float down with the current. This drowning of the gods is an important ceremony among the Hindoos."

Captain Wills hired a mansion in Calcutta for the accommodation of himself and the missionaries, with large rooms, and dining-hall opening into a wide veranda or portico. These houses are such as are occupied by merchants and other temporary residents in the place. By this arrangement the mission bands were kept together, and were enabled to receive calls from the English and other missionaries at Calcutta. Having received many attentions from Dr. Carey and other good men, residents of Calcutta and Serampore, they seized the first favorable opportunity to set sail for Ceylon, the field of their future labors.

One of their severest trials at this juncture was to bid farewell to their ship's company, with whom for so long a time they had been associated in circumstances to create the deepest spiritual interest and attachment. "To Captain Wills," said one of them, "we shall always feel that we owe more than we can ever repay. May God reward him! He feels much at the prospect of our leaving him so soon, and we shall find it very trying to part with him and the other officers and seamen. The officers give increasing evidence of being born again. At the recollection of what God has done, we are encouraged to devote ourselves more entirely to our work."

On account of the severe illness of Mrs. Woodward, Dr. Scudder and family remained at Calcutta, while the other members of the mission took passage for Ceylon in the ship Dick, Captain Harrison, of London.

FIRST DEATH.

The arrow that seemed destined to lay Mrs. Woodward low took effect on another. "That little lamb," as the doctor was accustomed to call his Maria, was suddenly taken to the bosom of the Good Shepherd. It was their first trial, and went deep into their parental affections. She was a lovely creature-too lovely, some would say, for this rough and thorny world. They received the cup as from the hand of their heavenly Father, and drank it in the same spirit which He evinced who said, "Not my will, but thine, be done."

She

Writing to his mother on the subject, Dr. Scudder says, "Oh, my dear mother, how shall I take up my pen to mark upon paper the dark shadow of death! My dear little babe is no more. She has left us forever. was attacked with dysentery on the 22d of October, and, after three days of suffering, passed into eternity. This is a heart-rending trial; but we can say, and we do say, the will of the Lord be done. We do not wish her back here in this poor wretched world. My dear Harriet bears it remarkably well. Oh, my mother, had she, the dearest object of my affections, been called away, how dark and disconsolate would I have been! Pray much for us; we need divine support more than you are aware." She was buried in the Episcopal church-yard in Calcutta. Thus was planted, amid parental tears and sorrows, in this dark, distant land, this precious dust, to await the signal of the archangel's trump to spring forth to new life and more than angelic beauty.

DEATH OF A SECOND CHILD.

Three months after the first flower had faded and gone, the blight of death fell upon another. To use the language of its father, "After breathing the tainted air but one week, it closed its eyes upon us forever, and took its flight to join her beloved sister. This is a severe trial, but we do not repine. We have here no continuing city, no place of rest, and therefore we feel resigned to the will of our heavenly Father, who has housed our tender plants before the storms of sorrow, which we feel, have beaten upon them. We, however, must have the feelings of nature. We must say that our trials have been heart-rending. O that God would sanctify them to us, and make us more meet for that inheritance above, which, through grace, we hope to have when our bodies. are consigned to the dust of the earth. Perhaps our dear parents may be ready to say that we are sorry, and repent of our coming to this heathen land; that if we had remained at home we should have been less afflicted. You may rest assured we do not repent of our coming. No; we rejoice, and thank the great Head of the Church for putting it into our hearts to leave America and come and live among this people. I would not exchange situations for a world. No; blessed be God, I hope to be the unworthy instrument of bringing souls to the dear Redeemer." The date of this second child's death was February 25, 1820, Jaffna.

CHAPTER IV.

Ceylon.-Begins preaching at Panditeripo.-Great Temple at Nellore.Removes to Panditeripo.-Licensed to Preach.

CEYLON.

THIS island is one of the richest gems of the tropics. It is bordered in some parts with fragrant groves of cinnamon, and in others with the graceful palmyra, with its "tufted crown of fan leaves" always green. At the north, particularly in Jaffna, vast groves of the cocoa-nut are seen, while the beautiful green rice-fields carpet the soil and relieve the eye, dazzled by the intense glare of the sun. From this belt, fringed with tropical verdure, rise in the centre the lofty hills of Kandy, with magnifi cent forests of perpetual green.

This island contains 24,664 square miles; and, according to the census of 1831, has a population of about million. The mass of the population is composed of the Cingalese, inhabiting the interior and southern parts; and the Tamulians, who are mostly in the northern and eastern districts; the former being Buddhists, speaking Cingalese, the latter Brahminists or Hindoos, using the Tamul language. The scene of missionary labor assigned to Dr. Scudder and his associates lay in the Jaffna district, at the extreme north of the island. Here the deserted churches, once occupied by the Portuguese Roman Catholic missionaries, offered eligible positions for the brethren to commence their evangelical work. These

churches, built usually of stone, were in a dilapidated condition, but by a small expense could be made convenient and comfortable places of worship.

At one of these stations, Panditeripo, in the district of Jaffna, Dr. and Mrs. Scudder planted themselves, and proceeded at once to repair the decayed premises and commence their work. This was in July, 1820. Dr.

Scudder's account of his new residence and the surrounding circumstances, as given to his parents, is as follows: "MY DEAR PARENTS,-I am now sitting under a bun galow, which is the name of the huts in this country, and would cheerfully employ a few moments in writing to you. The brethren have sent me to a new station called Panditeripo, about four miles from Tillipally, and have committed to my care many immortal souls. I am to be admitted into the ministry at the next meeting of my brethren, and thus become a minister of the everlasting Gospel. I have been in the habit of preaching for some time in the church, but do not feel so reconciled to do it as I should do if I were admitted in the way appointed by our churches at home. I assure you, my dear father and mother, that I have much pleasure in my work of laboring among the heathen, and should be very sorry again to return to my native land. True it is I long to see you, but this can never again be the case; oh no, we must dispense with this pleasure until we meet in the great day of account. God grant that we may then meet to part no more forever. It is a pleasing work to labor here. It is a blessed employment to build up the kingdom of our divine Immanuel. I am very busily engaged in building, and as I am in a bungalow much exposed, my dear Harriet is not with me. I have no one around