Every christian heart must greatly rejoice to witness the large amount of missionary effort exerted upon the native population in and round Madras, at these several stations; and to see the cordial manner in which the missionaries of different societies co-operate with each other. Many of them are labourers of long experience and great ability, who have grown grey in the Lord's service, and have spent their best years in promoting its interests. The history of their several labours, since the stations were established, is one of great interest: but deserves far more space than these few pages can allow : especially in view of the ignorance, blind bigotry, and opposition with which they have been met. TANJORE AND MADURA. The next group of missions embraces the stations established in the province of Tanjore, about a hundred and eighty miles south of Madras. The province extends chiefly from east to west, and comes down to the sea-coast. Three missionary societies are located here, all of which are comparatively recent, though the missions they have taken up are the oldest in the country. The Leipsic Lutheran Mission has received charge of the churches and stations originally established by Ziegenbalg and his successors. Their first missionary, the Rev. H. Cordes, arrived in 1840, and was subsequently followed by several brethren. Their special sphere of labour embraces the two mission stations in Tranquebar itself, the station at Poreiar outside the town; and new stations at Mayaveram and Podukottah; all lying at the eastern end of the province. The native christians in these places amount to more than two thousand. The Propagation Society entered first upon the two old stations at Tanjore and Trichinopoly, founded for the Christian Knowledge Society by Swartz: but as the missionaries increased in number, new missions were opened at Combaconum, Boodaloor, Canendagoody and other places, which had been outstations of the older missions or become the residence of the converts. All the congregations were found in a most low and formal state, with but little spiritual life among them; and greatly enslaved by caste prejudices which divided into perfectly distinct sections those who professed to be one in Christ. Measures were however taken to secure more efficient missionary instruction and superintendence to raise the character of native agents, and to give a regular training to the young. The caste question also was taken up, and M attempts were made to reduce its influence and correct its evils. It is satisfactory to know that everywhere improvement is visible, especially in the spirit and character prevailing in the new stations, founded upon better principles and with more watchfulness over special evils than the original ones. The greatest difficulties have been encountered among the more respectable converts of the older missions, who are unwilling to give up what they consider inalienable rights. These missions include more than five thousand christians in eight principal stations, with several schools, and a seminary for training native catechists in the neighbourhood of Tanjore. The Wesleyan Missionary Society has also two native missions in the Tanjore province at Manargoody and Negapatam. The third group of Tamil missions has been established in the districts of Madura and Dindigul, lying between Tanjore and Tinnevelly. These missions belong to one single society, the American Board, and have been established and maintained on a regular system. The society has taken up the Madura district, determined to occupy it and it alone, until its missionary work therein is completely finished. The head-quarters of the mission are in the city of Madura, the former residence of Robert de Nobili and his celebrated Jesuit companions: and all the other stations, eight in number, lie round the city at greater or less distances, none being very far. The missionaries are thus always able to communicate with each other in times of emergency, and do not become hypochondriac from long living alone. All the missions are admirably placed. Madura, with its ruined palace, the residence of the powerful Telugu kings; its great temple and choultry; its numerous and influential brahmans, its wellbuilt streets and large population, is the location of three missionaries, of whom one is a physician. Dindigul, with its mighty rock and large compact town, is the residence of two missionaries. At Pasumalie, just out of Madura, is the Mission Seminary, where the society is endeavouring to raise up both catechists and school-masters for the service of the mission. All these and the other stations of the society have village congregations attached to them, which occupy a large share of a missionary's attention, and by which the gospel is making progress among the people generally. These congregations have undergone considerable change since the mission was established. At first many people gathered round them after the example of the Tanjore christians, from very inferior motives. They came anxious to have the counsel of a European friend; to secure a means of livelihood; dissatisfied with their own gods; wanting to be instructed, without any idea of what the gospel is. Of these many subsequently left. Perhaps the headman of a village died, and without him the christians were unable to withstand the opposition. of their neighbours. Or perhaps a catechist was dismissed for conforming to the rules of caste, and in revenge took the people with him : or perhaps the rules against caste, or other means of discipline, were enforced among the people to their dissatisfaction, and with a view to punish the missionary (as they sometimes do in Bengal), they stopped away from church, took away their children from school, and gave up christianity altogether. Yet good has been done; and as the people have come to learn what the missionaries teach and what they mean to do, more steady congregations have gradually gathered around them, and a larger number of sincere, stable converts been admitted into their communion. The same change has come over their schools. At first they established schools for all classes, Hindus and Musalmáns. But as they enforced. their discipline there also, and refused to recognise caste customs in the seats of their scholars, many left the schools have by degrees been changed into schools for the especial instruction of the christian children of their own people. These missions, have in many ways, received tokens of the blessing of God; and amidst general prosperity, have observed in individual cases proofs of the exercise of his grace. Amongst such instances the following possesses points of peculiar interest. : There was an old Guru or priest, a few miles from Madura, a man of great influence amongst the people, who was consulted on all occasions of difficulty and regarded as the oracle of the country round. Clothes on which he had breathed or his hand been placed, were taken to the sick that they might recover: and mantras and charms were repeated by him in order to cure them. He was looked on by all the people as a man of great power, and to maintain his dignity and authority among them always had a silver wand carried before him. Amongst others he had heard of the missionaries in the district and was accustomed for years to read christian books which they had distributed. Indeed he had quite a small library, kept as usual in an earthen jar, but the words of truth had made no impression on his mind. One day, when walking in the bazar, he heard a catechist reading a passage from the Gospel of Luke. It struck him most powerfully. "What is that you read ?" he instantly asked; "read it again." The catechist read it. wonderful thing," exclaimed the guru, "where do you find it?" is written in Luke, a christian book, a portion of our Bible." "What a "It "Why, I have got Luke and have read it; but I never saw this statement, kindly read it again." The next day he sent for the catechist and requested him to read the wonderful passage once more. From that hour he received the gospel without reserve: experienced the greatest joy in his belief, and continued happy till his death. His religion however was not acceptable to his friends and disciples: his sons were perfectly aghast when he told them of his change of faith, and did all they could to induce him to give it up. "What a pity," said one, "that so much learning should make a man mad." They reproached him, and persecuted him continually. Often when he was on the way to the missionary, they would fetch him back and compel him to forego his visits. But he persevered, bore all the opposition with great patience, and looked forward with confidence to a secure repose in heaven. He lived thus for five years his death was hastened by a chronic complaint, produced by some drug which he had taken in former days from a sannyási that he might be able to fly! He earnestly begged of his sons that he might be buried instead of burned: they complied with his request, and arrangements were subsequently made for putting a monument upon the grave. A HILL MISSION. On the western border of the Madura district lies a splendid range of Hills, the Pulneys, as large and as high as the Nilgerries. The eastern face is in one part a precipitous wall three thousand feet in height: and in other portions immense clefts exist by which the curious descend into a huge cave. These hills throw off numerous spurs towards the east: several ranges occur close to the foot of the Pulney Hills, two of which inclose a picturesque valley, called the valley of Dindigul. Detached hills also stand out in the very centre of the plain: as the Secundra Máli, near Madura: and the Rock on which the Dindigul Fort is erected. All these hills have been occupied as posts in war, and have played an important part not only in the history of the East India Company, but in the struggles of the different dynasties of the country, especially the Brahmins and Jains. Among the low spurs at the eastern border of these Pulney hills, the Society for Propagating the Gospel has a mission among a poor but simple people, remains of the aborigines. No obstacles to the gospel exist among them greater than their intense ignorance; and Mr. Coyle, their missionary, has received much encouragement in his efforts to instruct and enlighten them. They are quite sim ple and even patriarchal in their manners: and like things to be done with great form and ceremony. They are also great talkers, and at their meetings whether social or religious, one and another will rise to make their little speech. As an illustration of their manners, the following fact may be mentioned. One day Mr. Bower of Tanjore was preaching to them on the goodness of God's providence; and shewing how he orders all things well to his own people, who love him and pray to him. In the midst of the sermon a man stood up and requested permission to ask a question. The permission being granted, he said: "If God does rule over all as you say, and govern every thing for our good, how was it that my house was burnt down three nights ago to my great loss?" Mr. Bower was thinking how to answer him, when Abraham, a shrewd old leader among them, requested permission to ask the man a question in return "Friend, he said, did you say your prayers that night?" The man looked down, then up, and confessed that he had not prayed that night as he ought to have done. "Well then;" replied his interrogator, "how could you expect to enjoy God's protection under such circumstances." : CASTE IN THE NATIVE CHURCHES. I will conclude this notice of the Tamil missions, by a few observations on a subject of peculiar interest, namely, caste among the native christians. On this vital question to an immense extent depend the stability and purity of the churches in South India: and no estimate of their religious character, from which this element is omitted, can be of any worth. It has been often spoken of, written of, and discussed, but it still forms a difficulty to every pastor, and requires to be watched with a most vigilant eye. It is more to be found in connection with the Tamil christians than any others: and it is, because I think that the true key to the present condition of the Tamil churches is to be found in their past history and especially in the later history of the Tranquebar missions, that I have dwelt upon it at so much at length. Several circumstances must be remembered before the growth and subsequent great influence of the caste spirit among the converts can be truly understood. 1st. There exists in the Tamil population a very large proportion of a Paria or no-caste class, a people who are greatly despised by all other castes; and though having distinctions among themselves, are |