Europeans and the neglected children of the English regiments: but they also applied themselves diligently to the Telugu language, and soon became known among the natives as religious teachers for them. They admitted native boys into their school, conversed frequently with their neighbours, and itinerated among the surrounding villages. They compiled tracts, consisting of scripture passages on particular subjects, which were printed at Madras; and began to prepare a complete translation of the Gospels and Acts. They were much encouraged at the outset by the aid furnished by a Telugu bráhman who had been baptized first by the Roman Catholics and afterwards received at Tranquebar. In the mysterious Providence of God these two brethren who had entered on their work so well, were cut off in the beginning of their usefulness. Mr. Cran died in 1809 and Mr. Desgranges in 1810. Two new missionaries however arrived, Messrs. Gordon and Lee; they again were soon joined by Mr. Pritchett, who had been to Rangoon, and had been compelled to retire from his mission there. Mr. Lee left in 1815, but Mr. Dawson arrived the same year and occupied his place. The three brethren, Gordon, Dawson and Pritchett, continued their preaching and school instructions uninterruptedly for some years; during which they endeavoured to enlarge the mission by founding a branch at Ganjam. They found that the people had begun to understand the gospel, and at Chicacole some who had never seen any thing but their tracts, had declared they would become Christians. The translation of the New Testament was completed before Mr. Pritchett's death, and put, I believe, into circulation. That of the Old Testament was far advanced and was completed by Mr. Gordon. It is now being printed for the first time by the Madras Bible Society: only small portions, like the Psalms, having been circulated hitherto. Mr. Pritchett died in 1820, after eight years' labour; the brethren Gordon and Dawson remained alive; the former till 1828; the latter till 1832. They were not privileged to see many converts drawn from the district; but they had extensively spread the knowledge of the gospel among the villages and towns in their neighbourhood, and proved a great blessing to the poorer European population, who would otherwise have lived destitute of religious instruction. The houses where they resided, the garden they planted, and the chapel they erected still exist and their sons are now carrying on the labours from which they ceased only with life.

A second Mission among the Telugus was founded at Cuddapah, in the Ceded Districts below the Ghauts, in 1822. Its first Christians were

Tamils from Chittoor; and the extreme inconsistency, weakness and irreligion which prevailed among them for many years, proved a strong barrier to the spread of Christianity among the people, for whose good the mission had been commenced. The administration of a sound and faithful discipline at length purified the church of these evils, although its numbers were reduced. From that time an eminent blessing rested on it from above, and Christianity began to take firm root in the Telugu villages by which Cuddapah is surrounded.

These two stations, Vizagapatam and Cuddapah, under the London Missionary Society, continued to be the only Missions among the Telugus till the year 1836, now seventeen years ago. The famine of 1833 drew marked attention to this interesting people, and efforts were specially made to spread the gospel where it had not been hitherto declared. The first additional station was established at Narsapore by Messrs. Bowden and Beer in 1836. These labourers for Christ were two young tradesmen from Barnstaple, who had come to India anxious to carry on missionary work while supporting themselves by their trades. The latter part of the scheme failed, as it has done elsewhere; but friends took up their cause and sent them money, and have continued to support them to the present time. Both learned the language well; and have been exceedingly useful. Mr. Bowden is said to speak Telugu like a native, and it is remarkable that he has been especially successful among the chuklas, or shoe-makers, to whom in a manner he himself once belonged. He was for sometime engaged by Col. Cotton to preach to the natives engaged in the construction of the great Anicut or dam across the River Godavery near which they live. Another station was established in 1839 at Cicacole by the London Mission, as an offshoot from Vizagapatam from which it is a few miles distant. In 1841, the Church Missionary Society took up Masulipatam, incited thereto by an offer made to Bishop Corrie by some gentlemen of the station, to provide a considerable portion of two missionaries' salaries. It was this offer which brought out to India one of the most spiritual and gentle, yet energetic missionaries of modern days, the Rev. Henry Fox. His career was short but striking, more useful perhaps to his countrymen, as an example of self-devotion, than distinguished by success among the heathen. Since its establishment in 1841, the mission has been well supplied with agents, has been well managed, and is one of the most efficient missions in the Telugu land. Nellore was taken up by the American Baptists in 1840: Rajmundry and Guntoor, in 1845 by the Society of North Germany. The

Free Church also opened schools at Nellore. Thus has provision been made for a more extensive proclamation of the gospel among this longneglected people.

It will readily be supposed that missionaries pursue in the Telugu country, plans very similar to those adopted in other parts of India : particularly in the mofussil districts. They act as pastors and teachers of the churches which they have gathered: have near them boarding schools for christian children and orphans; superintend and instruct vernacular schools, where only elementary knowledge can be communicated and in the best towns have established English schools besides. They also frequently undertake extensive itinerancies into country districts: their opportunities for such labour, as in all the Madras Presidency, not being nearly so limited as in Bengal: the sun and weather being more favourable.

The general knowledge and religious condition of the people at large seem to be much the same as they are in villages in Bengal. They have their periodical festivals and melas: with this peculiarity, that at certain places they worship particular Avatárs or incarnations of Vishnu. At one place near Vizagapatam, a crowd of 25,000 people assembles annually to worship the Boar-incarnation: in another, to worship the Norsingh or incarnation of the man-lion. If the small-pox or cholera rages badly, they all bring their sacrifices to the Ammávaru, each caste having its own priests; who slaughter buffaloes, sheep and fowls in her honour: in her name the swinging feasts are held. Snakes, Hanuman and the brahmin-kites are extensively honoured and even worshipped. The brahmins of course are superior to all. Fakeers are accounted peculiarly holy. The same shastras, the same legends prevail there as in Upper India. The same rules of caste are obeyed. The same vices too abound. Lying is especially common. "How could the world," say they, "go on without lying." The doctrines of Pantheism and Transmigration are continually advocated, and bring forth the same apathy and indifference among them, as they produce elsewhere.

But the work of the Lord is steadily making progress. Here and there an individual conversion takes place in the upper classes, rending families asunder and causing the thoughts of many hearts to be revealed. Every year witnesses additions to the infant churches. Although the majority of the Telugu missions have been in operation only about twelve years, yet the religious impressions produced upon the people in general are plainly discernible. A great amount of Bible knowledge has been widely

spread; in some heathen families it has been found that the Bible is daily read and prayer daily offered. Wherever new temples are built or old ones repaired, it is usually observed that the obscene figures which once formed their chief ornament are removed; a fact owing doubtless to the light which from the gospel is now breaking upon the darkness of ages. It is manifest that the leaven of the Word of God is working. In many places the people acknowledge that Christianity will prevail; that their gods are weak; that idolatry is foolish. In proof of this the singular fact is exhibited, that they have begun to give up many of the inferior deities, and to appeal especially to RAM believing him to be Almighty. Processions are constantly formed of persons carrying lights and singing hymns in praise of RAM. I saw one such when in Vizagapatam.

Missionaries frequently meet with facts like these during their extensive itinerancies; it is in their journeys that they come into closest contact with purely native life, and gain a thorough insight into native notions especially in the country villages. For instance; at Narsampett, several years ago, Mr. Edward Porter was preaching to a congregation of upwards of a hundred persons, and found it heart-cheering to see the regard which these poor people paid to the word of life. One old woman about eighty years of age, listened with marked attention for some time; Mr. Porter was much struck with her appearance, and having finished his address turned aside to converse with her. He asked if she worshipped idols: "No;" she replied, "I have left them off.” "How long have you left them off?" "Ever since the great famine:" (very likely the year 1833). "Whom then do you worship?" She pointed to the heavens and said: "That God, he only is God and no one else. These people," she continued, "have a thousand opinions and a thousand religions, therefore God does not dwell with them: you speak of one God and one true way, therefore God dwells with you." It was delightful to hear such a testimony from a poor decrepit old woman, surrounded as she was with all the abominations of idolatry.

In the village of Dhoosee, in 1845, Mr. Dawson had little less than the whole population to hear his preaching; men, women and children thronging around him from morning till night. Many from their looks and expressions seemed convinced of the truth, but felt the difficulties in their way to be very great. A little company of ten persons returned to his tent in the dark, after others had gone home, and calling to the servants asked; "What is the name of that Saviour, that Master has

"" The servants,

been telling us of; we try to recollect it, but cannot.' thinking it perhaps too bad of them to trouble the missionary again at night, after being with him all the day, replied, "Master is just gone and laid himself down; don't trouble him again." Mr. Dawson however called to them and asking them to come in, one of their number, rather an old man, entered the tent, and sitting down, said; "Sir, we have been hearing all that has been said, and we have felt persuaded that the truth is on your side. A few of us have therefore consulted together that it is not right for us to disregard your message, and your disinterested concern for our welfare; and we have thought that we would henceforth, though we cannot do all that you have told us, give up the worship of idols and false gods and think of and pray to THIS SAVIOUR alone, but we could not recollect his name. Is it this?" he said, pronouncing it rather incorrectly. Mr. D. repeated the name of Jesus to them several times, and after speaking to them a little more of its being the only name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, proposed to them, to send a man to stay with them continually and teach them the worship of the true Saviour, of whom they were so anxious to hear.

Pleasing as these indications are of an improved state of things, too much importance should not be attributed to them: the very circumstances of the case forbid it. At Peddapur, a blacksmith several times visited Mr. Gordon, declaring his dissatisfaction with Hinduism, and his desire to become more acquainted with the claims and doctrines of christianity, with the narratives of which he seemed to be much interested. "But how," was his sensible question, "are we to become acquainted with it? You are here to-day and away to-morrow, and we have no means of obtaining the instructions we want?"

A native baptized by Mr. Dawson at Chicacole, was in the first instance led to think of the interests of his soul, through the instrumentality of a Telugu tract. He had been contemplating a visit to Jagannáth, and was on the eve of preparation, when a copy of the tract on the worship of Jagannath was accidentally discovered by him in his box. He read it, relinquished the project of his pilgrimage; became a stated attendant at Mr. Dawson's chapel; and a steady adherent to the truth.

At both the Church Missionary English School in Masulipatam, and that of the London Mission at Vizagapatam, young men have been led (as in Calcutta and Madras), to give up Hinduism and profess the religion of Christ. The same uproar has followed there as here. The same