the churches have received considerable additions during the period in question, amounting to 236. Good attention has been given by the people to inquiry and prayer meetings and other means of improvement.

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The attention to schools at all the stations has been sustained; at Oahu and Tauai it has increased, and the progress in many of them has been desirable, though for the want of competent teachers, by no means so great as might otherwise be expected.

Tauai,
Honolulu,
Lahaina,"
Kailua,

Schools.
200

Learners. Able to read. 9,000 3,500

250

10,336

5,443

173

11,000

50

3,814

722

Kaawaloa,(estimate)60

4.400

unknown.

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It is with gratitude we desire to say, that you may join your thank-offering with ours, that, though every department of labor in our mission has been prosecuted with as much vigor as at any former period, yet the general health of the missionaries has been, with one or two exceptions, wonderfully sustained. The strength of some has been increased, and the constitution of but one appears to have been materially impaired. For a little season the mind of Mrs. Goodrich was slightly affected by disease, but by a visit from her station to Lahaina she derived much benefit, and is now mercifully restored. Mr. Shepard has, with little in-number of schools and learners cannot be exterruption, continued his labors through the year, and though we hope he is not laid aside from usefulness, yet his health has so far declined, as to have induced his brethren to release him entirely from the responsibil-ifications of teachers and for introducing a more ity of taking charge of the printing-office, and to encourage him to seek rest and refreshment at some of the other stations. Yet his attachment to his work and the impor-|| tance of his services seem to render it difficult for him entirely to remit attention to it, until his place can be well supplied; at least so long as he is able to leave his

pected to increase much. More than one fourth of all the people are now enrolled in the schools. The measures contemplated for raising the qual

extended system of study into the schools will be

noticed hereafter.

Printing and Preparation of Books.

Previous to our last general meeting our printed works for the benefit of the schools and readers amounted to about 700 pages of

The following plan for translating and prepar

matter and 10.000,000 pages of printing. || book of Joshua, with twenty-three Psalms, have Since that period we have added more than 400 pages of matter, and printed 7,398,000 tracts have been composed from them, presenting been translated and printed entire, or that copious pages; making an aggregate of 1,100 pages of matter and 17,398,000 printed at the a full view of the history and the instructions Islands. During the period under review, they contain; and that all the other historical the New Testament from 1 Corinthians books of the Old Testament and the remainder to the end of Revelation has been trans- of the Psalms are in the course of translation, lated, and the printing of it carried on in and may be expected soon to be published. A successive portions from Romans to 1 Thessalonians; and it is in progress still. The large portion of these are already in extensive history of Joseph, or the last thirteen chap- circulation among the people. ters of Genesis, have been re-translated and printed. The first eleven and last fouring books, during the current year, was adopted chapters of Joshua have also been translated and printed. A tract from Numbers and Deuteronomy has been translated. Some advance has been made in a tract on arithmetic. A tract on geography has been written; a work on Scripture Tistory of 192 pages 18mo. has been finished and printed. For this we shall need an ample set of cuts for a second edition. The geography, arithmetic, and the remainder of the New Testament, and the whole book of Psalms we hope to see through the press during the present year. For the geography we hope you will send us cuts, also, as soon as they can be procured.

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by the missionaries at the general meeting, and the various parts of it assigned to the several members of the mission to be executed.

1. That the assignments of the last year, remaining unfinished, and now in the hands of the translators, be continued as before.

2. That Messrs. Richards and Andrews be requested to translate the books of Judges and Ruth, and the last 70 Psalms, beginning at the 81st.

3. That the book of 1 Samuel be assigned to Mr. Thurston for translation.

4. That the book of 2 Samuel be assigned to Mr. Bishop for translation.

5. That the Psalms from the 23d to the signed to Messrs. Bingham and Clark for 81st, and the first book of Kings, be as

translation.

6. That Mr. Bingham be requested to prepare a grammar of the Hawaiian language.

7. That a committee of three be ap400,000 pointed to devise a plan for making a Hawaiian vocabulary, and assigning the dif ferent parts of its execution to different individuals, and then of revising the work for the press.

108

Spelling book, (6, 7 & 8 eds.)

8

50,000

Appendix to do. (3d ed.)

8

10,000

Minutes of Gen. Meeting,

44

First 23 Psalms,

24

30 10,000

Hуmas, (5th ed.)

108

Joseph, (2d ed.)

60

Luke, (2d ed.)

72 4,500

Joshua,

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600,000 321,000 640,000

Catechism, (4th ed.)

8 10,000

10,000 1,080,000
10,000

Various small works, amounting in all to

Total,

80,000 53,260

7,398,580

Adding to this 387,000 copies and 10,287,800 pages previously printed at the Islands, and the 3,345,000 of pages printed in this country, consisting of a large edition of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John, and two or three tracts; the whole number of pages printed for the people of the Sandwich Islands is raised to 21,031,380 pages. Reckoning all the works printed in a continuous series, the number of pages in the series would be about 1,280.

From the statements made here, viewed in connection with those made at p. 316 of vol. xxiv. and at p. 115 of the last volume, and with the arrangements for translation contained in the summary given below, it will be seen that nearly the whole New Testament has already been translated and printed in the Hawaiian language; that the five books of Moses, and the

VOL. XXVIII.

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The great change in the domestic habits and relations of the islanders which has been effected by the introduction of Christianity has often been mentioned. Five or six years ago the Christian form of marriage was unknown on the islands. Nor was there any other form that could not be sundered at any moment by the will of the parties. The breaking of the marriage contract, such as it was, was a thing of the most common occurrence, leading to great misery and great moral pollution. Now, probably few persons who would be called respectable on the islands, residing within a day's journey of any of the stations, can be found living together as heads of families, who have not been solemnly married in the Christian manner. Instances are rare where the marriage contract is grossly violated. During the year now under review marriages were solemnized as follows:

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Hilo,

281

Waimea, principally by Kuakini. Naihe and Kuakini are the chiefs in the districts where Kaawaloa and Waimea are situated. At the five stations where the numbers are mentioned the total is 1,678. As the population about Kaawaloa is numerous, and about Waimea considerable, the whole number of marriages at the seven stations is doubtless more than 2,000.

Reception of the Reinforcement.

By the same merciful hand which has protected and sustained your missionaries and their families during the period under review, has been brought to our waiting and expecting shores the third reinforcement of the mission, kindly and seasonably sent forth under your auspices, and received with gladness by their predecessors, and with a hearty welcome by the rulers and the people of the land. After a safe and comfortable passage of 161 days, made pleasant by the smiles of Providence, and the kindness of Capt. Parker and his officers, they arrived on the 7th of June instant, landed on the 8th, and were presented to the king and chiefs, and took up their lodgings with the families at this place.

On the 15th, at the opening of the general meeting of the mission, the instructions of

the Prudential Committee to the members of the new reinforcement were read, and they were united with their predecessors in the duties, labors, and responsibility of the mission.

Communion Season at Oahu.

On the 19th the chapel at Oahu presented a specially interesting scene, when thirty native candidates, before propounded, were baptized and admitted to the native church at this place, consisting now of about 125 members, who now joined with seventeen of the brethren and several of the sisters of the mission in celebrating the Lord's supper. The principal chiefs of the different islands, who are members of the native churches, and others from the other stations were present, and a stranger from Liverpool took his seat with the communicants in this joint celebration of the dying love of him who gave his blood to redeem us out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation. You might have seen, had you been present, Christian brethren met at the table of our common Lord, from England, Scotland, the United States of America, from the Society Islands, and from the different churches at Tauai, Honolulu, Lahaina, Kailua, Kaawaloa, and Hilo: all bowing at the same altar, all acknowledging their need of being washed in the atoning blood of Christ, and of being fed with that bread which came down from heaven to give life to the world. You would have been ready to exclaim with sweet and grateful emphasis, The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad, and blessed be his holy name forever. We would thank God and take courage; and we would again humbly ask that the friends of the mission would by no means suspend their earnest prayers, nor remit their best exertions to help on this work, "for there remaineth yet much land to be possessed,"-not only on these shores, where the 400 converts admitted into our churches scarcely diminish the ranks of those that are without, but still more among many of the nations where the Savior is not known at all.

Political Changes on Oahu.

The expedition of Boki and Manuia in search of sandal wood, among the islands of the South Pacific, and the supposed unhappy result of it, were noticed at p. 121 of the last volume. Some remarks were also made, in connection with that account, on the character of Boki, and on his influence as a ruler, and his feelings in respect to the mission. John Adams, or in the language of the islands, Kuakini, who now succeeds Boki in the government of Oahu, joined the mission church nearly two years ago. He has ever been a steady friend of the mission, and done much to aid the stations at Kailua, Hilo, and Waimea.

or vending the same for gain. This society, it is hoped, will be a national permanent institution, and a happy safeguard to the present generation and a lasting blessing to future generations; an institution which, though very humble and at present very obscure and feeble, may yet claim kindred with the nobler national temperance society of the United States, which now waves the

country, and gives her high-born pledge to stay the glory that was departing from her.

Malta.

CHARACTER OF THE TRANSLATIONS INTO
THE MODERN GREEK LANGUAGE.

Since our last general letters there have been some changes in the political affairs of the nation, the results of which cannot yet be known; but it is hoped that a wise Providence has ordered these changes in such a manner, that, at no distant period, the results may be most happy. They have been attended with mingled emotions both in our bosoms, and in those of the rulers and people, and in those of the foreign resi-banner of deliverance to our drowning dents; and it is not easy to tell what kind of feeling has predominated. The long absence of governor Boki and the crew that sailed with him, and the probable total loss of the vessel and all on board; the certain loss of Manuia and most of the crew that sailed with him, seemed to make it necessary to contemplate some new arrangement for the government of Oahu, which was left in the hands of madam Boki. Such an apprehended change was followed by some warlike preparations by the governess, during the tour of the king and chiefs through the windward islands, and produced no small excitement and concern throughout the whole group; partly because it was feared that the foreign residents would be disposed to join in a resistance to the wishes of the older chiefs, who claimed the right of directing their own affairs. As it turned out at length, the governess was removed, and the control of Oahu publicly committed to Kaahumanu, under whom Kuakini was appointed governor. He immediately proscribed the grog-shops, gambling, and amusements on the Sabbath.

In a private letter written by one of the missionaries in September it is added

The king committed the government of this island publicly into the hands of Kaahumanu; and Adams, (Kuakini,) formerly governor of Hawaii, was appointed governor. He immediately gave out orders for the suppression of grog-shops, gaminghouses, &c.; and followed up his orders by keeping an armed guard in the streets. Riding on the Sabbath for amusement was also strictly forbidden, and several horses of foreigners were seized in the act of violating the law. They were afterwards given up. All these things put together, as you may well suppose, produced no little excitement.

The salutary laws of the chiefs, designed particularly to restrain the foreigners, met at first with strong opposition; and were afterwards evaded, or not carried fully into effect. Riding on the Sabbath for amusement is, however, entirely prevented, and other vices have received a great check.

About the same time the chiefs, being assembled from the different islands at this place, and others favorably disposed, formed themselves into a temperance society, on the general principle of entire abstinence from the use of ardent spirits for pleasure or civility, and from engaging in distilling

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PERSONS visiting the Levant probably hear a variety of opinions with respect to the style of the translations, printed at the mission presses in Malta. It is presumed that the earlier translations were less perfect than those of recent date, especially in the modern Greek; and that all the recent translations printed at the several mission presses are not equally good. With respect to the translations of Mr. Petrokokino, however, who has been for some years the modern Greek translator for the American mission press at Malta, there is the best proof of their excellence, aside from their popularity in the schools of Greece-the favorable opinion of the excellent and learned professor Bambas, principal of the Greek theological seminary in Corfu. This opinion is given in the following extract of a letter addressed to Mr. Petrokokino, in acknowledgment of a number of copies of the translations sent to him from Malta.

The books you recently forwarded to me, as well as those formerly sent, have been duly received. With regard to your translations, dear sir, all that I have had the honor of seeing have in general pleased me, on account of the purity and perspicuity and sweetness of the style. You have taken the right course, that which our national language pursues in its progress, and there is no doubt but that, with practice and the observation which attends it, you will be making continual advances towards greater perfection. Every language, whatever may have been its original form, as it is an expression of thoughts, naturally follows their state; so that when authors or translators adopt the present state of mental culture in the nation as the standard of their style, as well as of their matter, they cannot fail to become both useful and agreeable. By this general principle, if it be correct, imitation should also, in my opinion, be regulated, in order to be reasonable. I rejoice, therefore, my dear sir, to see that you are one of this number, and pray that the Lord may

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