the principal man of the parish, waiting to see me. After some conversation with him, I presented him with several books. He spoke much in praise of the charity school, said there was not such another school in the country. He advised that I should take it under my direction. On the side of the schoolmaster's house, which is near the verandah, in which the school is taught, stands a small temple about three feet square, fitted up in a fanciful style. At this little temple, the school boys, on certain occasions, perform ceremonies, and invoke the assistance of some heathen deities. The faces of all in the school were daubed with ashes. This, in the view of the people, gives them a beautiful appear

ance.

In the garden adjoining the schoolmaster's house, stands a small Roman Catholic church. Between the garden fence, and the small heathen temple before mentioned, there was room just sufficient to receive my palankin, which contained my tracts, books, and other articles for my accommodation. This (my palankin and its contents,) was the only Protestant establishment in this populous village. Having the Roman Catholic church on one side, and

the heathen temple on the other, a train of interesting reflections were frequently excited. 1 had faith to believe, that ere long, the truth will prevail, and the heathen be given to Christ for his inheritance.

PALESTINE MISSION.

Employment of the Printing Press. WE have already stated more than once, that this powerful engine of usefulness, sent from this country, by benevolent individuals, for the benefit of the nations around the Mediterranean, is already at work, On the 25th of December, Mr. Fisk wrote from Malta as follows:

We have printed four different tracts in Italian, viz. "The Sabbath," "Dr. Payson's Address to Mariners," "Prayers for the seven days of the week," and "Dr. Green's Questions and Counsel." Our printer knew nothing of Greek. I taught him the alphabet, and have spent much of my time, for more than a month past, in the printing room, distributing and examining the types, and assisting to commence printing in Greek. We have just struck off the first sheet of "The Dairyman's Daughter," which brother Parsons and myself translated, while at Scio. I think the printing will go on tolerably well; but there will be continual difficulties, hin

man.

drances, and perplexities, until we have a missionary printer,-an able, faithful, pious We have taken a Greek boy on trial, to learn the art. He is from Scio; and when the island was attacked by the Turks, he escaped in a boat, with his mother and brothers, and arrived at Ipsera, whence he came to Malta. His father was at Constantinople, and was one of those who were put to death by the Turks, when the Sciotes rey lted.

In a subsequent part of the letter, Mr. Fisk says: "I have now much higher expectations, than ever before, in regard to the usefulness of our press."

Christian Fellowship.

As there are, in the congregation, to which we preach, a number of professors of religion, who appear to be truly pious, we thought it proper, for their edification as well as our own, to administer the Lord's supper. Last Sabbath was appoint ed for the purpose. On the preceding Sabbath, a sermon was preached from the Apostle's words, "Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup;" and notice was given, that such as wished to communicate with us were desired to call, in the course of the week, and give us an opportunity to converse with them on the subject. Last Sabbath morning, a sermon was preached on the love of Christ, and then 21 communicants received the holy sacrament. Mr. Wolff and Mr. Deininger* were with us on the occasion. The communicants were from six different communions,--the Independent, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Church of England, and Lutheran. Five of us were missionaries, one of whom was a literal son of Abraham. The circumstances, the place, the assemblage from different communions and nations, made the season one of very tender interest.

Contemplated Voyage to Egypt.

Mr. Wolff goes with Mr. King and myself to Egypt. We have engaged our passage, and the vessel sails soon. We carry with us about 2,000 copies of the Bible, or parts of it, and 4,000 tracts. I have, also, at Cairo 3,000 tracts, and three boxes of Bibles, which I left there last spring. The time I have spent in Malta has seemed, in many respects, like a return to Christian society. It is a comfort to me, that I am not going hence alone, and that we shall have the prayers of many.

* A Lutheran minister, from the Seminary at Basle, in Switzerland, and now under the patronage of the Church Missionary Society.

Of the arrival of Mr. Fisk and his fellowlaborers at Alexandria, we have intelligence in the following paragraph of a letter from Mr. Temple, dated Malta, Feb. 15.

Yesterday I received a letter from Mr. Fisk, dated Alexandria, Jan. 19, in which he says, that they had a pleasant passage of only seven days from Malta to that place. They have a congregation of Greeks, amounting to about 130. Mr. Fisk, also, preaches to others in Italian and English; and Messrs. Wolff and King preach in German and English. They expected to sail, about the last of the month, for Rosetta.

Messrs. Bird and Goodell.

friend in Boston, describes their approach to Malta.

Jan. 22, 1823. Last evening, as we sailed along the shores of Malta and its adjacent islands, we were able to distinguish, by the bright shining of the moon, the memorable spot, where St. Paul is said to have been shipwrecked. It was a pleasant evening, very unlike the dark, stormy, night, when Paul, and those with him in the ship, "wished for the day." We came to anchor about nine o'clock in the evenwere all of good cheer;" read a portion of ing, only eight days from Gibraltar. We the two last chapters of the Acts of the Apostles; and, without one emotion of sadness, fell on our knees before that Savior, on whose name we had so often called in America. We cannot be sufficiently grate

THE annual meeting of this Society was held in the City Hotel, Broadway, New-York, on the evening of Wednesday, May 7th; the Hon. Stephen Van Rensselaer, President of the Society, in the chair. The Annual Re. port was read by Mr. Z. Lewis, Secretary for Domestic Correspondence, aided by the Rev. Dr. Milledoler, Secretary for Foreign Cor respondence; and the motions, usual on such occasions, were made and seconded by J. C. Hornblower, Esq. of Newark, N. J. and the Rev. Matthias Bruen, of New-York citythe Rev. Thompson S. Harris, missionary at the Seneca station, and the Rev. R. B. E. M'Leod, of New-York city-the Rev Reuben Smith, of Ballston, N. Y. and the Rev. Samuel H. Cox, of New York city. The Hon. Stephen Van Rensselaer was chosen President; the Rev John Knox, Secretary for Foreign Correspondence; Mr. Zechariah Lewis, Secretary for Domestic Correspondence, and Treasurer; and Mr. Horace W. Bulckley, Recording Secretary.

From the Report we shall extract some

notices suited to give a general view of the missions of that Society.

Union Mission.

This mission, it will be remembered, was commenced in 1820. It is situated on the west bank of Grand River, about 25 miles north of its entrance into the Arkansaw, and about 700 miles, following the course of the river, above the junction of the Arkansaw with the Mississippi.

The Report mentions the treaty of peace effected between the Osages and Cherokees, during the last summer, and, after stating the conditions of the treaty, the performance of which the government of the United States is to guaranty, remarks:

The Osages were not entirely satisfied with the terms of the treaty; yet, worn out and impoverished by the fatigues and disasters of the war, they rejoiced in the return of peace, and determined to fulfil, on their part, the conditions of the unequal compact.

Notwithstanding the inconvenience and dangers of the war, your missionaries stood firm at their post, and carried on their va

rious improvements with a prompt and steady hand.

Considerable progress has been made in the agricultural department, and hopes are expressed, that no further drafts will be made on the Board for the purchase and freight of provisions for this establishment. The value of the missionary property at the station, is estimated at $24,000.-Concerning the school, the Report speaks as follows:

The school at this station, at the date of our latest advices, embraced only seven native children. Of this number, three were mentioned in the last Report, and four were admitted in the months of May and June. One of the latter, a youth of fifteen years of age, is the oldest son of Tally, the second chief of the tribe. The whole four are represented as sprightly, obedient, easily governed, fond of their studies, and industrious when taken into the field. They had made considerable proficiency in speaking and understanding the English language; and were spelling in words of two or three syllables. The three who first entered the school, converse in English with fluency; and the oldest, a lad in his ninth year, reads with facility, and occasionally serves the family as an interpreter.

The acquisition of the Osage language being found of indispensable necessity, in order to make known the Gospel extensively among the adult Indians, the assistant and the first teacher are engaged in the study of it.-The Report mentions with approbation, so far as the objects of it are known, the proposed annual meeting of delegates from the several missionary stations west of the Mississippi.

The following paragraph concludes that part of the Report, which respects this mission.

Although there are some circumstances, in the account we have now given, of the progress of this mission, less favorable than could have been wished, yet, in the language of the superintendent, "There is, on the whole, much to encourage the efforts which the government and the Christian public are making for the benefit of the Osages of the Arkansaw." "Their confidence is secured. They believe that it is our design to do them good; and there is reason to hope that this wandering tribe, by the blessing of Him who rules the earth in righteousness, and who has required us to send the Gospel to every nation, will soon be brought to taste the comforts, and enjoy the privileges, which religion and civilization afford."

Great Osage Mission.

This mission was commenced in 1821. It is situated on the north bank of the Marias de Cein, about six miles above its entrance into the Osage River, and about 80 miles south-west of Fort Osage.

The spring of the last year opened with flattering prospects, in relation to the great objects of the mission. The family had acquired the confidence of the tribe. The chiefs professed much satisfaction in the arrangement of the school, and appeared to be disposed to listen to religious instruction.

To avail themselves of the benefit of both, they removed to their old village, within eight miles of the missionary establishment. They were desirous of learning to cultivate the soil; and at their repeated and urgent request, the farmers of the mission proceeded to their village, Whiteand ploughed a field for corn. hair, the principal chief, set an example of industry to his people. He was the first in the field, and assisted with a rake to clear the ground. Several of the Indians afterwards sought and obtained employment as laborers on the missionary farm.

In the mean time, the school was increasing in numbers. The children were attentive and obedient. Several of the oldest could "readily spell and read in words of three syllables." The boys were also taught to labor in the field; and the girls were rapidly acquiring knowledge of the various branches of household economy. Several of the latter had learned to sew, with comparative neatness and facility, and had rendered considerable as sistance in making articles of clothing for the family. Two of the boys were solic itous to learn the religion of the Bible, and often sat through the evening, to hear it read and explained.

The Report expresses a strong opinion, that the abolition of the Factory System, which had been adopted and was lately relinquished by Congress, will be followed by very diastrous consequences to the Indians. It then proceeds thus:

The salutary restraints upon Indian trade, having been thus removed, the Osages were presently visited by traders, who persuaded them to remove, at least for a season, to a distance of sixty or seventy miles from the missionary station. The immediate result was unpropitious to the school. Several of the children were compelled, reluctantly on their part, to abandon their studies, and accompany their parents. A little girl, who, "amidst a

flood of tears, was constrained to go," intreated her mother, on the following morning, to return to the station, and purchase her books. "I wish," she said, "still to read, although I am not permitted to continue at school."

This removal brought the Great and Little Osages near each other.

Tuscarora Mission.

This mission, having been under the care of the New-York Missionary Society about 20 years, was transferred to the United Foreign Missionary Society in January, 1821. It is situated in the Tuscarora Village, about four miles east of Lewiston, Niagara county, N. Y.

The church at this station comprises 21 Indian members.

The state of this church and tribe, during the past year, has not been altogether as favorable as your Managers had reason to expect. A few of the Indians, among whom were one or two members of the church, imbibed an undeserved prejudice against the missionary; and attempted, by rendering his situation unpleasant, to drive him from his post. In the month of October a council of the whole tribe was convened by the Rev. Mr. Kanouse, an agent of your Managers, and the whole subject was thoroughly investigated. Every allegation proved either entirely frivolous, or altogether unfounded. The disaffected individuals confessed that they had been governed by a misapprehension of facts, and declared themselves satisfied with the explanations which had been given. The investigation thus happily resulted in a friendly adjustment of all the difficulties which had existed; and expressions of renewed confidence and affection were mutually exchanged.

Notwithstanding the difficulties with which the Indians were agitated through the last spring and summer, they were more than usually punctual in their attendance at public worship. Some were at times apparently impressed with the truths of the Gospel. No accession, however,

has been made to the church. Your Managers regret to add, that, at the date of their latest advices, the state of things in the tribe was again assuming an unpromising aspect.

Seneca Mission.

Commenced by the New-York Missionary Society in 1811, and transferred to the Unit. ed Foreign Missionary Society in January,

1821. The mission is situated about four or five miles from Buffalo, near the outlet of Lake Erie.

In the plan of the school at this station, your Managers have found it necessary to adopt a material change. The obstructions which have prevented the regular improvement of the children at Tuscarora, have existed here to their full extent. The only way to surmount them was to embody the children in the mission family, and thus place them at all times under the exclusive control, as well as the uninterrupted instruction of their teachers. This plan received the approbation of the chiefs; and early in July twenty-three children were committed, by their parents, to the care and authority of the mission.

A number of the young chiefs of the tribe, who have long since taken a decided stand in support of the religion of the Gospel, appear to be growing in the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus, and, in some measure at least, living under its influence. They profess to be deeply sensible of their ruined state as sinners, and to place their whole reliance, for pardon and acceptance, upon the atoning blood and the infinite righteousness of the crucified and ascended Savior. They have given to your missionary satisfactory evidence of the sincerity of their profession; and he has organized a church at the station, and admitted four of their number to its communion. The church was organized on the 13th of April, and the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper were both administered on the ensuing Sabbath.

Cataraugus Mission.

Commenced in 1822; and situated near the shore of Lake Erie, and about 40 miles from Buffalo.-A promising school has been established, and the opposition of the pagan Indians, which was at first violent, is said to be gradually subsiding.

Education of Heathen Youth.

It was mentioned in the last Report, that a young man of the Tuscarora tribe had been sent by your Managers to the Foreign Mission School at Cornwall in Connecticut. We have now the pleasure to state, that he is still at that school, conducting himself with propriety, and pursuing his education with diligence. He is apparently pious; and as he possesses studious habits, and, is not deficient in talents, there is reason to hope that he may, eventually, be qualified for the missionary service.