They confidently expect the happiest results from measures, which are recommended at once by the wisdom with which they are conducted, and the remarkable success with which they have been attended. The field of labour is immense. If from thence, as a centre, Schools be erected in the populous and richly cultivated territory all around, it is difficult to conceive of the inestimable benefits which must be imparted, when such an extended system shall have had time to operate.

BAPTIST MISSION.

The Baptist Missionaries entered early on the School System. In 1809, a Free School at Calcutta for Country-born Children was suggested. This led to the establishment, at the close of that year, of the Benevolent Institution, for the instruction of Children of Indigent Christians, of all descents and origin, multitudes of whom are in Calcutta. The First Report of this Institution, to the close of 1812, was printed in our Volume for 1816, pp. 205--208, up to which period there had been admitted 310 Boys and 102 Girls.

In the beginning of 1814, a proposal was issued for Native Schools on an enlarged scale. The number of Schools at that time in various parts of the Mission amounted to nearly twenty. The expense had till then fallen on the Mission, but the object of the proposal was to obtain aid from other quarters. "The importance of the object," say the Missionaries, "has made us turn our thoughts to the business of Schools, as a System." This object began from this time to engage much of their attention. The outline of their plan may be seen in our Volume for 1816, pp. 201-205; and a review of their present state, in the last Number, pp. 59--62.

The attention which the Missionaries began to bestow on Native Education led them to publish, in March, 1816, a Tract, entitled, "Hints relative to Native Schools,

together with the Outline of an Institution for their Extension and Management." In this Tract, after shewing the necessity for Native Schools, the kind of knowledge proper to be communicated, and the most effectual means of accomplishing the object, the Missionaries give some account of what had been done toward realizing the plan, and propose for general support their "Institution for Native Schools."

Their proposal met with much encouragement. In October 1817, the First Report of the Institution appeared. The number of Schools then under its care was 103; the names of Scholars on the books far exceeded 10,000, of whom there had actually attended 6703. In this Report the whole subject of Native Education is treated, at large, with much knowledge and discrimination.

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY.

The late Mr. May, of Chinsurah, finding great opportunities of usefulness among Children, requested of the Directors, in the beginning of 1813, an allowance for the purpose of employing Native Schoolmasters. They readily complied; and urged the Society's Missionaries, at the different Stations, to use their utmost endeavours to promote Native Schools.

Schools have, since that time, engaged much of the attention of the Missionaries. At Madras, for example, there are 500 Scholars; at Bellary, 300; and at Calcutta, a large number, which is constantly increasing; but it is at Chinsurah that the System has been acted upon on the largest scale.

Mr. May had, more than most men, an aptitude and ability for this department of labour. His Schools were taken under the protection and support of Government; and, at the time of his death, contained about 3000 Children, with

AMERICAN BOARD OF MISSIONS.

The American Missionaries at Bombay very soon perceived the important place which Schools occupy in the dissemination of Christian Knowledge. Their views on the subject may be seen in our Vol. for 1817, pp. 186--188; and in that for 1818, pp. 83, 84. The plan and exertions of Dr. John had awakened their attention; and had, at the same time, strongly impressed the Board in America. The Board, in consequence, gave a wide circula

tion to the statements of Dr. John; and opened a Special Fund for the

instruction of Heathen Children and Youth. See our Vol. for 1817, pp. 188, 189.

By the last accounts, as we stated in p.23 of the "Survey," the Schools had increased to Twelve, and the Children to between 700 and 800. In Ceylon, also, the American Missionaries are establishing Schools.

tended their Day and Sunday Schools into all the parts of the Island occupied by them. The last Return of the Scholars, as we stated at p. 12 of the" Survey," was 3800; and, of these, 300 were Girls.

HINDOO COLLEGE AT CALCUTTA.

In our Volume for 1817, (pp. 297--800, 343, 344) we gave some account of this remarkable Institution-projected, superintended, and supported by Hindoos themselves, for the education of their own sons in the English and Indian Languages, and in the Literature and Science of Europe and Asia.

This singular Institution cannot fail to prove, under the blessing of God, a powerful means of enlightening the minds of the Natives.

CALCUTTA SCHOOL-BOOK SOCIETY.

This Institution has been formed

for the purpose of facilitating and assisting the operations of all others engaged in Native Education.

Two of the Regulations will explain the design:

preparation, publication, and cheap or The objects of this Society shall be the gratuitous supply of Works useful in Schools and Seminaries of Learning.

It shall form no part of the design of this Institution to furnish Religious Booksa restriction, however, very far from being meant to preclude the supply of Moral Tracts, or Works of a Moral tendency, which, without interfering with the reli. gious sentiments of any person, may be calculated to enlarge the understanding and improve the character.

We have before us the Report of the Provisional Committee of the Society, adopted at its formation; and the First Report of the Society, delivered in July.

The Society is proceeding, with much vigour and wisdom, in the preparation of Elementary Tables and Books, in Bengalee, Hindoostanee, Persian, Arabic, Sanscrit, and English.

The Committee observe

Though the labours of the Society assume an humble appearance, its objects

ledge; and who believe, that, in raising the character of man as an intellectual being, one important step has been gained toward the melioration of his condition, and the promotion of his happiness.

This is affectingly demonstrated to every intelligent observer, by the utter ignorance of the Natives of all the great principles of Truth and Duty.

On this subject we extract some impressive remarks from the "Hints" of the Serampore Missionaries.

Not only are the people, in general, destitute of every just idea of God; but they can scarcely be said to be fully impressed with the importance of a single principle of morality. They have no just idea of the objects of nature so constantly before them-of the sun, moon, and stars of the clouds, the winds, the rains of the earth, on which they dwell-of the groves, trees, and plants, which surround them-of the domestic animals, which they nourish; nor, in a word, of the flowing stream, the buzzing insect, or of the plant which creeps over their lowly shed. To them the sun retires behind a mountain; the rain from heaven is given by a god whom they are in the habit of despising and vilifying; the rainbow is the bow of Rama; the river is a deity; the birds, the beasts, and even the reptiles around them, are animated by the souls of their deceased relatives. Falsehood and uncleanness are nothing; perjury a trifle; and a failure in fidelity and probity, often a subject of praise: while ablution in the waters of a river is deemed a due atonement for almost every breach of morality.

The wretched Schools which they have in their towns and villages are so few, that, on the average, scarcely one man in a hundred will be found who can read a

common Letter. Printed books they have none, unless a copy of some book of the Scriptures should have found its way among them: and, as to manuscripts, they have scarcely one in prose; but, if they possessed a multitude, their ignorance of their own language would render the perusal of an inaccurate and ill. March 1819.

written manuscript too formidable a task to be often attempted. Thus, with a regular and copious language of their own, nearly all who are ignorant of Sanscrit (which is not understood by one in ten thousand throughout India) are in a state of ignorance not greatly exceeded by that of those savage hordes which have no written language; while numerous causes

combine to sink them far below most savage nations, in vice and immorality,

Add to this, that their knowledge of Arithmetic is scarcely less wretched. What avails their possessing Treatises in Sanscrit, both on Arithmetic and Geometry? From these the common people derive about as much advantage as though they were written in Chinese. Hence, though some of them, through long babit, are expert in calculation, (as is the case with many in England unacquainted with a single rule of Arithmetic,) at School they learn even the four fundamental rules in so wretched a manner, that an English Boy of eight years old would, in a few minutes, resolve a question in multiplication or division, the solving of which would cost them an expense of time scarcely to be credited.

The complete absence of all just ideas is the chief cause of that degradation of public morals so evident in this country. The doctrine of the Metempsychosis, carried to the extent to which it is in India, while it seems to exalt man to the state of a God, by terming him an identical part of the Deity, in reality sinks his ideas of the Deity to the level of every thing immoral and degrading; while men's maintaining that God does every thing within them, takes away all reverence for Him, and sets them free from every tie of moral obligation. The idea of the soul's passing from body to body, strips death of every thing awful, and humanity of every thing tender; and, instead of elevating the minds of the Hindoos above terrene objects, renders them insensible to the finest feelings of humanity, and causes them to set scarcely any value on human life, even though it be the life of those

nage and support of Governments; but the great and ultimate view of the Christian will be the everlasting Salvation of all whom he can bring within his influence or under instruction. The aim in Education which stops short of Eternity, is both unwise and degrading. It is unwise; for the very improvements themselves in the social state which are to be obtained by Education will be refined and perpetuated, only in proportion as the mind is brought to refer all its feelings and actions to the Will and Authority of the Supreme Judge. And it is degrading to stop short of this object in Education; for it implies that the grandeur and responsibility of an Immortal Being are lost sight of in the petty considerations of this fleeting world.

Yet there is an intermediate object to be pursued in Native Education, in order to this ultimate end. On this subject the Baptist Missionaries write, as we have before quoted in the Vol. for 1816, p. 202

. It is of some value to form a just idea of the design of Schools, in a country like this. They are neither expected, nor specifically intended, to convert the Natives: their only object (that is, their only direct and immediate object) is, that of capacitating them, by instruction in their childhood, TO SEE THINGS JUST AS THEY ARE When their understandings are matured.

The same Missionaries add, in their "First Report of the Native

School Institution"

Perhaps some may be ready to ask, "If this system of instruction neither makes them Christians nor Britons, what does it effect, since it leaves the Natives -as completely Hindoos as before?"

To this we reply, by frankly acknowledging, that, in our view, to make any one a real Christian, is not the work of man, but of God; who, alone, creates men anew in Christ Jesus: nor do we hope

to transform the Natives of India into

Britons. This the very nature of the country, and the blessings so richly poured upon it by Divine Providence, wholly

forbid. The inhabitants of a country where, on the average, five or six hours labour, daily, will furnish all the necessaries of life, can, by no course of instruction, daring hardihood of mind, that perseverno diffusion of knowledge, acquire that ing exertion, that firmness of soul, possessed by those whom the circumstances of country and situation constrain to devote daily twelve hours of assiduous labour to the attainment of the same object. The calls of nature satisfied with half the bodily Native of India to undergo the rest; or exertion, what shall ever prevail on the enable him to acquire the habits generated by such a course of arduous exertion?

A Hindoo, therefore, must ever remain a Hindoo, inferior to the European by the force of all those habits which his superior exertions have rendered natural to him: merely two-fold, as though numerically a superiority, the value of which is not restricted to physical force; for when circumstances embody united energies, and call them forth into action, it will be often found a hundred-fold, yea completely irresistible to the relaxed and timid Asiatic,

But it does not hence follow that the

Hindoo must be less happy, because inferior in ability to his European Neighbour. He may sit under his neighbour's peaceful shadow; and imbibe from his more powerful and enlightened mind, ideas, which may gradually unfetter his own, and lead him to all the enjoyments of reason and pure religion. And should he gradually form a juster idea of himself and the various objects around him-of the earth on which he lives, the orbs which give him light, and, above all, the great Author of his being-he may imbibe a higher sense of duty, and that love of knowledge and investigation which may lead him ultimately to search with candour the Scriptures of Truth, if not to

receive them with all readiness of mind. And long before that period, knowledge may remove prejudices, and originate a superior correctness both of ideas and of conduct, which may be of the highest advantage to society.

Doubtless, the Divine Blessing on the course of instruction may lead to these ends; and it is the duty of all who engage therein, to call down that blessing, by fervent and persevering prayer.

The last Report of the Wesleyan Missions states, on this subject