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through the labours of these devoted servants of God, and their excellent agents: for instance, at Genval, a village containing a population of eleven hundred Roman Catholics, there has been formed, within the last three years, a congregation of forty or fifty Protestants, nine of whom are considered to be really converted characters, and two have died rejoicing in the hope of the gospel. At the station of La Bouverie, with a population of six thousand Roman Catholics, there was not three years and a half since a single Protestant, there is now a congregation of nearly sixty Protestants. At other places much good is doing; and I believe it may be affirmed of the Protestant congregations of the larger towns, that they have not only gathered large accessions, but remarkably improved in the tone of their piety, since the attention of British Christians has been directed to Belgium.

The efforts of Popery, at this time, are very great in the country, and, apparently, the only means, under the divine blessing, of checking their evil, are the circulation of the Scriptures, and the labours of the Belgian Evangelical Society. The British and Foreign Bible Society has established its agency at Brussels, from whence the sacred volume is spreading through the length and breadth of the land; but if the question were put to the Belgic people, once addressed to the Ethiopian Eunuch," Understandest thou what thou readest?" the reply of thousands would be, "How can I, except some man should guide me?" Hence the necessity for a Christian ministry, which is the divinely appointed means for the conversion of the world; and it is now for British Christians to say, whether the labours of the Evangelical Society should be suspended for want of funds; as they certainly must, if not provided with the means for carrying on their operations.

The Society has at present five evange lists, two schoolmasters, and one schoolmistress; it occupies six chapels, and two school-rooms, which cannot be supported without considerable expense.

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The cause does appear to me in every respect worthy of the support of all who wish well to the interesting congregations already formed, and who desire to see other groups of Protestants collected in a Popish land-and if it be not sustained, many will be left in the midst of a Roman Catholic population as sheep without a shepherd." I have the pleasure to say, that books have been opened at the Banking houses of Messrs. Glyn and Co., Lombard-street; Messrs. Williams, Deacon, and Co., Birchin-lane; and Messrs. Ransom and Co., Pall Mall, East, to receive subscriptions and donations; and I trust that

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From a Converted Buriat in Siberia, to Rev. J. C. Brown, St. Petersburgh. To the Rev. J. C. Brown, greatly beloved by me from the heart, and by the great mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ, one of my elder brethren in Christ.

I desire the peace of your spirit, soul, and body, by the light of the comforting influences of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ. And what shall I tell you? We, the friends here, rejoiced much on receiving your letter, which you wrote in the warm love of your heart, remembering and exhorting us, a few orphans, living in this wretched heathen land. Although the word of God is given unto us, and we know how great his mercy is, it was a joyful thing to receive your kind letter, full of instruction and love, which gladdened us when read in time of trial, and encourages when read in time of sorrow. We are very far from each other, have never seen each other's face, nor know one another; yet it is much better to receive your letter, which you wrote by the instruction of the Holy Ghost, and by the word of our only Lord Jesus Christ, pitying us, a few weak, ignorant, needy, and blind persons, than to find gold. The day in which we received your letter was cloudy, and the sun was not seen in the skies, but I was so instructed and comforted on receiving it, that it was like walking in a delightful place, ou a warm, sunny day. But I hope, dear sir, you will forgive me for not answering you so long, after having been gladdened by receiving your many instructions and consolations, and after reading the letter which you wrote, remembering us and praying for us. Oh, when I think how the Lord Jehovah pitied us who live in this dark land, where there is no light, whose feet have been chained by the fetters of sin, whose eyes and heart have been blinded by the deceit of the devil, who deceives the world; and that He has caused His face to shine upon us, and although we were sinful and have dishonoured Him by our sin, has greatly pitied us and has sent us teachers, who have left their relations, friends, and native land, and have come with warm zeal and love to teach us the path which delivers us from our evil ways, and who are our fathers according to the new birth, and that He has

delivered us from death before any of our countrymen; it is an unspeakable mercy which my heart cannot contain! Therefore we greatly strive that we may keep this mercy all our lives, and that we may walk up the steep and narrow path which has been opened to us, and that we may not leave it.

Dear sir, I think you have often heard of the temper and customs of our Buriats, who have departed from God and are full of sin and evil, who give their glory to idols, and who make Satan their lord. When God is pitying such sinful people, and has sent his holy word into Siberia, and has called the heathens here, and when it is now dawning in our land, I desire to be one of those who, hearing and knowing the word of God, rely upon his mercy, think about their souls, and know there is a happiness beside that of the body, and I desire to go on in this good way till my death. I pray, with thanks and joy to the Lord, who showed me such mercy, and delivered me from the power of sin, and intreat his mercy. When going in this way, I look back, and remember my former state, when, ignorantly, I built my house upon the sand, and lived securely; when I remember the many sins which I committed, sorrow and fear come to my heart, and tears to my eyes. Yet I am comforted by the holy word of God. I deserved, long ere this, to endure the torments of hell; my sin was great; I am ready to say as Paul did, that I am a great sinner. Yet by the great long-suffering of God, and by the sacrifice which the Lord Jesus Christ offered for me, and by the prayers of the true, holy, and devoted followers of the Lord, I am seeing this great mercy, I glorify and praise God. Here the people worship lifeless and senseless things and lamas, as the disciples of God and equal to God,-like saying, that the nettle is a pretty flower, and that poison is honey. But though these lamas take the property of the dead and the honour of the living, they are not satisfied. I think many missionaries have gone out from England into many lands, and have enlightened them. For example, Britain is a very happy land, and is a garden of the Most High. From what I have heard of it, it is, in size, a very little kingdom. But it is not only nothing less than other kingdoms in this sinful world, but it is the greatest of all. How fruitful is the word of God, the vine planted there! With how much diligence and love do those servants of God who live near its roots water it, that it may cause those who have no fruit to produce the fruits of salvation! And how much doth the Lord extend it to the heathens scattered through the whole earth! While it was

thus growing, one of its branches has extended even to this place. Now the flowers are shooting forth, out of it, its leaves are plentiful, it is full of fruit. But although the word of God, which is like sweet fruit, is preached here, the people do not care for this food of the soul, which ought to be received by all nations; and are blinded in their eyes and hearts, and those who know the truth are few, and though some know it, those who believe it are still fewer. And those poor people, who have wandered from the right way, serve lifeless idols, which have been brought from Thibet, which do not save but destroy the soul, which do not comfort but torment it, which have no eyes to see, no mouth, tongue, and throat to speak, no feet to walk, no hands to handle. Those people do not think what will happen to them after this life. They do not think whether their gods are true gods and saviours or not. In their estimation, the body is inferior to clothes, and the soul to the body. They lose everlasting happiness, for the useless and transitory riches of this world. Many, although they have heard the word of God, are taken from this world before they repent, building their house upon the sand, who are like chaff, and are in a state deserving eternal misery. Poor things, it is very pitiable to think that the days when they might have repented are past. I also was one of those sinners. I knew not the name of God; mocked his name, worthy to be praised; and compared his holiness and goodness to lifeless idols. If I die, I deserve to be cast into hell: and though the dreadful torments of hell-fire should burn upon me, it would be God's righteous judgment. But if I had been one of those who died before they had received the mercy of God, and while in their evil state, I should not have heard the merciful word of God; I should not have found this pearl of great price; I should not have received your kind letter; I should not have written to you, but should have borne the consequences of sin in the tor ments of hell, should have been with devils as the food of the worms which die not; and the great wrath of God would have been upon me. Oh, how great is the mercy of our Lord, that he offered himself up! my narrow heart cannot contain it. Though I continually think about the mercy of the Lord, I become senseless from my wonder. I know clearly that it is not from any works which I have done, by which I deserve to go to heaven, and to flee from heil and to receive his mercy; but that it is by the great salvation of the Lord, and by the mercy wherewith he pities all men. Although I am unworthy to walk in the way opened before me, and to be with the flock

of the Lord, yet if, by the grace of God, I am one of those who praise his name, I desire to go in this narrow way without departing from it. Yet because man is weak

as a worm, and because his heart is unsteady and full of sin, it draws toward sin; and while Satan is standing near my heart and desiring to chain my feet with the fetters of sin, I desire and pray to watch and to keep in this good way till the end. Many of the places here are dark, and the good news has not been heard in many places. Some do not know the word Christ, and do not understand what it means. Not half of the Buriats have heard the word of God. Many are dying here without knowing and hearing the word of God, and without salvation or hope. They are very pitiable subjects to my heart. The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few! When I think about the promise of the Lord, I hope and rest assured that God will repair the bad state of Siberia. It is a token of your great love to us, when we know, that though you have many countries and places to pray for, still you remember and pray for us. Dear sir, to say one word concerning your instructions: they are good for me, and show the way in which I ought to walk. And I desire to strive that I may walk in them. I hope, also, you will not cease to instruct us in this good way. In eight days, according to the Buriat way of counting, will be the new year. Then every person will be one year older. I also shall be one year older.* On the first day of the year our Buriat people go about from house to house, drink and riot much, from morning to night. They also take their lifeless idols out of their boxes and spread them out, and pray to them, and say that it is a holiday of their gods. The lamas also read in the temples the first day till the fifteenth. On the second day of the year, the day after the people around us play and get drunk, we, a few persons assemble, to pray to the Lord, and to give some money, according to our ability, that this word of Christ may be printed and made useful to many poor wandering sinners, and we call this day the joyful day of the gospel. Not that the day will be opened by our small and weak offerings. But we desire and pray that it may be opened to the will of the Lord. Though the followers of Christ are very few here, and the light is faint and feeble, I hope that the kingdom of God will be established here. And the time will come: God will not speak the word in vain. The five books of

According to the method of Buriat calculation, the new year is the birth-day of every person. The part of the year in which he is born, be it ever so small, is reckoned a whole one. So it is no uncommon thing to see children in their second month, a second year at the same time.

Moses, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, two books of Samuel, two of Kings, two of Chronicles, the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomon's Song, have been printed here, and now they are printing Ezra. They are preparing the food of God's word here quickly. But those who eat this till they are satisfied are few. May your and our prayers be offered up that the number of those who eat this food may be multiplied. I hope you will forgive this bad and unworthy letter. May you be filled with the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and may your heart burn with pure light.

Please give my Christian regards to your dear lady. Wishing you peace and joy, I am, by the mercy of the Lord, your unworthy younger brother, and a weak friend out of the flock of Christ,

PINANG.

WANDANG.

Rev. J. N. Goulty, &c. &c. &c.

Pinang, Jan. 30, 1839.

We

REV. and DEAR SIR,-I have the pleasure to acknowledge your kind and acceptable letter of June 5, 1838, with the useful articles sent to Mrs. B. for the female school; and it affords us great pleasure and encouragement to find our friends in England so very kind and ready to assist us. have not long since sent a report of the girls' school, &c., to the Directors, and I am happy to say it is in a prosperous state, and so I hope it will continue. I have not the pleasure of knowing you personally, but I have often heard of you, and, to the best of my recollection, my revered tutor and pastor, the late Dr. Bogue, went up to heaven from your home. To have been favoured with his valuable instructions I consider one of the greatest privileges I ever enjoyed on earth. I have now been permitted to spend about twenty years of my life on this island, among superstitious Mohammedans and pagan idolaters. My attention has been chiefly directed to Mohammedans; but oh their hard and stony hearts, they are full of hatred to the gospel. Their religion sanctions vice in its worst forms, and is well adapted to the propensities of human nature in its depraved state. I have established schools for the young, and made known the gospel to all to the best of my ability, which is but small. The Scriptures and Tracts have been widely distributed, and I trust the seed which has been sown will not be in vain in the Lord. There is now a great stir among the Mohammedans, in consequence of a Tract I have just published, called Christ and Ma

homet compared. It is the subject of much discussion, and many are anxious to inquire and search for themselves. Several persons have declared that their religion is false and that Christianity is true; and I hope some are earnestly searching after truth. Some of the influential Mohammedans a few days ago lodged a complaint against me to the governor, and also in the Court of Judicature, and petitioned very strongly that the government would restrain me from circulating such books. My colleague, Mr. Davis, and myself, have had an interview with the governor. He seems aware that he has no power to prohibit me giving away Tracts. Were he to do so, it would greatly injure me in my work. When the great excitement has abated, and the affair settled, I shall notice it to Mr. Ellis; but just now I am unable to write to the Directors. My time is fully occupied. Some have written what they call answers to my Tract, but only express their displeasure that their prophet should be called an impostor; they make no attempt to prove the accusation false. They told the governor that if I were in a Mohammedan country, my head would be cut off immediately, &c. Should only one soul be brought to the knowledge of the truth I shall rejoice. The Mohammedans by this stir have made the matter more public than it would have been, and have aided me contrary to their own wish. Would that there were now six missionaries ready, with a knowledge of the language, to go among them, and to preach unto them Jesus!

Last Lord's-day, I directed the attention of my hearers to the 4th chapter of the Acts of the apostles, and told them the reply of Peter and John, when commanded to speak no more in the name of Christ, &c. I informed the people that no one has power to prevent my giving them books, nor they from receiving them. I am preparing a letter in Malay on the subject. I pray that this event may tend to the furtherance of the gospel. I have been persevering in faith for many years—could I now see Mohammedans embrace the gospel I would almost say with old Simeon, "Now, Lord, let thy servant depart in peace." beg the prayers of my Brighton friends, that Divine influence may descend on the inhabitants of Pinang. Mrs. B. feels very grateful to Miss Goulty for her kind aid to the female school. She says the articles will do very nicely for the native children, and will be pretty rewards for their regular attendance at school-she wishes to teach them marking, but cannot get any canvass here. We are now mourning the loss of a dear daughter, who was very suddenly removed from us, aged seven

I

teen years and six months. She promised fair for being useful to her own sex, but the Lord has taken her to himself; our loss is her eternal gain. Perhaps you may meet with our only son now in England, who I hope has given his heart to God, and should you see him any where, I should be glad, as you can kindly encourage him. I have two dear daughters with me at home, and one copies out my letters, as my friends complain of my bad writing, and that they cannot make it out. Mrs. B. unites with me in kind Christian regards to Miss Goulty and yourself, and am,

My dear Sir,

sincerely and gratefully yours, (signed) T. BEIGHTON.

SYRIA AND THE HOLY LAND.

Notices by Mr. Smith of the Bedaween Tribes of Arabs.

From the American Missionary Herald for March.

Countries of the Bedaween Tribes-Penin sula of Sinai.

(Continued from page 452.) Bedaween Tribes in the Valley of the Jordan.

IV. The valley of the Jordan, from the distance often of fifteen miles below the south end of the Dead Sea to the southern end of the lake Tiberias, is called the Ghor. Among the Arabs of the Ghor, I include three tribes on the western side of the Dead Sea, and as many more on its eastern side, both for convenience of arrangement, as well as because several of them pitch occasionally on the banks of the Jordan, and all of them on the shores of the Dead Sea. The territories of those on the west, we traversed thoroughly, and from two of them we had guides in our employ for several days. They number about five hun dred men, exclusive of women and children. But one of these tribes, and that the largest, have assumed so nearly the character and habits of peasants, that they are hardly acknowledged as Bedaweens by other tribes. They are all thoroughly tributary, and subject to the existing government of Syria, and of course have a subdued spirit. They are easily accessible from Jerusalem or Hebron. With the tribes on the east of the Dead Sea we had no intercourse, but from what I heard of them, I judged that they were no better than their neighbours farther south, and that the present inhabit

ants of Moab are quite as unsubdued and uncivilized as those of Edom. A tribe of their friends from the west had occasion within two or three years to seek among them an asylum from the oppressions of government. While these guests were dwelling unarmed in the same tents with them, they actually fell upon them and robbed them of every thing, even to the outer garments of their women. This is the basest act of which, according to Bedaween law, an Arab can be guilty. The result is a deadly feud between three of the tribes east of the Dead Sea and others in the west.

Including the tribes above mentioned, my list of the Bedaweens who pitch in the Ghor, or valley of the Jordan, south of the lake of Tiberias, contains the names of seventeen tribes. None of these inhabit the Ghor permanently, but only make it a common ground in which they occasionally encamp, especially in winter, when the warmth of its climate makes it a more comfortable residence than the mountains where they usually dwell. Of these tribes, nine descend into the Ghor from the west, and eight from the east. Excluding those already spoken of, I know of only two or three of any size, the rest probably consist of only a few families in each, and would not number more than so many small villages. Two or three of them are venerated as companies of religious fakeers, and it was formerly common for travellers to put themselves under the protection of one of their sheiks, and then they were respected wherever they went. We came into contact with one of those tribes in our visit to Jericho, and in spite of us, we were compelled to accept from their sheik a present of a lamb, and also of a breakfast the next day, as we passed through his encampment. At the same place, also, we found several individuals of a tribe that encamps near Heshbon, on the mountains of Moab, and with whom we could probably have visited in safety the ruins of that ancient city. I am not aware that any of the western tribes now attempt to commit robbery, and all those on the east, to the north of the country of Moab, are at present in a subdued state.

Proceeding farther north, you find numerous small tribes, encamping in the plain of Genesereth, on the northern shores of the lake of Tiberias, and along the course of the Jordan, as you trace it up towards its source, through the broad basin of the Hooleh. I have the names of fifteen tribes within the government of Safed, most of whom, I believe, encamp more or less in the region just marked out. But as our present journey led us to see or learn very

VOL. XVII.

little respecting them, I cannot give you much information. They must be very small, though some of them are rich in herds. This is particularly true of an encampment, whose large black tents I have twice passed on former journeys, pitched in the verdant meadows of the Hooleh, just north of the ancient waters of Merom.

Bands of the Ghawarineh.

There is still another class of people inhabiting the region now under review, which may properly be mentioned in this connexion. A Bedaween, in attempting to describe to me their character, said, "You must conceive of them as something that is neither Bedaween, nor citizen, nor negro." His implication was, that they were beneath the lowest of the three, thus arranged according to his idea of relative rank. They are called Ghawarineh, the plural of Ghory, which is an appellation derived from Ghor. They are the proper, permanent inhabitants of the valley of the Jordan. Though of the Arab race, and speaking the Arabic language, they are owned by neither Bedaween nor peasant, and despised by both, as the lowest of the race. A settlement of some two hundred of them live near the site, and cultivate the fertile soil of the ancient Zoar at the south-eastern corner of the Dead Sea; where they are the only people that can live, on account of the sickliness of the climate. Another smaller body occupy a peninsula that projects into the Dead Sea from the eastern side; and a third cultivate a fertile tract at the north-east corner of the same sea, which is watered by the streams of Hesban and Nimrin. At each of these places they live in tents, made chiefly of reeds, and suffer the very extreme of oppression from the neighbouring Bedaween tribes, whose demands of wheat and corn from them are regulated by no rule and know no limit. So that, though occupying the most exuberantly fertile soil, they are constantly sunk in the lowest poverty. The inhabitants of Jericho, about 200 in number, are of the same class of people. Here they occupy houses, if such their miserable hovels of round stones and mud, can be called. A more slovenly, indolent, degenerate race I never saw; and that, though the plain around them, watered by the noble fountain of Elisha, smiles in all the richness of the most exuberant vegetation. Their own soil they do not cultivate: but it is sown and reaped by Christian peasants from the mountains, who give them the fourth of what it produces. It would seem that this valley has not lost its reputation for licentiousness since the days of Lot. The night before we left Jericho, I overheard the Arabs who were guiding us, de

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