1841.] and further prepare the way of the Lord, till the good news shall reach the most remote and obscurc corner of the land. Go forward, then, dear friends, without despondency. Present duty is our concern, and results belong to God. Live near the blessed Saviour. "Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord." In the prayers of God's people we trust you will not be forgotten: and whilst in the name of the church we bid you God speed, whilst we say farewell, we would with adoring reverence commend you to the care and keeping of the living God; and may his grace, mercy, and peace be with you! Amen. * Departure of Missionaries. The Rev. Robert W. Sawyer and wife embarked at this port on board the Saluda, on the 6th ult. for Western Africa. After touching at Norfolk, they proceeded on their voyage about the middle of last month. Very interesting public services were held iu Goshen, N. Y., on the occasion of Mr. Sawyer's ordination, and again when the instructions of the Committee were addressed to him. The impression made at these meetings will long be remembered by the large congregations that were present. These missionary friends have devoted themselves to the service of the Kroo peo-ple, in the spirit of cheerful dependance on the good providence and the grace of God. Not unaware of the risk to which they will be exposed, they yet consider the object before them so important as to justify them in encountering every danger in order to promote it. They do not, however, intend to neglect any good means of preserving themselves from danger. And we are par. ticularly solicitous that they should enjoy the benefit of all that favour from Him, under whose hand diseases are obedient servants, which He will graciously vouchsafe to grant in answer to the prayers of His people. News from the Missions. Dr. and Mrs. Hepburn had reached Anjier, near Batavia, on the 23d of June. Their voyage had been quite a favourable one; but Mrs. H. had suffered very severely from protracted sickness. At that date, however, we are thankful to mention, she was rapidly recovering. See an extract from Dr. H.'s letter on a previous page. From India our letters are dated to July 6th. Messrs. M'Auley, Rankin, and their companions had proceeded in native boats from Allahabad on their way to Futtehgurh. Mr. Morrison was at Sabathu with improved health, though still very feeble. The other families were enjoying their usual health. From Texas, Mr. Blair writes encou ragingly. It seems not unlikely that the door will be opened before long for estab lishing stations in some places, which have heretofore been closed against all efforts to promote evangelical religion. Letters from Missionaries. OTTAWA MISSION.-Rev. P. Dougherty, TEXAS MISSION.-Rev. W. C. Blair, July 30, Aug. 10, Aug. 16. SIAMESE MISSION.-Dr. J. C. Hepburn, June 23. LODIANA MISSION.-Rev. W. S. Rogers, March 9; Rev. J. M. Jamieson, July 2. ALLAHABAD MISSION.-Rev. J. H. Mor. rison, Feb. 11th to March 3; Rev. J. Wil, son, July 6, AFRICAN MISSION.-Rev. O. K. Canfield, June 23. The annexed Engravings represent two views of the celebrated Burmese Temple at Rangoon. Of this heathen place of worship we insert a general account from Malcom's Travels, and subjoin a more particular description from the London Mis sionary Register of 1828: Two miles from Rangoon is the cele- smaller pagodas, some fine zayats and brated pagoda, called Shoo-da-gon. It kyoungs, and many noble trees. The hill stands on a small hill, surrounded by many has been graduated into successive terraces, GREAT PAGODA, NEAR RANGOON. sustained by brick walls; and the summit, || with Shoodagon itself. These are in every which is completely levelled, contains about two acres. The two principal approaches from the city are lined on each side, for a mile, with fine pagodas, some almost vieing for size state of repair; from beautiful white new ones to mere grass-grown heaps. In most of them the apertures still remain, through which the English soldiers penetrated, to take the treasure always deposited in them. SECOND VIEW OF THE GREAT PAGODA, NEAR RANGOON. Even the great pagoda did not escape; but it is so perfectly repaired, as to show no signs of the indignity. || you come to a flight of time.worn steps, covered by a curious arcade of little houses of various forms and sizes, one above an Passing these on your way from the city, other, some in partial decay, others truly beautiful. After crossing some terraces, || kyoungs and commodious zayats. The lat covered in the same manner, you reach the ter are particularly numerous, to accommo top, and, passing a great gate, enter at once date the hosts of worshippers who resort this sad but imposing theatre of Gaudama's hither at certain seasons of the year. glory. One's first impressions are, what terrible grandeur; what sickening magnificence; what absurd imagery; what extravagant expenditure; what long successions of devotees to procure this throng of buildings of such various dates; what a poor religion that makes such labours its chief meritoriousness. Before you stands the huge Shoodagon, its top among the clouds, and its golden sides blazing in the glories of an Eastern sun. Around are pompous zayats, noble pavements, Gothic mausoleums, uncouth colossal lions, curious stone umbrellas, gracefully cylindrical banners of goldembroidered muslin hanging from lofty pil. lars, enormous stone jars in rows to receive offerings, tapers burning before the images, exquisite flowers displayed on every side, filling the air with fragrance, and a multi. tude of carved figures of idols, worshippers, griffins, guardians, &c. In the vicinity of the hill are 150 families⠀ of "slaves of the pagoda,” containing about" two hundred men, and, as their chief told me," plenty of women." They do not ap pear to be poor or despised, and their quarter of the city is not distinguished by any particular feature. They become so, not always because of crime, but often by mere. ly incurring the displeasure of a great man ; or he gives them as an act of piety. Most of them are so by birth, for the progeny of such persons are for ever in the same condition. They are not allowed to marry, except among themselves. Always, in the morning, men and women are seen in every direction kneeling behind their gift, and with uplifted hands reciting their devotions, often with a string of beads counting over each repetition; aged persons sweep out every place, or pick the grass from the crevices; dogs and crows straggle around the altars, and devour the recent offerings; the great bells utter their frequent tones; and the mutter of praying voices makes a hum like the buzzing of an exchange. The whole scene is so strange, so|| distressing, that one is relieved to stroll away among the huge trees, and gaze from the parapet on the unlimited scene around. It is one wide, flat jungle, without a single hill, but that of Syrian in the distance; but it is nature. It is the true temple of the true God; the only representation he has given of his natural perfections, as the Bible is of his moral ones. All the rest is distortion, absurdity, and crime. Of inferior pagodas, (though some surpass in size any I have seen elsewhere,) there are, in Rangoon, more than five hundred, occupying as much space as the city itself, probably more. Most of them stand a little out of the city, interspersed with groves, embowering costly I visited the pagoda frequently, about sunrise, as it is the only direction in which one can ride. There were always twentyfive or thirty worshippers scattered up and down; and on the regular worship days, several hundred. They come and go during the cool of the morning, remaining about fifteen minutes, and amounting, I was told, in the whole, to two or three thousand. A few remain all day in the cool zayats, often repeating their worship, and spending the intervals of the time in friendly chat. Some, as an act of particular merit, stay all night. No priests are in official attendance, nor, indeed, did I ever see any there performing their own worship. The act of worship is called shee-ko, though the name is often given to the mere act of prostration which accompanies it. Every one brings a present, often a bunch of flowers, or only a few green twigs, pluck. ed on the way; but generally the nicest eatables ready cooked, beautiful bunches of flowers, articles of raiment, &c. The amount of offerings here is very great. Stone vases, some of which will hold fifty or sixty gallons, stand round the pagoda, into which the devotees carefully lay their leafy plates of rice, plantains, cakes, &c. As these are successively filled, appointed persons from among the pagoda slaves empty them into their vessels, assorting the various kinds. The beautiful flowers remain all night, and are swept out in the morning. No one ever objected, however, 1 to my gathering them at pleasure. A gift first of these views is taken from about the middle of a long flight of stone steps, leading up to a square area on which the Pagoda stands: frequent landing-places occur, to render the ascent more easy: the upper part of the ascent becomes steeper; and is covered by a portico, which conceals the top of the trees. The second view [on the 349th page] affords a closer sight of the Pagoda, as the view is taken from within the area in which it stands. The reproof of Jehovah to Israel by the prophet often came strongly to my mind as these crowds passed on with their beautiful flowers, and the finest of the fruits of the earth." She did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepare for Baal: therefore I will take away my corn and my wine, and will recover my wool and my flax." Hosea ii. 8, 9. How boundless the goodness and forbearance of GOD! "Will a man rob God? Yet these rob him of the tithes and offerings" bestowed on their sense. less images, and take his fruits of the earth to do honour to the things his soul abhors. I could not but feel, as I gazed upon the rich landscape and bright heavens, and marked the joy of the young men and maidens as they passed on, that He who then forbore would in his abundant mercy "give them pastors after his own heart, who shall teach them knowledge and under-rises, to a considerable height, a straight standing." Malcom, vol. i. pp. 75-78. The Great Pagoda is 317 feet high, all of solid masonry, and covered with gilding from top to bottom. These views are taken, from the East. The hill on which the Pagoda stands, is formed into terraces, which are planted with large shady trees, and crowded with inferior temples, all of solid masonry, but of different shapes and sizes, mingled with strange representations of animals, and figures scarcely human. The There are scarcely two of these Pagodas exactly alike, but all seem to be constructed on the same general plan. The base is usually, like that in the engraving, of a pyramidical form: the next portion is of a bell shape, ornamented with a band and fleurde-lis: on this is placed a succession of rings; sometimes in contact with one another, and at others at short distances: then follows something like two cups inverted: over this is a cone; and, on its apex, is apparently balanced the light and graceful "Tee," or umbrella of open iron work, with little bells attached: from this rod resembling an arrow, which finishes |