THE map on the first page represents the Choctaw and Chickasaw country and some portions of the surrounding states, with the names and location of the several missionary stations, to which the attention of the friends of missions have been directed with much interest during the last thirteen years; where hundreds of heathen children and adults have been taught to read the word of God, and hundreds more have been hopefully converted to God by the preaching of the missionaries, and which are now becoming desolate by the emigration of the Choctaws to their new country lying between the Arkansas and Red rivers, and west of the Arkansas territory.

The following statements are collected principally from communications of the missionaries.

Extent of Country and Number and Origin indefinite. They have no conception of a

of the Choctaws.

The Choctaw country extends from the Tombigby river on the east to the Mississippi river on the west, and from the Chickasaw country on the north to the settlements of the state of Mississippi on the south, which also extend far up on the west. Its extreme length is about 150 miles, and its breadth about 140. Its average extent is much less, embracing about 7,000,000 acres. Their territory was formerly much larger.

The number of the Choctaws is estimated at about 20,000. Great inroads have been made on their number by sickness and other causes. Thirty years ago they probably amounted to 30,000.

Some of the Choctaws have a tradition

that they with the Chickasaws, Chokchumas, and Creeks, emigrated from some country far to the west, and settled in their present territory by the direction of a great prophet or leader. Others believe that they were created out of the ground at a place in their country called Nunih Waia about four or five generations ago. They are divided into two clans, which embrace the

whole tribe. Members of the same clan never intermarry, so that the husband and wife always belong to different clans, and the children belong to the clan of the mother.

Religious Traditions and Opinions. It is difficult acquiring any definite knowledge respecting their traditions, Neither they nor the Indians generally have any of that accuracy themselves in respect to events and dates which they have been represented as having. Their statements are very vague, and those of different individuals are contradictory. Since their intercourse with the whites they have forgotten much that they once knew. They are also very reluctant and perhaps ashamed to divulge their traditions and opinions.

They obviously, however, once had some knowledge respecting the events recorded in Genesis. They retain some faint idea of a superior Being; but of his nature, mode of existence, and attributes, their notions were, and, until enlightened by Christian instruction, are now, extremely vague and

Being purely spiritual. The human soul is not in their apprehension strictly a spirit. Nor have they any word in their lan guage to denote a spiritual existence.

They anciently regarded the sun as a god, and ascribed to him the power of life and death and their success in war.

The dwelling of this superior Being they supposed to be somewhere on high. The representation of the Choctaws is, that when the Creator had made the earth, and its inhabitants (the red people,) and had given them their civil regulations, he returned to his place above, and they saw and heard nothing more of him.

They do not appear to have acknowl edged that a superintending Providence directed their concerns and controlled all events. In prosperity they exercised no gratitude to him for benefits received, nor in distress, did they apply to him for relief. In time of drought, they applied to their rain-makers, who, being well paid, would undertake to make rain. When the earth was surcharged with water, they would apply to their fairweather makers for sunshine; and in sickacknowledging or even appearing to feel ness, to their doctors for cure; without their dependence on the great Ruler of all things.

They supposed that this Being prescribed no form of religious worship, and made no revelation of his will. There appears to be no evidence that they ever offered sacrifices or engaged in any worship. They appear to have been emphatically "without God in the world." When the inquiry has been made, "Did you ever think of God?" They answer, "How can we think of him, of whom we know nothing?" And when the question has been repeated, "Before the missionaries came, did the Choctaws think and talk about God?" the answer univer sally has been, that they never thought not talked upon such subjects. A few aged men state, that since they have heard the gospel from the missionaries, they have sometimes attempted to acknowledge their dependence on the Father of mercies, and seek his favor by supplication, but that until their arrival, they knew nothing of the duty of prayer. Nor do they know that

Two other stations, Bethany and Boketunneh, were occupied for a short period, but no schools were opened at them.

Besides those pupils mentioned in the, foregoing table as attending the schools at the several stations, large numbers of youths and adults, within the last three or four years especially, have been instructed by the missionaries, or under their direction, in various Indian villages, and principally from books in their own language. The whole number reported as having been instructed, during the year ending August, 1830, is 528; of whom 278 were taught at the stations, and 250 in the Indian villages. Of the whole 299 were full-blood Choctaws and 229 of mixed blood. Of those at the stations 177 were males and 101 females; and 176 on an average were boarded in the mission families. The average number attending on instruction was 194; 67 were new scholars; 17 left school with a good common education; 36 read in spelling lessons, 36 in English reading lessons, 63 in the English Testament, 58 in English Reader; 90 spell, and 245 read in Choctaw only; 126 read in both Choctaw and English; 51 studied arithmetic, 64 geography, 22 grammar; 57 composed in English, 12 in Choctaw only, 11 in Choctaw and English; and 137 wrote.

The mission has thus furnished board, tuition, books, and clothing, in part, to scholars boarded, during the thirteen years which the mission has been in operation, to an amount equivalent to 1500 scholars for one year; which at $75 a year for each, would amount to $112,500: and it has furnished tuition and books to scholars not boarded, to an amount equivalent to 1000 scholars for one year.

Sabbath schools have been taught at all the stations. At one school of less than 30 scholars 5,055 verses of the Bible in English and 1614 in Choctaw were committed to memory in 1831, with 208 stanzas of English and 187 of Choctaw hymns. The progress of the other schools was similar.

In addition to this, the Choctaw language has been acquired by several of the teachers and missionaries, its orthography settled, and the words first reduced to writing by them. Seven distinct books of an elementary and instructive character, among which are a book of hymns, an abridgment of the Gospels, and a book on the Old Testament history, have been prepared by them in this language, and printed, amounting to 10,000 copies, and 1,180,000 pages.

The civilization of the tribe has advanced rapidly. Strict laws have been made against the introduction of intoxicating liquors, and till recently were vigorously enforced. Intemperance received a great check. The first year after the station at Mayhew was formed, 20 murders were committed within a few miles of it in consequence of intoxication, and in 1825 ten lives were lost from the same cause. Dur

ing the years 1828 and 1829 only one death
occurred in consequence of intoxication,
and that was by accidental drowning. The
people are more industrious, are better fed,
better clothed, have better houses and
farms, and a general desire prevails to have
their children educated, and to obtain
household furniture and the implements of
husbandry. Witchcraft and the corrupting
scenes of pole-pulling, are almost unknown;
the Christian form of marriage has been
extensively introduced, and the general
improvement is declared to be very striking.

Organization and Enlargement of the
Churches.

The first Christian church among the Choctaws was organized at Elliot, the last Sabbath in March, 1819, including only the members of the mission family. Churches were organized at Mayhew, Bethel, Goshen, and Emmaus soon after those stations were occupied. Few persons, however, were added to any of them. Much seriousness prevailed in the schools and among the hired laborers at Mayhew during the winter and spring of 1824, and two natives, three white men, and two black women joined the church. Again in the early part of the year 1827 much religious inquiry prevailed at the same station, and in June nine persons, two of whom were natives, joined the church. During the fall of 1828 a more deep and anxious attention to religious instruction commenced in the vicinity of Mayhew and in the western district, and during the next year and a half, spread to all parts of the nation. Meetings became large, the most solemn attention was paid to instruction, the stoutest warriors trembled and wept, and many appeared brokenhearted and penitent and began to rejoice in Christ. Nearly 400 persons have since united with the churches. Ten were added to the church at Elliot. The Mayhew church, embracing the converts residing near Mayhew, Aiikhunna, and Yoknokchaya, has received on examination, since it was organized in May, 1821, 284 members; of whom eight were of African descent, twenty whites, and 256 Choctaws; 27 of whom have been either excommunicated, or are now under suspension for misconduct. The church at Goshen has received about fifty, and that at Emmaus about forty; only four or five of whom have apostatized. The remainder stand firm, and most of them give very encouraging evidence of genuine piety. All the young and middle aged in these two churches can read in the Choc taw books, or are learning to read, and many write. The whole number of per sons belonging to the churches in the Choctaw nation, at the close of the year of the mission families, and those who are 1831, under the care of the Board, exclusive under censure, was about 360. The number of children baptised is 244.

OF THE

AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS.

No. IV. July, 1832.

AMERICAN MISSION CHURCH IN CEYLON.

As about half the members of the Ceylon mission church are youth who have been named and supported in the mission boarding schools and seminary by benevolent individuals in this country, it will be interesting to many to see some connected account of the growth and character of that church, and the names of the individuals composing it.

The missionaries arrived in the district of Jaffna, Ceylon, and commenced their labors in October, 1816; and in one year they began to preach without interpreters in Tamul, the language spoken in that part of Ceylon, and by some millions of people on the adjacent continent. The Roman Catholics from Portugal came to the district two or three centuries before, and the Dutch followed them; but the traces of religious knowledge were slight. Eight missionaries have been sent to this field, two of whom have died. Five stations have been occupied. All the mission families and all the native converts constituted but one church until about a year since, when, in order better to secure the ends of church government, the converts residing in the vicinity of each station were associated together, and thus five churches were constituted. The missionaries organized themselves after the model of a presbytery.

The missionaries have used much caution in admitting members to the church. Inquirers have been thoroughly instructed; and when hopefully converted, they have been instructed further, and counselled, and watched over, and not received to church-fellowship until the strength of their religious characters had been long tried, and they had given all the evidence which the nature of the case admits that they were born of the Spirit. After assenting to articles of faith, and entering into a covenant similar to what are adopted by evangelical churches in this country, the candidates receive the following as their rules of life. These are so modeled as to meet the various sins that are most prevalent and the temptations to which they are most exposed.

Rules of Life.

people call gods; but you must not make Since there is a perfect rule of faith and any offerings to them nor give any thing for their support, nor rub sandal-wood, dust, practice contained in the Scriptures we nor ashes; nor use any heathenish ceremoought to examine them and compare one nies, enchantments, or prayers at a wedpart with another; and, understanding them, ding, a funeral, at the birth of a child, while we ought to live agreeably to them, and not trust to the writings of man. On this cultivating the land, when going to buy or account, we, the missionaries, being the sell, or when beginning any other work. watchmen of the church members, and You must not have any thing to do with bound to teach them, by expounding the lucky or unlucky days or signs, nor use such customs, neither can you observe sacred Scriptures, to shun those things which they ought not to do, and to do the sorcery, nor consult the shasters: all these things they ought, make known to the you are bound to leave, and live without members of our church in Batticotta, Tilli-the least leaning towards heathenism. pally, Oodooville, Panditeripo, and Manepy the following rules, which are agreeable to the Christian religion. Isaiah viii. 20. Acts xvii. 11-16. John v. 39. Rev. xxii. 18, 19. Matt. xxii. 29. 1 Peter i. 20, 21. Neh. viii. 8. 2 Tim. iv. 2-6. 1 Thes. v. 14. Titus i. 15. 2 Chron. xix. 10. Ezek. iii. 18. 1 Cor. iv. 14. 2 Cor. ix. 5. 1 Tim. ii. 1. Heb. xii. 5.

1. You are bound not only to leave all idol worship, the worship of the saints of the Roman Catholics, and what the Tamul

[Here were inserted the texts of Scripture on which the rule is founded.]

2. We exhort and advise you not to observe any distinctions of caste among yourselves, but to live as the members of one family. In reference to office and other worldly distinctions, the inferior are to honor the superior, each walking humbly and esteeming others better than himself. [Texts.]

3. Take not the name of God in vain, nor bear false witness, nor swear by your head nor any other part of your body, nor

The following catalogue gives the name of each person received into the church from the commencement of the mission, till July 21, 1831; together with the time when each was received, his age at that time, and his present standing and employment.