numerous heads and arms; here quite naked, there sumptuously arrayed." Fifteen Years in India, p. 276. 8 Page 9. Bear thou witness too, River of hell, whose deadly baptism stains E'en to the soul its victim. To prevent the practice of self-immolation and infanticide in the Ganges, the British government of India passed a law, in March, 1802, declaring any person guilty of murder, who should aid or assist in such sacrifices. See Asiatic Annual Register for 1808. See also Ward's Farewell Letters, p. 71. b Page 10. Fresh beads for Kali's necklace. See Sketches of India, by an Officer, 8vo. p. 89. The god dess Kali, or Kalee, is decorated with a necklace of human skulls. i Page 11. Thy sage Mollahs, say, have they yet resolv'd The Christian's knotty interrogatives? "It was in that city (Shiraz) that he (Henry Martyn) composed many of the queries relative to the Mahommedan faith, none of which have yet been answered by the wisest sages and mollahs of Persia. Indeed, these staggering doubts, cast upon the creed of Mecca, have afforded unceasing occupation to the pen of Mirza Bezourk, the devout and learned minister of Abbas Mirza. But, after eight years' consideration, discussing, and writing on these stubborn points, still his labours, like the web of Penelope, seem sans fin; for, dissatisfied with what is done, he frequently obliterates in one day what has been the toil of a year at least." Porter's Travels in Georgia, Persia, &c. vol. ii. p. 23. k Page 11. The Caliphate, Shrunk to the shadow of a name, survives But in thy Othman rival, who e'en now Sees Egypt lost, and quails before the Greek. "The creed of the Wahabites arose from Abdul Waheb, its founder, in the year 1760: it is like that of the Soofees in Persia, and seems to allow only of a system of pure Theism, excluding Mahommed and Ali, and all the traditions of the Koran. After having travelled in Persia and India, Abdul, on his return to his own country, the Najd, erected an independent state, collected followers to his standard with the hope of plunder, and, marching against Mecca, plundered the mosques, and destroyed the inhabitants. The Turkish government was alarmed, and sent against him the pasha of Syria, whose armies were defeated; and, trusting rather to treachery than force, a treaty was concluded, and Abdul was assassinated. The son of Abdul avenged his father's death, and Mecca and Medina were again laid under contribution. The Prophet's tomb shared the fate of his descendants; and of all the holy places, nothing sacred or valuable was respected but the Caaba. The alarm of the divan, on account of these inroads, was the greater, lest the authority of the sultan should be questioned; as he can only retain the name of caliph, vicar or successor of the Prophet,- —a name so revered by Mahommedans,—whilst he is master of Mecca or of Medina. The Wahabites, though defeated by the pasha of Egypt, still possess considerable power, and only wait a favourable moment to take vengeance on their enemies." Lord Valentia's Travels, vol. ii. c. 8. 1 Page 11. Thy Euphrates Shall flee his ancient channel, to prepare Rev. xvi. 12. "And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon с the great river Euphrates, and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the East might be prepared." m Page 12. Woman there Relent into the mother. About 9000 children, it is said, are annually exposed in the city of Pekin, and the same number in the rest of the empire. See Barrow's Travels in China. Thy mystic tongue decipher'd now. Dr. Morrison has recently brought to a close his Chinese and English Dictionary, a work which has occupied more or less of his time during fifteen years. It is being printed at the sole expense of the Hon. East India Company. The whole of the Bible has been translated into Chinese by Drs. Morrison and Milne conjointly. Of the New Testament, three large editions have already been printed. The institution of the Anglo-Chinese College at Malacca promises the most important results. Sufficiently removed, by its local situation, from the interference of the Chinese authorities, it admits of an easy and extensive communication with the Chinese population scattered over the islands of the Indian archipelago, by whose means the knowledge of Christianity cannot fail eventually to extend itself to the continent. Ever since the year 1813 Divine Service has been more or less regularly performed, both in English and in Chinese, either at Macao or at Canton. See London Missionary Society's Report for 1823, pp. 29-32. Page 13. A moral miracle! Taheite now enjoys the gladdening smile Of Sabbaths. "A nation of pilferers have become eminently trust-worthy. A people, formerly universally addicted to lasciviousness in all its forms, have become modest and virtuous in the highest degree. Those who, a few years ago, despised all forms of religion, except their own horrid and cruel superstitions, have universally declared their approbation of Christianity; study diligently those parts of the Christian Scriptures which have been translated for them; ask earnestly for more, and appear conscientiously to regulate themselves by those Sacred Oracles, under the direction of their kind teachers, whose self-denying zeal and perseverance have been almost as remarkable as the success with which God has been pleased to honour them." London Missionary Society's Report for 1823, p. 3. P Page 13. Alike the scorching line and freezing pole. Some of the Moravian missionaries have actually undergone this transition, on changing their station in the Nicobar Islands for the coast of Greenland or Labrador. a Page 14. "Giver of life!" "The Wahconda (master of life) is believed to be the greatest and best of beings, the creator and preserver of all things, and the fountain of mystic medicine. Omniscience, omnipresence, and vast power are attributed to him; and he is supposed to afflict them with sickness, poverty, or misfortune for their evil deeds. In conversation, he is frequently appealed to as an evidence of the truth of their asseverations." James's Account of an Expedition to the Rocky Mountains, vol. i. p. 246. "In respect to the origin of their religion, the Indians themselves are altogether ignorant. It is certain, however, that they acknowledge one supreme, allpowerful, intelligent being; viz. the Great Spirit, or the Giver of life, who created and governs all things." Hunter's Memoirs of a Captivity among the Indians of North America, 8vo. p. 214. What marvel then if riches grow in hell? "Let none admire that riches grow in hell." MILTON. And the Sierra smiles a Christian land. For an account of the present state of that most interesting philanthropic experiment, the colony of Sierra Leone, see Missionary Register for July, 1823. * Page 16. His impious boast, Mine are they all! See Luke iv. 6. u Page 16. Her bestial symbols chased back to their dens. At Dixcove, in Ahanta on the Gold Coast, the crocodile is worshipped; at Accra the hyena is the favourite object of adoration; in the kingdom of Dahomey, the snake; and vultures all over the coast. The practice of human sacrifices is equally prevalent. See Hutton's Voyage to Africa, p. 41. |