may arrest the attention of sinners, and lead them to consider their state and character before God;-in short, whatsoever may give glory to God, and tend to the spiritual well-being of men. We shall therefore watch with anxious interest over the progress of religion throughout the world, faithfully chronicling, so far as we can learn them, the movements which are made by the Church universal with the view of establishing the reign of truth and righteousness on the earth. But especially in this land, in which our lot has been providentially cast, we shall carefully attend to all that the Lord does for the honour of His own name, both detailing facts and endeavouring to elucidate principles in regard to the duty of Christians. In this part of our work we trust to the continued and increased assistance of our Missionary brethren, and invite the aid of all who are in any way engaged in efforts to extend the rule of the Messiah. We shall be, as we have ever been, the unflinching advocates of Christian education, as a powerful engine put by God into our hands for the purpose of demolishing the unclean fabric of heathen superstition, and rearing in its place the stately structure of Christian faith and Christian practice. To all other means of missionary operation also we shall constantly direct the attention of our readers, and it shall ever be our endeavour to produce or keep alive an intelligent interest in their minds regarding the progress of gospel truth. One nearly new branch of most pleasing labour we mean to undertake, that of endeavouring to lead on to exalted piety our dear friends who have been brought out of heathenism to the knowledge and faith of the gospel. Being delivered from bondage they are as men that dream. By representing their claims upon those who are entrusted with the ministry of the word, and by pointing out frequently in direct addresses to themselves their peculiar duties and trials and temptations, -by speaking for them and speaking to them-we trust to be honoured of God to contribute to their spiritual improvement and growth in grace.-Their increasing number evidently demands that such attention should be paid to them. in his service, so much cause of humble gratitude for the good that we may have been made the instruments of effecting during the year that is past, so much cause to lament that through our weakness and deficiency that good has not been a hundred-fold greater. Under God too we have much reason to return our best thanks to our contributors and correspondents, and to our subscribers, for the valuable aid they have severally given us. We are happy to be able to say, that our lists of contributors and of subscribers are each in an encouraging state, and we trust they will go on gradually increasing. During the past year some questions of deep and lasting interest have come before us; and we have not shrunk from presenting our readers with those views in regard to them which seemed most in accordance with Divine truth. This - is the infallible guide in all questions of faith and practice :"To the law and to the testimony." If in our application of Scriptural principles we have on any occasion come into collision with the allowed practices of any of our readers, we would say to such in the Spirit of Christian affection-It is not "We say” or "You say." Let not these words be heard between us. But rather let us go directly to the word of God; and let the style of our discourse be "What readest thou ?-Thus it is written,-Thus saith the Scripture." If our remarks on any occasion have induced any one to look more narrowly to his ways, and examine more narrowly his courses and his motives, we desire to give thanks and praise to our heavenly Father, whose humble instruments it is our honour to be. And now we go forward to the duties of another year, with renewed resolutions by Divine grace to hold on the even tenor of our way, to turn neither to the right hand nor to the left for the fear or favour of man. It shall be our pleasant duty to lay before our readers whatever we receive from God illustrative of His dealings with men ; whatever may cast light upon His word, and point out the fulfilment of His faithful promises; whatever may render Christians more sensible of their high privileges and their corresponding responsibilities, and foster aspirations after more fervent piety; whatsoever may arrest the attention of sinners, and lead them to consider their state and character before God;-in short, whatsoever may give glory to God, and tend to the spiritual well-being of men. We shall therefore watch with anxious interest over the progress of religion throughout the world, faithfully chronicling, so far as we can learn them, the movements which are made by the Church universal with the view of establishing the reign of truth and righteousness on the earth. But especially in this land, in which our lot has been providentially cast, we shall carefully attend to all that the Lord does for the honour of His own name, both detailing facts and endeavouring to elucidate principles in regard to the duty of Christians. In this part of our work we trust to the continued and increased assistance of our Missionary brethren, and invite the aid of all who are in any way engaged in efforts to extend the rule of the Messiah. We shall be, as we have ever been, the unflinching advocates of Christian education, as a powerful engine put by God into our hands for the purpose of demolishing the unclean fabric of heathen superstition, and rearing in its place the stately structure of Christian faith and Christian practice. To all other means of missionary operation also we shall constantly direct the attention of our readers, and it shall ever be our endeavour to produce or keep alive an intelligent interest in their minds regarding the progress of gospel truth. One nearly new branch of most pleasing labour we mean to undertake, that of endeavouring to lead on to exalted piety our dear friends who have been brought out of heathenism to the knowledge and faith of the gospel. Being delivered from bondage they are as men that dream. By representing their claims upon those who are entrusted with the ministry of the word, and by pointing out frequently in direct addresses to themselves their peculiar duties and trials and temptations, -by speaking for them and speaking to them-we trust to be honoured of God to contribute to their spiritual improvement and growth in grace.-Their increasing number evidently demands that such attention should be paid to them. The customs and literature of the natives shall continue to receive a large share of our attention, as subjects of rational curiosity, and as possessing an important bearing on the state and prospects of the country. In the providence of God we are about to be deprived for a season of one of our most valuable contributors on subjects of this nature*, and we trust that our other friends will exert themselves correspondingly that our readers may not be losers. We shall continue to maintain the same catholic principles which have heretofore guided both ourselves and predecessors, having always a reference to measures not men, and to the greatest good of the greatest number irrespective of caste, creed or color. We shall, God helping us, know mankind but as one family, and the church but as one brotherhood; and it shall be our endeavour not only that the watchmen, but the citizens of Zion may see eye to eye. The present, our readers will perceive, is the first number of a New Series of the Calcutta Christian Observer. The Editors have been induced to adopt this new arrangement from a variety of causes, but chiefly on account of the imperfect state of the former series, there not being one complete set, except any of our friends are more fortunate than ourselves in possessing the deficient numbers for which we have advertised in this number. It is impossible, having brought the past series to a close, not to experience feelings both of pleasure and pain-pleasure in looking on the past, and marking what has been effected; and pain when we remember how many of those who have contributed to the pages of the Observer since its commencement are now numbered with the dead or scattered abroad in the earth. We can say in the retrospect, * Our readers in general know that they have been indebted for an immense store of information on the languages, literature and customs of this country to the Rev. W. Morton (CINSURENSIS), who is about to proceed to Europe. Let us hope that he will soon return to us, and resume his station as one of our chief "Orientalist Contributors." Our present No. is remarkably rich in contributions from the pen of our Reverend friend, as we hope will be also the next. This world is a pilgrimage state Made up of sunshine and shade, Then they haste to the world of the dead. And now we commend our readers to the grace of God, and ourselves and our work to their prayers. II.-Brief Account of the Santals. To the Editors of the Calcutta Christian Observer. MESSRS. EDITORS, Perhaps no people in Hindustan are more interesting, yet so little known to Europeans, as the Santals. Having twice visited this singular people, and collected some little information regarding them, I thought the result of my investigations might not be uninteresting to the readers of your valuable periodical. It is certainly a matter of interest that a people claiming to be the original proprietors of the soil, should be scattered throughout the Mohur Bunge, and twenty-two other countries tributary to the Mohur Bunge rájá. In every part of these countries their villages are numerous, being interspersed with Oriya villages. In all probability their country is much more extensive than we have yet ascertained, but in these places it is certain they are numerous. The villages I visited were generally small, containing from 10 to 30 houses; but I am told that there are many that contain 200 or 300. If we can establish their identity with the Bhoomijas that are scattered throughout the same countries, and with the Coles of Chota Nagpoor and Sumbhulpore, we shall probably make them the most numerous class in Hindustan. That the Bhoomijas are Coles there can be no dispute, as I have ascertained their language is precisely the same as that of the Coles of Sumbhulpore. It is true the Santals use a different dialect, but from their similarity of manners and religion, one cannot but believe they were originally the same people. So far as my knowledge extends, all that may be said of the Santals, excepting their name and language, may be applied to the Bhoomijas and Coles. It is remarkable that though the Santals live among the Oriyas and daily transact business with them, they have a language peculiar to themselves, so very different from the Oriya that scarcely a word can be understood; and though this language is not written, a Santal has no difficulty in un |