BIBLE SOCIETIES.

From the Rev. Professor Leander Van Ess.

Marburg, 14 March, 1821.

ALTHOUGH I have long delayed returning my heartfelt thanks to your Committee, for the last grants of 500l. and 300 florins; you will not, I trust, consider this delay as a mark of weariness or cessation in my Biblical work. On the contrary, you may hail it as a pleasing evidence of my continually increasing, and even overwhelming labours, in disseminating the Scriptures; labours which demand the sacrifice of almost all my time and strength. To this may be added, the work of publishing the Old Testament, the printing of which proceeds rapidly, twelve sheets being already struck off. Independent of this, I have experienced a severe trial in the illness of my Secretary, who has been confined to his bed for two months; in consequence of which, all the business, whether relating to the receipts or disbursements, devolves upon me.

Herewith you will receive my half-yearly account, from July to December, 1820, as examined and countersigned by the Committee, by whom all the original documents are inspected. In the absence of one of the Committee Members, on account of indisposition, I supplied his place by calling in the Rev. Mr. Ritter.

At the desire of your Committee, I have considerably lessened the gratuitous distribution of bound copies; hence it arises, that the number distributed is comparatively small. I exhort all my correspondents to pay the amount of binding, which, indeed, is sometimes done; but, in consequence of this condition, a voice, I may more correctly say, a cry of vehement desire and hunger for Testaments, gratuitously bound, was raised by those unable to pay for them. Thus, at the very period when I refused bound Testaments, gratis, the call for them has become more importunate and incessant on every side.

By means of my reply to the Bishop of Coire, which was published in several public papers, many Catholic Clergymen and School Inspectors in the Rhenish provinces have been remarkably encouraged and stimulated to persevere undauntedly in their endeavours to introduce my New Testament into the Schools under their superintendence. Some of the districts contain from fifty to eighty parishes, and a still greater number of schools. I receive the most numerous applications from Upper and Lower Lusatia, from Silesia, and the Bohemian frontier. These applications are chiefly for bound Testaments, gratis.

I have addressed a circular letter to all the Bible Societies in Germany, &c. which contains pressing solicitations for support, as the demands flowing in upon me, both for Catholic and Protestant Bibles and Testaments, are so numerous, that the British and Foreign Bible Society, with all its good-will and readiness, considering the large demands made upon its funds, cannot assist me to such an extent as its Committee, and as I myself, should wish. I hope to receive assistance from Russia, Amsterdam, &c. for defraying the cost of binding.

Above all, I beg you will present my most heartfelt thanks to your Committee, in the name of many thousands, for that Christian liberality by means of which they have been supplied with the word of Salvation. For myself, I owe it to your Society to express my warmest gratitude for their continued confidence, in placing at my disposal the rich abundance of their Christian love. I shall never cease to devote all my powers to this sacred work, till death shall call me away.

Have the goodness to commend me to the kind regard and to the prayers of the honoured Members of your Committee, and to all friends of the cause. I stand in real need of their supplications, that both my body and spirit may not sink under my accumulated burdens.

From the last printed account, published by Professor Van Ess, it appears that the number of copies of the New Testament circulated, of his own version, up to the 31st of December, 1820, amounts to 394,067; besides which, he has distributed 5394 New Testaments of other Catholic and Protestant versions, in various languages, and 8749 Catholic and Protestant Bibles. In all, 408,210 copies of the Holy Scriptures have been put into circulation through the Professor and his friends.

POLYNESIA. SANDWICH ISLANDS.

JOURNAL OF THE MISSIONARIES.-(Continued from p. 51.)

This interesting mission has occupied several pages in our late numbers, and we are sure our readers must have had great pleasure in the important information to be derived from knowing the wonders that the Lord is working in behalf of these "isles of the sea." The Missionary Herald, from which we copy most of the accounts of the missions under the direction of the American Board, contains the journal of the Missionaries up to the early part of July, and letters to the 2d of August. From these we shall endeavour to draw a faithful summary, with such extracts as we deem most interesting.

Petition to settle at Woahoo.

On the 10th of August "all the brethren went on shore to make one more effort to obtain what seemed to all desirable." "The difficulty of obtaining wood and water at Kirooah," the residence of the late king, Tamahamaha, " was an objection of no small magnitude, to settling altogether at this dry and barren place." After much delay in waiting for the arrival of the chiefs and influential persons, "the king and queens, as they are called, and all the principal chiefs, except Roka and Tamoree, from all the islands, were now at this village." "Before any decision could be made, two youths presented themselves near the king's dwelling; prepared for a public dance; two thousand people were soon collected to see this childish amusement."

The application was now formally made, and after making many inquiries, and raising objections, which were answered by the Missionaries, it was finally decided by ballot that brother Thurston should remain at Kirooah. "Though some of our fondly anticipated plans are overturned by this separation, yet we are consoled by the full conviction, that our duty requires it, and by the happy reflection, that we proceeded with deliberation and prayer, and according to the best means of judging which were in our power."

First Settlement of the Gospel in Owhyhee. April 12. A busy, trying, joyful and memorable day. Brother T. and Dr. H. with their wives, and Thomas Hopoo and William Tennooe, VOL. VIII.

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landed and took up their residence at Kirooah. The day was spent principally in selecting and removing their effects from the brig, dividing to them such portions of the common stock, as seemed desirable and necessary for their immediate use, and making the best arrangements in our power, for their comfort and usefulness. As the brig lay about a mile from the shore, the boats were employed all day in transporting the baggage, &c. to the beach, and several of the king's men, with one of the brethren, in removing them from the beach to a small house formerly occupied by Dr. Elliot, now designated for the temporary use of the mission. After tea, those of our number, who had willingly determined to commence their work here, took leave of the Thaddeus, and of most of the remaining members of the mission family, and repaired to their lodgings on heathen shores. They were accompanied by Mr. Bingham and Capt. Blanchard, and, with particular instructions, mutual counsels, and affectionate salutations, they were commended to the grace and protection of Him who said, "Lo I am with you alway," and were left to the peculiar privations and enjoyments of their new and untried situation.

At a late hour in the evening the king was found diligently engaged with his book, having begun in earnest to learn the rudiments of the English language, and made pleasing progress for two or three days. Taking leave of him, we weighed anchor, and immediately sailed for Woahoo.

Thus in the name of our God have we set up our banner on the benighted shores of Owhyhee, and have stationed a little feeble band to support it there. May the blessing of the God of Jacob rest upon them, make their house a Bethel, their instructions a light to those who sit in darkness, and their influence a perennial stream whose gentle flow shall fertilize the barren waste, and make glad the city of our God.

Description of Kirooah and its Vicinity.

Kirooah is a considerable village, containing two or three thousand inhabitants. It has a battery of 20 or 30 guns, and a garrison of about 200 soldiers. It is built upon lava and sand. The face of the surrounding country is not pleasing, as it appears to have been formed by volcanic eruptions, rising gradually from the shore, until it swells into a mountain, at the distance of 6 or 8 miles to the east. Cocoa-nut trees line the beach, together with a few low shady trees; and further back a tree yielding a species of oil-nut, which the inhabitants burn instead of lamps. About four miles back from the bay, bread fruit, bananas, sugar cane, sweet potatoes, and mountain toro, are produced, and a variety of vegetables here and there, where a little soil can be found to support them. There are no streams of water at Kirooah. The inhabitants generally use brackish water, which they find near the shore; or the water that is caught in the rocks; but the chiefs send back several miles for the water which they drink, which is found fresh and cool in caves and natural reservoirs. The case is similar at Karakakooa. But the country southeastward from Kirooah, at the distance of 15 or 20 miles, which Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Whitney explored, has an excellent soil, well adapted to agriculture; yet not very well supplied with living streams, or favoured with successive rains.

13. Last night we left Kirooah bay. We have lost sight of Owyhee, and passed Mowee again. Several of the family feel the motion of the brig so sensibly as to be sea-sick. The same persons were affected in a

similar manner, whenever we had a rough sea, during the whole of our passage from America.

[The Missionary Herald furnishes the following brief particulars of the Mission, which bring down its history to the latter part of July.]

On the 14th of April the Thaddeus anchored at Hanaroorah, in Woahoo. On the 19th the missionaries landed with their effects. They were kindly welcomed to the islands by American and British sea captains, and other temporary residents; were accommodated with houses, till they should be able to possess houses of their own; and speedily entered upon the regular labours of their mission. On the 14th of May, they opened a subscription for an Orphan School Fund, which was so patronized by American and British visiters, that within two months, more than three hundred Spanish dollars were subscribed. The general state of the mission is given in the joint letter of the missionaries, published in the preceding pages.

Mrs. Loomis was made the happy mother of a fine son, the 16th of July. This was the first white child ever born in the islands.

At the last dates, Krimakoo, the prime minister, was very desirous to have one of the missionaries live with him; and it was determined that Mr. Loomis should comply with his request, and reside, for awhile, at Toeaigh bay.

Thomas Hopoo and John Honooree were very exemplary. Thomas was daily and laboriously engaged in the duties of the mission, and was in high favour with Reho-reho.

It is painful to add, that William Tennooe had discovered signs of defection from the strictness of the Christian life, soon after he arrived at the islands. Various attempts were made to reclaim him; but they were ineffectual, and he was formally and solemnly separated from the church, about the 20th of July. He has many friends in this country, who entertained strong hopes of his piety. They will not cease to pray, that he may be brought to repentance, and saved to the mission.

The determination of Dr. Holman to settle by himself, on the island of Mowee, was regretted by his associates. Let us hope, that if this measure should prove to be injudicious, he will cheerfully abandon it.

On the whole, the state of the mission is extremely encouraging. Many signal interpositions of Providence in its favour have already been experienced, and should be gratefully commemorated. The same God, who has sustained and cheered the missionaries hitherto, is able to give them complete success.

The Christian community in this country has felt a great interest in the reception, which these islands of the sea should give to the heralds of the cross. Many fervent and importunate prayers have been offered daily, since the first preparatory measures were taken for the mission, that God would open a door of access to the pagan islanders. Such a door appears to be opened. The missionaries are received; the natives are willing to be taught; the voice of prayer and praise is heard ; and the truths of the Gospel are communicated. There is good reason to hope, that Christianity will henceforth maintain a stand, where it has been so recently planted, and will finally prevail and prosper among these benighted children of Adam.

Let every friend of missions, then, while he rejoices on account of the divine goodness to this attempt to honour the name of Christ among

the heathen, come before the Lord with a thank-offering, suited to express the sincerity of his gratitude, and the high estimation in which he holds the missionary cause. Let not the claims of millions be disregarded; especially let not the wants of our own missions be unheeded. Happy would it be for the cause of the Gospel; happy for a perishing world, if the various exhibitions of God's favour to missions were to encourage all the professors of godliness to redouble their exertions, and to urge forward the work of converting the Gentiles, as a work reasonable, practicable, obligatory on Christians, imperiously demanded, infinitely desirable, and supremely important.

That this effect may be produced, every disciple of Christ must make the call of his Lord personal to himself. He must say, not with his mouth only, but with his heart, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do.

Destruction of Idolatry at the Sandwich Islands.

It may be interesting to some of our readers to peruse the following paragraphs of a letter, written by one of the mates of the Thaddeus, who had previously been much acquainted at the Sandwich Islands. The letter is dated July 22d.

"I shall not undertake to give you a detail of the voyage, or of the reception which the mission has met with at the islands, for you have it from a more able pen. I congratulate you on the highly favourable reception of the mission.

"The great and important revolution which has followed the death of Tamahamaha, has opened the way for Missionaries, and seems to insure them success. But they have a great work before them; having ignorance and the remains of superstitious prejudices to combat.

"The great events of the revolution seem wrought by miracle. It was with astonishment that I heard, 'Owhyhee's idols were no more.' The great change was most apparent to me. Knowing, as I did, their former attachment and deep-rooted prejudices in favour of their taboos, and their superstitious reverence for their vain akooahs; that they were 'no more' was what I could not realize, until I had trodden on the ruins of some of their late altars of abominations, and seen the ashes of their once sacred idols mingled with the dust.

"I now have the pleasure of seeing a part of the Missionaries comfortably situated at this place, having already commenced their work, and appearing to enjoy many pleasures of domestic life, while all branches of the mission are enjoying the respect and confidence of the natives.

"The king was the first to become a pupil; and the by-word among all classes of the natives is the A, B, C.'

"Sir, I doubt not that the blessing of God will crown all their labours with abundant success, both in civilizing and Christianizing this nation."

UNITED STATES.

An Account of a Mission among the Senecas and Munsces, performed in 1820, by the Rev. Timothy Alden, President of Alleghany College, addressed to the Rev. Abiel Holmes, D. D. of Massachusetts, Secretary of the Society for propagating the Gospel among the Indians and others of North America. - (Concluded from page 82.)

FROM the white woman's tract we set our faces for Weskoi, on another reservation still further up the Genessee. On our way, we turned aside to view a great natural curiosity, little frequented and probably never described, the falls in the river at Nunda. With some difficulty we descended a precipitous bank, and passed over a bottom to the margin of the river, where we stood upon a solid shelving rock, and looked down the frightful chasm. We saw before us the sheet of water falling ninety-six feet upon a rocky foundation, from which the spray rose in a thick mist, and exhibited a well defined rainbow. Two other falls are above, and within a mile and a half of the one we visited. At the uppermost, the whole river has a perpendicular descent of sixty-seven feet, and, at the intermediate fall, that of one