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directs 3 or 4000 more to be added; and closes by directing particular care to be taken in the distribution that the people may ac tually receive it, instead of its being embezzled in its progress, as is often the case; that * Chin poo ngai lee yuen, his universal affection for the black heads (i. e. the people) may be seconded by those entrusted with His Majesty's bounty."

INTELLIGENCE FROM EUROPE.

VI. Extracts from the Report of the Edinburgh Missionary Society.

This Society, which richly deserves encouragement from the Christian public, has long supported a mission to Astracan, begun by the Rev. Mr. Brunton, a most able and excellent man, who com pleted a version of the New Testament into the Turkish language, and who was equal to any undertaking, had his life been spared. He died of a fever in the midst of his work some years ago. It is pleasing to perceive from this report that his worthy successors possess a portion of his spirit; and that perseverance is likely to crown their labors ultimately with a degree of success. have three stations, Karass, the town of Astracan, and Orenberg. In this number we shall give a brief account of the state of things at the two first of these,

They

Karass.

"From the beginning of 1816 till the month of May, when Mr. Paterson commenced his journey to the Crimea, he and Mr. Galloway remained together at this Station, superintending its affairs; arranging matters for the separation of the German Colonists from their secular connexion with the Mission; attending to the education of their own children, and of the ransomed and other youth in the Colony; and embracing such opportunities as were presented to them of visiting the adjacent villages, and conversing

* denotes head,

with the Natives on the subject of religion. Several of the Native Children are mentioned as being able to repeat parts of the Catechism; from which, they are frequently heard asking and answering some of the questions.

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"The meetings for the instruction of the Ransomed (Slaves) are regularly kept; and they are gradually advancing in acquaintance with the doctrines and duties of Christianity: while those of them who are still at school, are continuing to make as much proin learning to read and write as can reasonably be expected. "In the beginning of May, three or four hundred Tartar families, having left the Kuban, came and settled in the vicinity of Karass ; some of them in Naiman Village; more of them on the Kuma; but the greater part about sixty versts distant. And "thus," say the Missionaries, "while their countrymen, who, after hearing the Gospel without receiving it, and who some time ago removed from under its ministry, have mostly been cut off by the plague, others of the same race are brought within its sound, and have the Scriptures circulated among them, to testify to them the way to eternal life."

"Previously to Mr. Paterson's departure for the Crimea, he and Mr. Galloway received some particular information concerning the tribe of Ossatinzes, or Ossatinians; which induced them to hope that a way might soon be opened for the introduction of the Gospel among them. These people live in the mountains to the south and south-east of Karass, at no great distance from Mosdok. They had applied to the Commanding-General of the district, for protection from the Kabardians, the fiercest and most uncivilized of all the tribes in the neighbourhood; and had requested him to procure teachers for them, confessing their ignorance of the true religion. By accounts, however, subsequently received from Mr. Paterson, there appear to be some peculiar difficulties in the way of a Mission being established in their country. There seems, indeed, even at present, a preparation going on for their being, at no very' distant period, made acquainted with Divine Truth; for the General, who had himself spent seve

ral years among them, in the defiles of the mountains, has at this moment twelve of their boys at school, in one of the fortresses, learning the Russian language. Could copies of the Scriptures, therefore, be introduced into these schools, the word of Truth might, through the power of its Divine Author, take root in some of their hearts, and prepare them for becoming instructors of their countrymen in the things that belong to their eternal peace.

return.

"The most interesting information from Karass, received since the last Anniversary, relates to the Turkmen, or Turkomans; whom Mr. Galloway visited in the month of October, as soon as he could conveniently leave the settlement after Mr., Paterson's The Turkmen are a nomadic and pastoral tribe of Tartars, who inhabit chiefly the great Kitzliar Steppe, between the Kuma and the Terek, eastward from Karass towards the Caspian. They seldom, if ever, settle in villages; but roam from place to place, encamping in tents, with their herds and flocks around them, wherever they can find suitable shelter and pasturage. Their language approaches nearer to the Turkish, than that of the other Tartars; and, in consequence of the nature of their occupation, their spirit is less ferocious, and their habits more gentle and domestic. During Mr. Galloway's visit to them, on which he was accompanied by John Steele, one of the ransomed boys, he was highly gratified with the reception which they gave, equally to his instructions, and to the copies of the New Testament and Tracts, which he took along with him for distribution. The cart in which he travelled was for some days constantly surrounded by crowds, earnestly requesting books; and saying, with every appearance of deep interest, that they wished to know the way of Salvation. And when some of the Kara Nogays, another tribe who wander about like the Turkmen, and who are perhaps the most bigotted Mahomedans of all the Tartars, endeavoured to persuade them not to receive such books, because they did not agree with the Koran, the Turkmen told them that they (viz. the Nogays) were ignorant persons, and that the books were recommended to them by those who knew more than they,

"Of an Effendi, named Baba Khan Hadgi,* Mr. Galloway speaks with great interest. He is a Bucharian; and, about twelve years ago, returned from his travels in Arabia, since which he has been officiating among a number of Calmucks, who turned Mahomedans about fifty years ago. He acknowledged that he had long thought that the Mahomedans do not rightly understand the Koran, otherwise they would give more honour to Christ than they do ; and spoke as if he had very considerable doubts respecting the truth of Islamism.

"With another Effendi, Mr. Galloway also had much conversation; in which he dwelt particularly, and in the hearing of the people around them, on the Scripture account of the divinity of Christ, to which every Mahomedan so strongly objects-on the nature and design of sacrifices-on the evil of sin-on the death and resurrection of our Saviour-on the impossibility of meriting the pardon of sin and eternal life by our own works or observances on the necessity of spiritual worship-and on the great and essential difference between the Christian doctrine of a state of future happiness in heaven, and the dreams which the disciples of the Koran entertain respecting the enjoyments of their sensual paradise. It was with much regret that Mr. Galloway, from having, before he met with this Effendi, distributed all the books that he had carried along with him, found he had it not in his power to give him a copy of the New Testament, especially as he said he had come a whole day's journey to receive one, and appeared to be disposed to think seriously about Christianity. He even endeavoured to prevail with a priest to part with the copy which he had received; but the priest told him that he had as much need of it as the Effendi, and could read it equally well. "Much allowance," says Mr. Galloway, "must be made for the readiness with which the Turkmans received the books, on account of their not having formerly heard any thing of the Gospel; yet, I must confess, I received a great deal of pleasure and encouragement from my visit, and purpose, God willing, to repeat it soon."

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*Hadgi, i. e. "pilgrim," is the title given to a Mahomedan priest who has performed the pilgrimage to Mecca.

"In addition to the above statement, it is gratifying to learn, that the Missionaries at Astracan had, nearly at the same time, delivered to the Bible Committee of that city 50 copies of the New Testament, 50 of Luke's Gospel, and 50 of the Psalms in Tartar; for the purpose of their being sent to others of these very people in the neighbourhood of Kitzliar; some of whom have collected about 50 rubles and remitted it to that Society with the view of procuring books from them.

"Thus, almost at once, and quite unknown to each other, the Missionaries at Karass and Astracan were employing means for communicating the Word of the Living and Trae God to the wan dering inhabitants of that extensive tract of country. And can it be irrational to draw from such a fact the interesting conclusion, that God has designs of mercy towards them ?"

Astracan.

"The importance which the Directors of the Society have been led to attach to the town of Astracan, both as a central station for Missionary exertion, and as the seat of an establishment for translating and printing the Scriptures in the various languages of Asiatic Russia, has been fully justified by every month's intelligence, which, during the past year, they have received from their Mis

sionaries.

"The labours of Mr. Mitchell, and his co-adjutor, James Peddie, at the Missionary press, and of Mr. Dickson in revising, correcting, and translating, have been such as to merit the highest commendation. When it is considered that these have been the only constant and efficient abourers at this post of duty, and that, besides having to attend to the instruction of their own families, they have had to converse, almost daily, and often for hours together, with Persians and others who visited them with the view of obtaining copies of the New Testament, and information concerning the truths of Christianity, some estimate may be formed of their activity, and diligence, and zeal, from the following statement of

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