statement of the directors is interspersed with extracts from the reports of missionaries, and both are exceedingly interesting. But they are too long to be given in detail in our pages-they extend through nearly seven pages of small type letter press. We have endeavoured to give an epitome-a brief one indeed-and shall add the conclusion of the directors' statement.

While the missionaries. have been thus distressed by the increase of intemperance and the calamities of war, in the immediate sphere of their personal operations, they have been encouraged by beholding the opening for extending the gospel among the islands around them. Numbers of the inhabitants of the Paumotu Islands have applied for books and instruction. Favourable accounts have been received from the inhabitants of Gambier's Islands; and the report they have transmitted of the opening for the introduction of the gospel to the Marquesas, has induced the directors to send out two missionaries to resume the attempt to instruct the inhabitants of these Islands in the principles of the religion of Jesus Christ; Rev. G. Stallworthy, and Rev. J. Rodgerson, accompanied by Rev. J. Loxton, appointed to Raiatea, have embarked for the South Sea Islands, and will be accompanied in the commencement of their mission in the Marquesas by one of the missionaries now in Tahiti. On their behalf, on behalf of the nation whose best interests they are thus endeavouring to promote,[the directors invite the earnest prayers of the members of the society at large, as well as on behalf of their brethren in Tahiti and the neighbouring islands, that He who alone is able to bring good out of evil may give that wisdom, energy, and devotedness to his servants, the missionaries, which the present circumstances of the people so urgently require-may make darkness light before them-may cause the wrath of man to praise him while the remainder of that wrath he restrains, and thus promote the stability, purity, and enlargement of his church, which shall be unto him for a name and an everlasting memorial that shall not be cut off.

DOMESTIC.

In the December No. of the Missionary Herald, is commenced a publication, with some abridgments and omissions, of the last report of the A. B. C. F. Missions. We give the first part of the article, and perhaps shall hereafter insert under our department of Religious Intelligence, some other portions of this interesting report. But the Missionary Herald is so widely circulated and generally read, that we extract from it far less than we should otherwise do.

MISSION TO GREECE.

Jonas King and Elias Riggs, Missionaries, and their wives.

Our work advances slowly in Greece, because the means are inadequate, and the times have been unfavourable. During the past year, Greece has been in an unsettled condition. Travelling by land has been dangerous, and our operations have been confined almost to Athens; and that city has been in Turkish hands. The new King, Otho, with the Regency, did not reach the country until the 6th of February last, nor was it until the 12th of April that the Acropolis of Athens was delivered up to its rightful owners. That event consummated the deliverance of Greece from Mohammedan authority. A cabinet of ministers has been formed, of which Tricoupis, a Greek gentleman of patriotic and enlightened views, is the president. The country has been divided into ten provinces, in which regard has been paid to ancient landmarks, and these again have been divided into districts. Committees have been appointed by the government to inquire and report on the subjects of education and religion; and the hope is entertained that order will soon be restored, and the roads become safe for travelling.

Mr. Riggs, whose designation to Greece was mentioned in the last Report, sailed from Boston with his wife on the 31st of October, arrived at Malta on the 6th of December, sailed from thence on the 1st of January, and entered the port of Athens on the 27th, where he was cordially welcomed by Mr. King, and the brethren of the American Episcopal mission. He had previously paid so much attention to the modern Greek as to be able to make considerable use of it in conversation, and soon took the charge of what might perhaps be called a Bible-class, in one of the schools. He was greatly interested and pleased by Mr. King's familiar exposition of the Scriptures in his flourishing hellenic school.

One great and obvious benefit arising from the location of intelligent missionaries in different parts of the Levant, is the calling into useful exercise of native talent, when allied, as it often is, to an ingenuous disposition, and a willingness to labour for the instruction of the people. Mr. King has in this way exerted much salutary influence. Niketoplos, a skilful Lancasterian schoolmaster-George Constantine, educated by the British and Foreign School Society in London-Baphas, educated at the Ionian University-and Anastasius Karavelles, educated in Amherst college at the expense of the Board, are employed, with one or two others, in the schools at Athens. The last named person, after completing his education in this country, returned to his parents at Kalamata, in one of the southern districts of the Peloponnesus. In that town, the most considerable westward of the Taygetus, he is expected to open a school, after assisting a while in Mr. King's hellenic school. This school, under the charge of Baphas, contained seventy scholars in February. A public examination of it was held at the commencement of the year, which was attended by the greater part of the demogerontes of Athens, by the bishop, and others to the number of about fifty. At the close of the examination, the bishop made an address to the scholars highly commendatory of the school. A number of the scholars are from other parts of Greece. One is a priest from Sparta. A happy influence has been exerted upon the deportment of many of the scholars in school, though not to that extent which a Christian heart could desire. The female school, owing to a variety of causes, is less prosperous than formerly. The whole number of scholars in the four schools is about 250. The schools have been favourably noticed in the government paper.

From 15 to 120 attend Mr. King's two Greek services on the Sabbath. His manner of preaching the gospel appears to be in a high degree judicious, and not without apparent usefulness.

In July of last year, Mr. King visited Nauplia, the seat of government, at which time he presented Rizos, the secretary for religion and public instruction, with a considerable quantity of books printed at the Malta press, which were respectfully acknowledged, and afterwards distributed among the schools of Greece. The secretary had also received a quantity of New Testaments in modern Greek from Switzerland, which he disposed of in the same manner. In addition to the books presented to the government, Mr. King distributed and sold at this time nearly 1,600 school books and tracts, and 55 New Testaments.

It is exceedingly desirable that the Greek church, and indeed all the other oriental churches, should be induced to acknowledge the Hebrew text as the only proper standard of the Old Testament. A translation from the Hebrew into modern Greek, is now in progress at Corfu. But the merits and claims of the Hebrew text will never be appreciated in Greece, until there is an institution among them, in which an enlightened course of study shall be pursued in biblical literature. Such an institutiou our brethren are anxious to see established somewhere in Greece.

MISSION AT CONSTANTINOPLE.

William Goodell and H. G. O. Dwight, Missionaries, and their wives.

The last Report represented Mr. Goodell as having been driven from his abode in Pera, by the terrible fire which, a little more than two years since, desolated that populous suburb of the imperial city; yet busily and successfully occupied in promoting Christian education among the Greeks. It was also stated that Mr. Dwight left Malta, with his family, on the 15th of May, 1832, for Constantinople. He reached that place on the 5th of June, and immediately commenced the study of the Armenian language. Until some time in August, the two families resided at Buyuk Dereh, the village on the Bosphorus to which Mr. Goodell repaired after the fire. They then removed to Orta Koy, an Armenian and Jewish village about five miles above Galata, one of the suburbs of Constantinople. The two families, with Mr. Schauffler, missionary to the Jews, occupied the same house. Here they were soon after obliged to shut themselves up, and observe a strict quarantine for some time, on account of the plague, which was unusually prevalent. And before this calamity had passed, the cholera visited the city; and soon the Turkish capital and throne were shaken by civil war.

THE GREEKS.-A year and a half had elapsed at the close of the year 1832, since the arrival of Mr. Goodell at Constantinople, and in that time nearly thirty Lancasterian schools had gone into operation among the Greeks of the city and vicinity. In these schools were more than 2,000 children, of whom not less than 100 were girls. It is true Mr. Goodell was not intimately connected with all these schools, yet is it matter of devout thankfulness, that he had been able to exert an extensive and beneficial influence in very many of them. The patriarch affords them liberal patronage, and most of the bishops seemed well disposed; but by the common priesthood, for some reason, they were not regarded with such general favour. The wise course has

been pursued of inducing the people to help themselves in every case as much as possible. Most of the schools are supported by the Greeks, except that the greater part of them have been more or less assisted by supplies of books, &c. Much credit is due to the people on account of the readiness with which a course of instruction has been adopted, so totally unlike the former usages in all their schools. In May of last year the patriarch made out a list, under his own hand and seal, of such books as he was willing should be used in Greek schools and families, comprising all the publications from our press at Malta which had been introduced into the schools.

The only schools on account of which the mission has been at much expense, and over which it has exercised the immediate and entire control, have been those at Buyuk Dereh and Galata. Both of these were mentioned in the last report. The papists are numerous in the former village, and exerted such an influence upon the Greek bishop, who has been too ready to hearken to their suggestions, that the school in that place has been suspended. It is an instructive fact, that the school house in Buyuk Dereh is the only one which the mission assisted in building, and that this unfriendly interference is traceable more to that fact, than to any other. The school at Galata is a kind of normal school, and is the general rendezvous for teachers, who come there to learn the Lancasterian system, or to be instructed by Mr. Paspati in arithmetic, or to ask advice, or to get slates, books, &c. for their schools. It is now separated into two departments, one for boys, the other for girls. Not long since one of the high officers of the Sultan came in to see the school, and on retiring left a donation of 500 piastres-a proof that the disposition of the government is not otherwise than favourable.

THE ARMENIANS.-It is sometimes true of communities, as it is of individuals, that they improve on acquaintance. Such is the fact in respect to the Armenians of Constantinople, amounting, it is supposed, to 100,000 souls. They are more ingenuous and frank in their intercourse, than was expected. As a body, they are intelligent. Many regard their ritual as incumbered with numerous burdensome ceremonies, not required by the Scriptures, and of no practical advantage, and sigh for something better, without knowing exactly what they want-as if the Lord were preparing them for a gracious visitation.

Mr. Goodell's time is divided between the Greeks and the Armenians, and his intercourse with both is chiefly through the medium of the Turkish language. Mr. Dwight devotes his whole attention to the Armenians, and has been busily employed in learning their language; or rather both their ancient and modern language, between which there is found to be more difference, than between the ancient and modern Greek. His helps are all in the ancient language; the modern he is obliged to learn as he can obtain it from the lips of the people. The modern Armenian is used much more extensively than was at first supposed; and an order was issued by the patriarch, somewhat more than three years since, requiring the children to be instructed in the Armenian only, in all the schools, that being properly their national tongue. Of course our school books, to be acceptable to the people, must be prepared in that language. But after all the Turkish, more than any other, is the universal language of the empire. By means of it intercourse can be held not only with Turks, but with Jews, Greeks, papal Greeks, Armenians, papal Armenians, &c.

This fact gives importance to the translation of the New Testament into the ArmenoTurkish language, not long since prepared by Mr. Goodell with the assistance of bishop Dionysius, and printed at Malta by the British and Foreign Bible Society. The translation is in a course of thorough revision for a new edition, which it is hoped the American Bible Society will consent to publish. Dionysius has recently completed at Malta a translation of the Old Testament into the Armeno-Turkish; in doing which he made use of the Arabic, Turkish, and Armenian versions, not being acquainted with the Hebrew. The translation will be conformed to the Hebrew; and a version of the Old Testament is believed to be specially demanded in that language. Copies in the Armenian have become extremely rare, and can hardly be obtained at any price. The suggestion, also, is worthy of serious consideration, whether the Armeno-Turkish is not better than the Armenian for a first attempt to bring back the Scriptures designed for the use of the Armenians, to the standard purity of the original Hebrew and Greek.

Measures have been taken to provide the necessary helps in the Armenian language for Lancasterian schools. The contrast between the advantages enjoyed in this respect by the children of our own land and the Armenian children, is very great, though some good elementary books exist in the language. The Armenians have been stimulated by the schools in operation among the Greeks. Both their former and present patriarchs, some of the bishops, and other distinguished men of that communion, have visited these schools, and declare themselves pleased with the system. The ex-patriarch has been appointed head of the school department; but whether this event be auspicious to the cause of education, or otherwise, is yet unknown.

So different are the associations in the minds of oriental people from ours, that many of the most affecting and popular naratives in the series of the Tract Society, composed originally to be read in this western world, lose their effect almost entirely among the people of the east. Mr. Goodell says there is no sort of ecclesiastical censorship among the Armenians of Turkey in respect to books. Every man purchases for himself whatever he likes best, and in whatever language.

But when once the spiritual and holy requisitions of the gospel are distinctly apprehended by a considerable number of the people, opposition will no doubt arise. The human heart is every where essentially the same; and never is it more violent in its hostility to the truth, than when that truth disturbs its repose behind the mass of superstition and folly, which constitutes the remains of the ancient Christian churches in the eastern world.

The Researches of Messrs. Smith and Dwight in Armenia, have been published in two duodecimo volumes, and well deserve the particular attention of the Board.

In May of last year, in company with commodore Porter, whose kindness continues unabated, Mr. Goodell made an interesting tour to Broosa in the ancient Bithynia. The route lay through Nicomedia and Nice, places noted in history, and the latter especially in the history of the Christian church. Their modern names are Isnikmid and Isnik. Nice, to the spectator from without,-like the churches in the east which once assembled there by their representatives,-still appears to exist, as its doubled walls continue to rise upon the plain; but the buildings and the inhabitants are gone, and almost death-like silence pervades the empty space. Broosa is situated at the foot of the Asiatic Olympus, and is described as one of the most beautiful cities in the Turkish empire; with a large number of Moslem inhabitants, about 6,000 Greeks, as many Armenians, three synagogues of Jews, and a few papists. Mr. Goodell strongly recommends this place for a station in Asia Minor. While the capital should by no means be forsaken, he regards outposts in the country as having their peculiar advantages. The people are less wealthy, less aristocratical and self-sufficient, less ceremonious, and more social; and intercourse of a religious nature is less embarrassed by not being under the immediate observation of high dignitaries in the church.

MISSION TO SYRIA.

Beyroot.-Isaac Bird, Eli Smith, George B. Whiting, and William Thomson, Missionaries; Asa Dodge, M. D., Missionary Physician, and their wives.

The inhabitants of Syria no longer look to Constantinople for their laws, but to the banks of the Nile; where a man, once a poor orphan boy in Macedonia, has raised himself by the force of his character, to an independent and powerful sovereignty; and as a patron of the liberal arts and sciences, emulates the renowned among the caliphs of Bagdad.

The mission has experienced a severe loss, during the year past, in the death of Gregory Wortabet, which took place at Sidon, on the 10th of September last, after an illness of only a few days. The history of this man must be familiar to the members of the Board. He belonged to the order of Vartabed, or monastic priesthood, in the Armenian church, when, in 1825, and at the age of 26, he became acquainted with our brethren at Beyroot. His previous career, as described by himself in an account published in the 24th volume of the Missionary Herald, proves him to have been an uncommon character; and his personal sufferings, both for good and evil doing, prepared him to receive a salutary influence from his new acquaintance. His mind was then in great darkness and confusion, ignorant of the true gospel, a prey to superstition and infidelity. The first ray of light that entered his soul was from the example of his missionary friends. That he compared with their preaching, and he admired the consistency of the two. He then compared both with the Scriptures, reading the New Testament day and night, until he had read the entire volume. Then the day broke upon his soul. He became fully satisfied that the Scriptures were from God. He believed the gospel, and committed himself to divine teaching. He renounced his selfrighteousness and all his dependance upon the absolutions of the church, and, with new joys and hopes, trusted for pardon only in the blood of the Lord Jesus. Having adopted the opinion that his monastic vows were unscriptural and therefore void of obligation, near the close of 1825, he married an amiable and discreet woman, who not long after gave good evidence of piety. Wortabet's deportment was such as became the gospel, until the departure of Messrs. Bird and Goodell from Syria in the spring of 1828. He accompanied them to Malta-as did Carabet also, or Dionysius, an older member of the Armenian church, of the rank of bishop. This change in their circumstances was at their own earnest solicitation; but it was great, and how different from their anticipations cannot be known. Much allowance must be made for the feelings manifested by Wortabet while at Malta, which brought a cloud upon his Christian character. But his morals were irreproachable in the view of the world, and, on his return to Syria, in

1830, the sun, as if impatient of longer obscuration, broke out with increased effulgence, and shone brightly thenceforward till his death. He was not connected with the mission subsequently to his return, and yet became an efficient auxiliary. His residence was at Sidon. He supported himself by trade; was upright in all his dealings; the gospel was the grand theme of his conversation with all who came unto him; and his influence was most salutary and was daily increasing. With such men as Wortabet and Assad Shidiak as trophies in the forefront of our march upon Syria, and with the promises of the Lord of Hosts, which surely apply to that land, if to no other upon earth, we have cause to labour in this mission with joyful expectation.

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View of Public Affairs.

EUROPEAN.

The latest intelligence from Europe is from London of the 16th of November ult., from France of the 14th, and from Lisbon of the 20th of the same month-These dates are but a few days more recent than those mentioned in our last number, and the news they announce is little, and that little of not great general interest-We shall notice cursorily-for to do more would be a waste of time and paper-the items most worthy of notice-We have not seen a single article of British news more important than that a treasury order has been drawn on the Bank of England for eight thousand pounds sterling, directed to be sent to the gallant captain Ross, for the discoveries made, and the hardships endured by him, in his late Arctic Expedition-In Ireland there has been a considerable failure of the potato crop. Already great suffering has ensued, and greater is in prospect.-Riots and murders, although diminished in number, yet exist.-France is quiet, with the exception of some riots which occasionally take place in the towns and cities, from the conflict of political parties, but which do not affect the national tranquillity. The Chambers were to meet about Christmas; and it was expected that the ministry and government would receive additional strength and influence, from the accession to them of that portion of the liberal party of which General Lafayette is the head-this party having broken with the Society of the Rights of Man. The rumour appears to have been without foundation that a large French army was marching into Spain-The civil war in this kingdom, remains much the same as we stated last month-There has been no decisive action, nor indeed much fighting of any kind, between the Carlists and the Queen's party-The latter appears to be gaining the ascendency, but the issue of the warfare is as yet altogether uncertain. It is believed the Pope might decide it, by a recognition of the Queen's rightful claim to the throne. But his unholiness keeps silence-Don Carlos himself, with some hundred retainers, is at a village of Portugal, about six miles from the Spanish frontier.-In Portugal also, things remain much in statu quo. The Miguelites had the better in an action near St. Ubes. On the 4th of Nov. Miguel's main army was at Santarem, about 50 miles north of Lisbon, and was threatening Oporto, which was but feebly garrisoned. The truth is, that the mass of the populace, both in Spain and Portugal, are besotted Catholics, under the influence of priests, who hate liberty, and would be glad if it were banished from the earth, as would also their lord and master the Pope.-Austria, Prussia and Russia have not yet declared for either of the conflicting claimants of the crown in Spain or in Portugal. Their wishes certainly are hostile to both the young queens. The dispute between Holland and Belgium is not settled, but probably it will not produce, for a while, any more bloodshed. There is a most melancholy account of the failure of crops, and consequent lack of the necessaries of life in Russia. The want is said to be general in the empire, but most severely felt in the province of Ukraine, heretofore one of the most fertile of the whole empire. But the crops of the past year have almost entirely failed, and the people, perishing by actual starvation, seek sustenance from roots, and often give themselves up to despair-the price of grain, it is affirmed, is more than fifteen times as great as in common seasons.-Greece seems to be advancing a little in peace and order. There has been a sanguinary opposition to Turkish rule in the island of Samos, which was unhappily ceded to the Sultan. The affairs of the Grand Seignior remain as they were. He is the vassal of Russia, and obliged to yield to one of his own Pachas. An insurrection in Albania, however, it is said, has been recently and entirely suppressed-there has been another destructive fire at Constantinople, supposed to be the work of incendiaries.In ASIA we notice nothing so remarkable as a very unusual and destructive inundation in China-Many lives have been lost, and great devastation of property and consequent diminution of the means of subsistence have been the result.- From AFRICA we have nothing to report.-IN SOUTH AMERICA Civil war has again broken out, between contending political parties, at Bucnos Ayres,