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For the Christian Index. Homans 8: 19-24. The above has been regarded as a very ■difficult passage. And as might he expect ed, various have been the interpretations’ given of it toy commentators. It would ■doubtless be presumption on my part, to think that l understand it better than others; oil 1 shall attempt, therefore, will be to im part the light I have, and leave it for those who make the Scriptures their study, to de termine whether I am right or wrong. The whole of the difficulty, as I appre hend. in giving an easy and satisfactory ex planation of this beautiful passage, atiscs Irotp the word ktisis, which occurs three times in it, and which the translators of our I bible call creature, but perhaps creation would he a better rendering. Some have supposed that by this term, the inanimate creation is to he nuderstobd; and hence, by a figure of rhetoric, would represent the whole mass ol irrational being ns looking forward to the,rtiunifcs!ation of the sons of God at the resurrection from the life dead. I his is certainly a very beautiful view.—- The figure supposed to he used by lire Apostle, is similar to that of |*n. ini--. 12 •* 1 hen shall the trees 01 the wood rejoice;” and 38: B—“L.et the floods clap their hands; let the hills he joyful together.” Others have thought that mankind nt large are in tended, whilst ;* third class have contended, and with their views my own coincide, that the spiritual creation, the Church of the Living Cod, in even/ age of the world, is to hr understood.- -It is true, that in Horn. I :. 20-25—.8: •I'd, Ileh. -1 : I,'t, Ictisis means cication sim ply ; in Mat. ft) : 16 —13: 10—2 pet, :t . >l, this term is used to signify the creation of the universe; and in Col. I ; 15 the dif ferent orders of men lion nw expressed by it; but the-verb klizo, from which the 1101111 ktisis comes, means according 10 Robinson, to create, to become, to form anew. Rph. 2 : 15 is given as an example. “To make (klise) in himscll of twain one new man, so making peace.” See also v. 10, “For wo arc his workmanship created (ktisthentes) til Christ Jesus unto good works.” In chapter 4 ; 24 we have (his very striking passage, “And that ye.put on the new man, which after God, is created, (ktisthentu) in righteousness and true holiness.” The! new 1:1 cation then",'in Christ Jesus, is that which is looking forward with earnest ex pectation to the manifestation of the Sons ■ of God. . • Neither the inanimate creation, nor the universe of living being, nor any object of God’s visible creation, entertains the hope of a Christian with respect to the glorious manifestation now tn question. Hope— that cordial of (lie soul—that anchor, sure anil steadfast—especially the Christian’s hope, belongs not to the whole creation—- to sinful as well as to holy men. No un sanctified heart pants to be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God. The high er efforts of God's creating power, il it is proper so to speak—the efforts made in creating anew the soul, arc they, which ex cite the groaning,and the tni’vniling.aml the waiting for the adoption—the redemption of the body. The. Church of the living God in com mon with their fellow men, were not made subject to vanity; i. e. to mortality and af fliction, by their own conduct; but by rea son of him who hath subjected them to this state ; by Adam, as 1 suppose, acting under the temptation of the Devil. Hut this sub jugation is not without the mitigation of hope. Divine mercy has interposed. And they, to whose souls the lost imago of God has been restored, in righteousness and true holiness, ate looking forward to that bless, ed ltopo, (i. c. to the object of the Christian’s hope) and the glorious appearing of the great God even our Saviour. “Blessed he the God and Father of our Itprd Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant merry,.hath begotten us again un to a jiving hope by the resurrection of Je sus Christ from the dead, to ail-inheritance incorruptible, and tindcfiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through frith unto salvation, ready to toe nutrified in the last time.” So says the Apostle iYtcr in diilicipatioH of heavenly blessedness. The Christian—tire new man in Christ Jesus—in the very midst of his warfare here below, is the joyful expectant ol a ciown.al God's right hand. When the “good fight” shall have been fought, and the “race” run, the Lord Himself, in the presence of adoring angels, will pronounce the well done, and eternal life be in full fruition. Well may the Sons ol God anticipate with strong emotion so glorious a consummation. Well might the beloved disciple exclaim with ec stasy. “Beloved"—ye who arc the sons of God—it doth not yet appear what we shall iie. bu| we kuow, that when He shall ap pear we shall be Jikc Him, for wc shall sec . ‘,H;pi aslie is! To be like (’lirist! To ,be Jike Him! ! Oit is worth a lifetime of groaning, and travailing, and waiting, and graying!! Though our years shall tie pro longed ,ac .were t)rose>of Methuselah ana we should liaye i tpgp.vwvej>ingtlie whole length .pl'ourpilgrimage, U. jt,vvakc in the likeness of Jesus would outweigh all,. Let it be the first object of every heart, <u Jure the hope of the Christian, that., at the great imnilcaiaiion,Christ mavown tts aH asHis! mWGHMAN. For the Christian Index. 11 Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” Does not a single glance of the eye upon the church al the present day, bring us to the conclusion, that if one who knew noth ing of the injunctions of God's holy word, were to form an idea,'according to the prac tical comment, of many of the professed followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, he would suppose, that the apostle’s exhorta tion read thus, I,cl us take upon us every weight, and every encumbrance, and con stantly expose ourselves to be,tempted with the sin which doth so easily beset ue. It does seem to me. that a large portion of professed Christians now-a-day’s act pre-r cisely as the Devil wished the Saviour to act, when he tempted him in the wilder ness,-where wc-are laughmuch a glorious lesson. I would to God that every profes sor of religion, might feel the force of this bright example of the Saviour, and consul | cr the weapon by which the Devil was re i pelted, and the most illustrious victory ob -1 ained, that ever- tire hit of man to | contemplate, ; ,nd by .which the lying intru der was so completely vanquished. This ‘is 1/10 t'uem hJ.i M,; u/vxptut “Jt is written. 11 It is a fact iimcli to lie lamented, that ma ny, very many aie endeavoring’to cairy as much weight as they can move with in this world, apparently satisfied with adopting the principle and sentiment of Balaam.— “II I can at last die the death of the righle • ous, it will be enough.” Oh ! vvliat a fatal delusion this will prove, to many members of our churches. Header under stand me when I talk about professors, men may have a name that they live, and arc dead, Rev, 3.1, The appellation of Chris tian is not intended for them, in that eondi j lion. I wish to he distinctly understood, as not holding forth an idea that they only are christians, who live up to the commands, and precepts ol God’s word, 01 in oilier words keep dear of sin. If so this title never would have been applicable to the great author of the epistle in'which we find recorded, the passage placed at the head of this article, (see latter part of the 7th chap ter of Homans,) hut would say, that men give evidence that they are Christiana, no 1 farther, than they obey the commandments of (Jod, or arc found striving so to do, at least. And at the same time would say, 1 know not how far a man may fall short of this, and yet he a chosen one. The bless ed Saviour has laid down a criterion by which ye must he guided in this matter. “Ye shall know them by their fruits” Malt. 7. 16. Sin will hanker about the Christian, But, though it may and will be percepti ble to liinyjt all times, through the knowl edge lie has (by grace) of the corruption of'his nature, it will not be allowed on eve ry ‘otlt’lltf’ pestiferous fumes, to the prejudice of his own peace, and the annoyance ol the church, and thereby throw a blot upon her fair escutch eons I Gor 9. 27- I will tell you reader what I think.— W hen I see a professor of religion, fre quently leave the society of his family, and go out and mingle with the wicked where lie lias not particular business, lain con strained lo think, that he is heaping upon his shoulders a weight, produced by omis sion of duty, and unbelief, that will serve the purpose of a threefold cord, for the De vil to pinion the faculties of his soul, and keep him bound down in a state of carnal security ; and in this situation, he is fully prepared to hear the blasphemy, and im precations lumped upon the name which-hc professes to hold most sacred and dear.— If lie had made the Bible his companion and the closet iiis place of retreat from his family, the light reflected from that “Bless ed voluino” would have taught him the im pressive lesson, I .ay aside every weight &o. When I sec a piofessor doing well upon his farm, ajul receiving ample support for himself and family, “in the sweat of hie face,” become discontented, and enter into speculation, I think he is in danger of be ing tempted at least to keep back the truth if hr goes m> farther. He will be suspected and will destroy liis religious influence, whether he be guilty or not, and'this is a great weight. When I see a servant be longing to a professor ot religion driving his owner’s team to or from market on the Sabbath day, particularly when the dis tance does not require more than four or five day’s journey, 1 think that is a weight lie might and ought to dispense with.- When 1 see a minister of the gospel who already has a large store of the goods of this world, involve himself in debt to pro cure more, 1 think lie must have a capa cious brain and an enlarged soul to main tain his equilibrium. The love of liis Bible or the love of riches one or the other will preponderate, and if be is not careful itwill lie the latter, “Ye cannot serve God and Mammon” Matt. 6. 24’ When.l know a professor who is a sportsman repeatedly neglect family player to pursue the chase, i think this is a besetting sin ; and when I sec a professor ol religion whose family never hear him pray, I think he is a weight to them.- Whan I see a member of the church repeatedly neglect his conference meetings because he is a I raid liis business will not go on at home, I think that if he has so much weight that it keeps him ftom the.church it is more probable it will keep him from heaven. When 1 sec a ; Baptist goto a Methodist church or that of any -otli ! er persuasion called orthodox and sit out of doors or in a remote part of the house and carry qii a conversation in time of service. I think he is in the direct road to become s weight to hi£ own church. When I sec; members of the church goto their own .place of worship, and'stay out of doors till, the minister begins to read his hymn, and then come in to his great annoyance and confusion, I think they accumulate a weight, by worldly conversation and throw it upon] his shouldeis. When I see a church mem ber draw his purse strings so tight that the; deacon can hardiy get one dollar from hunt for his pastor, I think it is no wonder that It have seen in the course 6f this year receipts, of from five to ten dollars acknowledged inf the Index, being arrearages for. past yjfyte which was due the Editor in advance, -j A Columbian-: June 25th 1844. . 1 —"— • * * For the Christian Index. Uro. Baker, In No; 20 of Index, Mnyf|7j 1844, in “an essay on the Christian Reli gion, Sec. 5,” are these words, “ God’in llis infinite wisdom and goodness has con ferred upon men the honor of being iustri ments in His hands by which tbe.,jvor|v'pi salvation is carried forward—they are The 1 tools used by the Great Architect in rearing 1 the structure of the Temple of Christianity.” &c. “No country has ever been christian ised except by these means, no people been changed from idolatry to the worship of tjic living and true God except by the I means and through the instrumentality of lilt Minister's. Hence the Minister of t|m Gospel may he said to-occupy the.ipost re sponsible, the most honorable and the most useful office among men; he receives 11 is authority from God, and goes forth in the •power of His might’ to do battle in llis, cause against the enemies of Truth, &c.— 1 Then, as instruments in His hands for the enlargement of His dominions, are they not ! bound by gratitude, by love and by their interests, both temporal and ctcrrul, to be i ever actively, universally engaged in the great work.” Now I have objections to the above, for it seems to me, though true, by no means all the truth. Surely there arc no antimissionaries near the writer, or he would write more guardedly. It is alto-j gethcr inexplicable to me, how the office of a minister can he said to be the most re sponsible, the most honorable and the most useful among men. If lie lie only an in-. xtTtmrtifirtirtiv toiftf lie tie reafiflntfltirsT -fir the plough responsible for ploughing up the corn, or is the axe responsible for cutting the laborer’s foot ? To do battle in the ser vice of God against the enemies of Truth scents to me to imply aclivtiy as well as aCCmmlirtriUty. l*mi urcm\ lo lUmk Uc was more than a simple instrument when he said, “Wo is me if I preach not the gos-i pel. 1 have begotten you through the gos pel. We are workers together with God.” 1 And in his instructions to Timathy.he says, i “take heed unto tlivsclf and unto (lie doc trine, continue in them, for in doing this j thou shall both savo thyself and them that hear thee.” Scriptures of this kind might lit: multiplied—but it is timiecessnrv—-these’ seem to teach, as. every rcadet must per ceive, that the minister of the gospel in. some sense is an agent itr the sinners con* version. This truth seeiiis to he taught in Hauls instructions to his son Timothy, that if lie should not take heed to'himself, and should act unbecoming the gospel ofChri.-U, although he might pieacli,the truth it would be of no avail. On the other hand, should lie take heed to his ways and act as became j the gospel of Cluist, and preach what was false, he should not save himself nor those that heard him ; ami this from the obtious fact that he would be workfng with the • wtong tools. There are not wanting min isters who when they get’ up to preach tel! their hearers that they rise without an, pre-, meditation, that they will say just whit the Lord directs them to say. Audi never knew such an one to fail to preach Wlmt he 1 called the doctrine of election. Tluy arc generally disorderly walkers, and when told of their disorderly conduct,justify thein selvcs bv saying the new man caninl sin, that they are not under the law but under grace. And whence came all tliCs ? false notions if it be not that they are tawht that they are only instruments. Such reason thus, I atn but an instrument in theliand of God, and I know that if an instrument does not cut it is not the instrument’s fruit, hut his*who wields il. lam a Calvinist but such doctrine 1 do not believe, and such practices 1 do not fellowship. The above was written some tea days or ; two weeks since-’ Since that time 1 have’ been much occupied iti more important con cerns, in trying to proclaim “ the glad ti dings” to perishing sinners. I will not add i a word to the above, but will tellvqiu some thing more cheering. At the closepl a live : days meeting 1 made an eflort sub scribers to the Index.- The effort was made solely upon the ground of usefulness, when fifteen came forward and gave me their 1 names. Ffteen united with us during thej meeting. This church enjoyed the greafc est revival last year I have ever witnessed. II commenced at the meeting in May, 1843, and continued until the end of last year.— For three months there we had do acces sions when - the work commenced again, I ami we received ten before our June.meet- ‘ ling. The signs were very encouraging ] I when wc broke tip the meeting, We hope I to receiveimore at our Jnly, meeting than at our last. L tried last year to serve five churches, year I would ijot consent to serve but four.’ It is not yet a year and a half since my ordination. I have baptized . jwo hundred and fifty willing subject; fifty 1 of lliefn Poedobqptists. In these four church es we have four licensed . Preachers,.all considered as my children. Three of these churches receive more or less every- meet \irtg toy baptism. My dear Sit, pray that Jjie'Luul may continue with’ us until this ■whole region, once’ noted for wickedness, fmay be regenerated. I intend to make an , effort for fifteen more subscribers to the * Index this year. •. i Excuse; if you please? his lengthy and j I badly .written letter. If iny lile.is spared! I you shall hear from pie agajn this summer.l Yours, &c. * 5 ‘ HAMPDEN S. LINTON. ! ‘ Aladison Cos , Fa., June 6, 1844. P. S.—l am very sorry the form of the ‘lndex is changed, V IL S. L, Some'lialf dozen brethren have said to us j j lately, I ordered my paper stopped some I time ago, but I am pleased with the change! I in the form and wish to take it again. Here | )la the Hiihsia ijitioii price. Send mo the pa ! per: It is impossible for us to ascertain ■ with any precision the proportion of our brethren who desire the one or the other form ; but one thing we do know. Wc know that the Index once involved tlicCon i v'cnlion in debt, biit is now defraying ex penses, and, if our. brethren continue their kind agency, will soon prove a source of profit to it -We are* now doing well. Let! us he careful hosv wc piakc r.\-periinents,j lest we assimilate ourselves io the man who ; was well, wished to be better, -look phv-sic and— died. ‘ :. — 1 lloxokono, ’February, 1841. •! The commencement of anew year is a \ l fit occasion for sending you our Christian j salutations, and communicating some par- J iicuhra concerning our doings and Mission-! ! ary operations (luring the pas! six months. ! You have heard of the sickness and mor-1 tidily which, until recently, have so exlen ■ sively prevailed on this Island ; and yet in ! the midst of all, every member ol this Mis ! -“ion, has, under the blessing of an ever: j watchful providence, uniformly enjoyed j good health, except Mr. Roberts who is j occasionally indisposed. .We have, how ! ever, been called ‘o inouin the death ofen | deared brethren connected with usin cliurcli fellowship, though not in a Mission eapaci-: tJK—■ fre*air*(ddiere, mem ber.s of the Church under Mr. Shuck’s care,! have been consigned to the tomb during the past six months, all victims of the prevail ing epidemic. We have reason to believe that these brethren died in the faith, and liaye gone to their reward. The apoetacy <il'tvv<> others, one a foreigner and llic’otlier a native, members of the same Church, was attended with circumstances of such an aggravated nature as to fill us all with the deepest anxiety anil grief. Mr. Shuck has continued to hold religious services in j 1 Chinese cvcrv day, twice on Tuesdays and Fridays, and three times on each Sabbnlh. Three of these services arc held at the 15a- j zaar Chapel. lie preaches in Chinese reg ularly every Sabbath in the Queen's Hoad Chapel at 11 a. m. to large and attentive congregations. His Teacher, Yang seen sang, who however, has not yet been bap tized, usually takes part in the services.— Leatig Afat lias also preached with good acceptance a number of times in tlieQeen’s Hoad Chapel during the past few months. Mr. Shuck lias several interesting inquirers under his charge, two or three of whom lie has reason to believe are really taught by the Spirit, and one of whom, Lull seen j sang is now on his final trial preparatory to , his being baptized. There is every pros ! peel of his being unanimously received by ; the Church in a week or two, and as he is an intelligent man, a fluent speaker, and a ! ready writer much is hoped from him.— At the close of the Chinese services, on the Sabbath Mr. Shuck makes it a point to place ; a tract or book hands of each person ; present. The English Preaching is now ! conducted, in the Queen’s Road TANARUS) ha pel c"v cry Sabbath evening,(and the services of the | Pulpit are shared with the brethren of all the Missions. The” miming expenses of the Chapel are liberally defrayed by mem bers of the Foreign community in month! v . subscriptions, in con junction with the mem j hers of Mr. Shriek’s Church. A friend ! has offered to defray the salary of a Teach er provided we would start a Chinese school of not less than fifteen boys, and we are endeavoring to open a school, if pos sible, of not more than twenty scholars, in the byck schodl room belonging to the Mission on the side of the Island. A sim ilar offer has been made to Mrs. Shuck for a girls’ school, bnt it is at present doubtful whether it is practicable fully to cairy out such a measure. Many visits have been | made by different members of our Mission i to the mainland and to the surrounding.ls ’ land. . The Tie chew department of the Mis sion, under the care of Mr. Dean, affords ; increasing encouragement ol good. Daily religious worship is held with a number jof Chinese both morning and evening, a ; special prayer meeting on Saturday even ing, the monthly concert on the first Mon day of the month, and two services on the Sabbath are conducted in the dialect of this j people. At the first of these held at the I Bazaar Chapel at 10 a. m. about, thirty or forty’ Chinese are in te'gulai attendance and at- the second held at the Queen’s Hoad Chapel at 1 v. m. from jifty to seventy, and sometimes one hundred are present, who generally pay a respectful attention to Chris tian instruction. In conducting these ser : vices, Mr. Dean is aided by Kok-lre/ig, a ’ native assistant, who generally takes every alternate service. The members of the ! Pie Church, organized in Hongkong in 1 . i May last continue to walk worthy ol their’ [■ high calling and affordjcvidence ol*a growth ! in grace and knowledge ; no additions have | j yet been made to the number of those i | which constituted the Church, who Lave of j \ their penury contributed duriug the past; ; year $32 for Missionary purposes. Among ! j those who have been brought undet daily . ] religious instruction are two who have for’ ; two or three months afforded usenemrrage ! inentto believe that we.should be author-! j ized to grant their request lo become mern i bers of the Church. Weekly visits have -I been continued by the assistant to Chiaihl chew, Pesry-chew, and Tu-kiu.wan, the latter a place on the mainland and the two former on some neighbonng islands where the people speak this dialect. A dwelling; | house has been commenced for the accom -1 modation of this department of the Mission. ] The people speaking this'-dialect are in-’ | creasing on the Island,- and several shops have recently been opened by them. Mr. Roberts continues’his efforts’ among-; •the people as usual, wlien in health, -aided! by his Teacher Cliow teen sang, whom lie • i has baptized. He preaches in Chinese to j ; good congregations every Sabbath evening jat the Bazaar Chapel at 7 o’clock. . lie ■ lias family worship in Chinese at his own ’ house twice a day, and holds occasional ■ ! ineetiugs at Chek-clrcw and elsewhere.— Mr. If. has two or three inquirers under his care whom he supposes to be sincerely de sirous of becoming disciples. He contin ues to put into circulation huge number of Tracts both native ami foreign. A native ‘ whom he baptized at the same time with Chow seen sang has been excluded from the Church, and Chun, who was sometime since suspended, Ita3 been restored to lel iowsliip, and both lie and Cliow seen sang, seem to be. walking in the truth, and afibrd j much aid in religious services. Hongkong continues to.increase'in pop j ulation and buildings bolhjforeign aif:! native, j The .Maliontedans have built a Mosque and j the Chinese are erecting a Temple. This Temple will not be far Irmn the Queen’s i Hoad Chapel, and u ill affmd a fine and slia-. ! ily place for holding friendly religious tlis i cuss ions with the natives in the hot season. , The.school of.Chinese boys connected l I with the Morrison Education Society nil dei the efficient and judicious instruction of ! lfev. Mr. Brown and Mrs. Brown enntin ! si flourishing condition. Air. and Mrs. Brown have recently been deeply bereaved by the death of their promising little sou aged ten months. In this connexion wc , may mention tlic lamented demise of the 1 Hon. J. It. Morrison which took place in | August last in the 29tli year of his aoe.— Mr. -Morrison was a man of sterling prin ciples, was a friend to all the Missions, ami. in his death-wc all feel that we have lost a 1 brothci indeed. I Dr. Hobson of flic Lon, \jiss_. So. has n_ fMissionjry Hospital in successful opera tion, and aided by a. naive assistant con j ducts daily religious worship with his Pa ! tients, thus carrying out the genuine plan of a Missionary Hospital. Rev. J)r. Leggc of the same society holds religious services in Chinese in his own house, and has recently ntuAitt'J. a. place in.the Lower Bazaar where Lvvng Ata preaches to bis countrymen every sabbath at II A. M.— The Missionaries of this Society ate erect ing ton thousand dollars worth of buildings at Hongkongjaiul are expecting additional laborers. Tire expenses of Dr. Hobson’s Hospital are defrayed by the Medical Mis sionary Society. Rev. Dr. Bridgman and Rev. .Mr. Ball, of the American Board of Comm., hold Chinese service in their uivti house, and Mr. Ball lias under his charge .-u’tlve priming operations for the publishing of Christian tracts and books in tile native language.— Mr. Ball has done a good service in pub lishing a large Christian Almanac in Chinese for 1844, conformable to both the English and Chinese dales. He also pub lished one for 1813, ol a similar character. I Rev. Mr. .Stanton (with Mrs. Stanton) lias recently at rived at Hongkong to offi ciate among his countrymen as Govern ment Chaplain, and finds an important field of usefulness. Mr. S. is also study ing the Chinese language. In September last l)r. Macgowan em barked for the North having been delegated by his colleagues to visit the various ports for the purpose of collecting information as to the most suitable place jlbr establish ing anew station of the Baptist Mission, (.’apt. Lock wood of the “Valparaiso” kind- j ly gave him a free passage to Chusan.—j Through this and other islands of the same’ group he travelled on loot visiting various : villages and towns, prescribing for the sick and leaving ttacts withal! wiio could read. In October Dr. M. took up his residence al Ningpo, deeming that city the most suit able place for establishing the new station. The Rev. Mr. Milne having left Ningpo for Hongkong overland. Dr. M. was the only foreigner there until die arrival of the British Consul, R. Thom, Esq., in the lab ler-part of December. A house having been freely offered for the purpose within the walls in the midst of the business part of the city, a Missionary Hospital, but in no way connected with the Medical Mis sionary -So. was opened. If was soon thronged by a suffering populace and al though but a small portion offline could be devoted to the Institution about seven hundred patients were treated the first quarter. The patients freely posted up Christian handbills that were given them, throughout the city and neighboring towns and villages. Merchants from Nanking and other distant parts were supplied with tracts, some of which the Mandarins re ceived, read them and pronounced them good. A plan, first adopted at this Hospi tal, of printing passages of Scripture on j one side of the Surgeons’ memorandum of Treatment, and which the patients kept in possession, was an effectual means of dis seminating much Christian truth. These passages were committed lo meinorv by the patients and recited lo the doctor. * In December Dr. Macgowan visited, Shnnghae in company with Rev, Mr. Med hurst and Dr. Lockhart'of the L<m. Miss. 00. who hare since located themselves in I‘‘ . i I ibis city. ‘ Dr. M. represents Shaughae as a point of great importance being piobably i the graktetß commercial city in the Empire, jlt is fire port for the great city of Hang j chow-foo, and is_connected with Nauking ! by the Yang-lze-keang and also by canals.* George Balfour, Esq., is the British Con sul at Shanghae. • ’ TU Anidv Dr. Ctimming has a large ants interesting” Missionary Hospital, not con nected with the Mediqpl Missionary Socie ty. By-the aid of the Rev. Mr. Abecl the healing art and direct Christian teaching arc most admirably combined in the Amoy Hos pital, and evident good is being effected.— Dr. Hepburne and Mrs. H. of the Pies. Board have lately pioceeded to Aipoy.— Henry Gribble, Esq., is the British Consul at Amoy. To the important and populous city of Foo chow-foo no Consul or Missionaries have yet gone. - j’ ‘ At Canton the Hospital connected with ; the Medical Missionary Society, and under ; the charge of Rev. I)r. Paiker, continues to ! be crowded with patients, and vast numbers ! of Chinese can now rejoice in the relief af* [ forded to their bodily sufferings by Dr. P. j It does not appear that any religious servi , ces are held in the Hospital or any where else in Canton in the Chinese language, nor : Christian Chinese books distributed nor any i direct Missionary labor performed among the natives. It is said that even tracts can not be distributed witlioutdoingmore harm than good, so strong arc die prejudices of the Chinese. And yet Canton is a most important missionary, position, a mighty .city of fully half a million of inhabitants wholly given to idolatry, and we should re joice to scetliesamc missionary efforts car ried on there as are’ so successfully prose cuted at the olhei great cities which have been thrown open, to foreign intercourse. At Whampoa also, and the adjacent towns there is a wide field for Christian exertion. (J. T. Lay. Esq., is the British. Consul-at Canton. Dr. Macgowan lias recently returned to Hongkong,'a'free passages . having been kindly given him by Capt. Eyre, .of the ship “Oscar,” the first Amer ican vessel that lias been totliel’oitol'Niiig • go. I)r. M. is on his way to Calcutta,but hopes to return immediately to Ningpo, ■ as his colleagues agree with him that that city should be adopted as the new station of ibis mission. Mr. Cole, printer, with Mrs. Cole, and Dr MacCartee of the Pres. Board have just arrived in China from New York, lo join Rev. Mr. Lowrie of the same Society : Mi. Coie brings with him a ‘complete priming establishment, both Chinese and English, and alzo a Book bindery. Rev. Mr. Milne is now at Hongkong and on the eve of em barking for England, but hopes soon to re turn to his station at Ningpo. In couijii diug these brief notices we may remark that under the wise I’rovTilt-iice 0? find the har vest in China is now empliaticallv great, anil numbering the Missionaries of all the societies the laborers are verily few. Our appeal is to the privileged disciples of our native land that they would join lis in mak ing unceasing prayer to Jehovah, the Lord of the Harvest that lie would permit us at no distant day lo greet more laborers to this great land of heathenism", those who shall come forth in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of peace. In lichiilf of the American Bapii.-t Mission in China. J. LEWIS SHUCK, Sec. From the /Imcrican Messenger. Sketches of Colporteur Conversiitious. It may not be amiss to give one or two Uriel sketches of the dialogues which occur between the Colporteur ami various classes ol oppnsers. Tlvey will serve as an illus tration ol the kinds of error prevalent', ami the skill of the Colporteur in refuting'them. Mr. Kiilner many interviews like the following: Colporteur, (entering the house) “ Will you have good books J” . :. 1 oung Alan, (perhaps 22 years’of age) “What kind of books are ihey C. Religious hooks. Y. M. Such bad books 1 don’t want: they contain nothing but lies. . ('. (placing the books’ before him) Here ate, if you will prove that they con tain lies, 1 promise to cast them into the lire.” Y. M. (looking sternly at the Colpor teur) Are these books belter than the Bi- I blc ! and the Bible is a book of lies, which ; I can prove.* 1 take you al your word, (presenting a Bible, with the remark,) be not deceived, God is. not mocked.” Y. M. (opening the Bible) Here it is written, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” &r. Who was present when he did this-? Man was not yet created. Here is a contradiction.” (pointing towards heaven) There you see heaven and here the earth : if 1 had no revelation, as a rational being 1 must con clude that they could not have created them selves, and that consequently they must have had a beginning. Y. M. (very restless) “What did God do before lie created the heavens and the earth? C. He hell for the scoffers who are not satisfied with bis word, \ . M. Then lor me? C. I leave yon to judge ; bnt admonisfi xmu lo flee from the wrath An come. After I toad given him a faithful admoni tion, he began to turn over the pages of the Pilgrim’s Progress and inquired the priee of it; bought a copy; premised to. leave the company of the rationalists and adead church, which he has continued to do since. Fuition 011 the Piano is advertised in the newspaper printed at the Sandwich Is lands, by Mr. J. A. Peseneui, “maker and repairer of piano-fortes.” Thirty years ago, the people of these is lands were savages, cannibals. The mis sionaries ol flic cioss went among them, and now they-have civilization and arts, schools and churches,a government nfltws, industry, temperance, and happiness.