Canton, (China,)Dec. 12, 1831.MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,that though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, thatwe, through his poverty, might be made rich. You know how, whileon earth, he went about doing good; how he loved poor sinners,and wept because they repented not; and how he loved little children,and used to take them in his arms and bless them. You rememberhow, at a certain time, he went out into a mountain to pray, andcontinued all night in prayer to God. And you remember, how, justbefore he went back to heaven, he commanded his disciplesto goand teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.I will now tell you what has been done to make known the gospelof God among the Chinese. Some have supposed that St. Thomas, oneof the twelve apostles, came into China, and preached the gospel;and one man, a Portuguese, has supposed that he even passed toAmerica. There is no proof of all this, and nobody now believesit. But it is very probable, though not quite certain, that somemissionaries from Syria, came into China, about seven hundred yearsafter the death of Christ. Roman Catholic missionaries came intoChina more than five hundred years ago, and have continued hereever since. At one time, they had a great many converts, but nowthey have very few, for they have been persecuted, and most ofthe missionaries driven out of the country. The Catholics, allthe time they have been in this country, have never given the Chinesethe Bible.The very first thing Protestant Christians ever thought of doingfor the Chinese, was togive them the Holy Bible:This was amost excellent plan. It was first suggested by that good man, JosephHardcastle, Esq. of England. He was then the treasurer of the LondonMissionary Society.--But as yet the Bible had never been translatedinto the Chinese language, and there was nobody able to translateit. So the Society resolved to send out a mission, and the Rev.,now Dr. Robert Morrison, was the first person who engaged to go.He had, for some time, been thinking on the subject of missions.This was just at the time when Samuel J. Mills, and others withhim, in Williams College, were thinking on the same subject; andlike them, "he would have gone," I quote Dr. Morrison's own words,"to any quarter of the globe, where the people were yet withouta divine revelation." He once thought of going to Africa, and woulddoubtless have gone, had the way been opened. But the Lord hadother work for him to accomplish.On the 31st of Jan. 1807, Dr. Morrison left England, crossed overto the United States, where he tarried about twenty days, and becameacquainted with some good people in Philadelphia, from whence hearrived in China on the 4th of September, the same year. His situationin China was trying enough. He was alone, without companions, astranger in a strange land. At first he lived in agodown, aroom occupied for a store house, or a lodging-place for servants,where he studied, ate, and slept. His lamp was made of earthenware, and a large Bible served for a screen to keep the wind fromblowing it out. He lived like the Chinese; put on their dress,the long frock, the thick-soled shoes; let his hair grow long,and ate with chop-sticks. Afterwards, he found that this was notthe best way, so he changed his dress, and mode of living.Before leaving England, Dr. Morrison obtained an imperfect andincomplete manuscript copy of the New Testament in the Chineselanguage. After he arrived in China, he was very diligent, nightand day, studying the language, continually reading, writing, andspeaking it; and, in about three years, began to print the NewTestament in Chinese. Soon after, he published a little tract,called, "The Divine Doctrine, concerning the Redemption of theWorld." He also published a catechism. And in 1813, six yearsafter his arrival, he completed the whole New Testament.It was just at this time, when he had been in the field alone sixyears, that another missionary arrived to assist him. I hope totell you more of Dr. Milne, in another letter. Before this time,Dr. Morrison had prepared two books about the Chinese language,written in English, in order to assist other missionaries inlearning the language. He had also instructed, for about two years,four orphan boys. I have not time, in a single letter, to tellyou all I could wish, about what he has done. He has publishedmany books, and accomplished much in other ways.In the Chinese language, he has prepared and published the NewTestament, and two tracts above mentioned; the largest half ofthe Old Testament, the other half was done by Dr. Milne; an outlineof the Old Testament history; daily Morning and Evening Prayers,being a translation of the Common Prayer Book; also, a Hymn Book;and, recently, a book in three or four volumes, called theFamilyInstructor:making in all, about 20 vols. Besides, he has writtenother books, but had not money to publish them. The translationof thewhole Biblewas completed in the autumn of 1819, andpublished soon after.In English, he has written and published two volumes of sermonsand lectures; a little book about China, for Sabbath schoolchildren; he has also written a great many papers about China,which have been printed in the Canton newspapers, "The CantonRegister," published by an English gentleman, and in the "AngloChinese Gleaner," published at Malacca; and others, printed inother places.In Chinese and English, that is, a part of each page Chinese, anda part English, he has written and published six quarto volumes,about the size of Scott's Bible, constituting a most excellentDictionary; also six octavo vols. in the same style. These twelvevolumes have been prepared for the purpose of assisting those whowish to learn the Chinese language.About a year after Dr. Morrison came to China, the English EastIndia Company wished him to be their translator. He complied, andhas ever since acted in that capacity. He thought it his duty todo so, that he might, by the labor of his own hands, relieve othersfrom the burden of supporting himself and family. This, in aconsiderable degree, he has done. For upwards of twenty years hehas receivednosalary from any charitable institution. TheLondon Missionary Society assist him every year in defraying apart of his house-rent, which, in China, is very high--ten or twelvehundred dollars annually. Being translator for the company, theywere willing to defray the expenses of publishing his Dictionary,which was more than £12,000.--And besides this, and what he hasdone for the support of his own family, it has enabled him to givebetween 8 and 10,000 dollars for the promotion of Christianityamong the Chinese; a considerable part of this sum was expendedin founding the Anglo Chinese College at Malacca; of this, I willtell you more when I come to write about Dr. Milne.The same day he became translator to the company, he was marriedto Miss Morton, an excellent and pious lady, who had a long timeresided in India. Their first born son died the same day in whichhe breathed the breath of life. The infant was interred on thetop of a little hill, at the north extremity of Macao; and in abeautiful enclosure, not far from where he now sleeps, are theearthly remains of his mother. Mrs. Morrison died June 10, 1821.In 1824, Dr. Morrison visited England, and returned in 1826. Whilein his native country, he married Miss Armstrong, a pious andaccomplished lady. He has now living in China, six children; foursons and two daughters. His family reside at Macao, for the Chinesewill not allow foreign ladies to come to Canton. His eldest son,John Robert Morrison, is already quite a master of Chinese, andacts as translator to the British merchants in China.Dr. Morrison is now fifty years old, and it is more than 24 yearssince he came to China. The Lord has been very good to him, andhas blessed him, and given good success to the labor of his hands.He has lived to see many and most glorious results from the verysmall beginnings he was permitted and enabled to make; but thejudgment of the great day, only, can display all the effects ofhis long and arduous labors. Every Christian prays in secret; buthe has often preached in secret, with his doors locked around him,and only one or two to listen to the sound of the gospel.No church has yet been gathered and organized in China. Severalindividuals have believed, and have been baptized; and the Lord'ssupper has, occasionally, been administered. The first baptismwas in 1814. This man came to Dr. Morrison's house, and heard himtalk of Jesus, the first year he was in China. "At a spring ofwater," says Dr. Morrison, "issuing from a lofty hill by thesea-side, away from human observation, I baptized, into the Father,Son, and Holy Spirit,Tsae-a-ko. O that the Lord may cleansehim from all sin in the blood of Jesus, and purify his heart bythe influences of the Holy Spirit. May he be the first fruits ofa great harvest; one of millions who shall believe, and be savedfrom the wrath to come."During much of his time in China, Dr. Morrison has preached tothe English and American residents. He is now with his family atMacao; and, during the past season, has usually had four religiousservices on each Lord's day; a morning and evening service inEnglish, and a morning and evening service in Chinese. From 4 to20 persons have usually attended on the English, and about 15 onthe Chinese services.Thus, my young friends, I have given you a brief account of onewhom God has employed in this part of the great field; and thoughhe has accomplished so much, he looks upon it all as nothing. Heis truly a most excellent man, and I love him much. And I desirethat you will always pray for him; that the Lord will preservehim, and bless him more and more, and all those who are engagedwith him in the gospel.I remain your true friend,E.C.B.______
Canton, (China,)Dec. 13, 1831.MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--I told you in the last letter about Dr.Morrison, and the commencement of the mission to China. I willnow give you some account of Dr. Milne, and the missions amongthe Chinese, established out of China. The missionary stationsestablished among the Chinese, residing or settled abroad withoutthe Chinese empire, may be reckoned five in number. They are atthe following places namely: Malacca, Penang, Java, Singapore,and Siam. I wish you to look out all these places on the maps,and learn from your geographies all you can about them. This willassist you very much to understand and remember what you read aboutthe missions.The Rev. William, afterwards Dr. Milne, with his wife, arrivedat Macao in China, the 4th of July, 1813, just at the time as beforestated, when Dr. Morrison had finished the translation of the NewTestament. A day or two after his arrival, he was ordered by the(then) Portuguese Governor of Macao, to leave the placeimmediately. He did so, and came up to Canton. Here he residedfor several months, enjoying that hospitality among the heathen,which had been denied in a Christian colony.Macao is a small town. You will see it on your maps, situated 70or 80 miles south of Canton. It is the only European or foreignsettlement in China. The Portuguese have lived there two or threehundred years.Dr. Milne remained about six months; in the mean time, with theassistance of his friend, Dr. Morrison, he got 2,000 copies ofthe New Testament, and 15,000 Christian tracts, printed in Chinese.These he put on board a ship, in which he embarked with 450 Chineseemigrants, all bound to Java. Dr. Milne was a very active man onboard ship; and at Java, wherever he went, he was delighted togive away tracts and Bibles. He loved to do good to all men, ashe had opportunity. From Java, he went to Malacca, which placeafterwards became his home, and the seat of the Anglo Chinesecollege, of which he was the first principal. From Malacca, hereturned to China, conferred with Dr. Morrison about the mission,and then, with Mrs. Milne, returned to Malacca, which place wasnot only their home, but also theirgrave. The one died in 1819,Mrs. M., the other, in 1822. They left behind them four or fivechildren, to mourn their loss. Dr. Milne, his wife, and their littledaughter Amelia, and two infant twin boys born on their passagedown the Chinese sea, arrived at Malacca, May 21, 1815. This wasthe commencement of the mission at Malacca. Schools wereopened--children collected and taught--books printed andcirculated. The Bible was read, and the poor had the gospel preachedto them--preparations were made for the college, and its foundationlaid, November 11, 1818.Malacca, you will see by reference to your maps, is not far fromChina, Cochin China, Siam, and many islands where great numbersof Chinese reside. It is also a healthy place, and under a greatand good government. These and other considerations induced Drs.Morrison and Milne to resolve on the mission, and the establishmentof the college. At the outset, Dr. Morrison gave $4,000 for thebenefit of the college, and up to the present time, has been itschief support, and the Lord has blessed and prospered the work.The number of Chinese students in the college, has usually beenabout 30. The regular course of studies occupies six years. Theaboriginal inhabitants of Malacca and the adjacent regions arecalled Malays. For this people also, schools have been establishedand supported, and they prosper. Many thousands of Bibles and tractshave been printed and sent out from the college, and these havegone far and wide, the silent messengers of the truth of God. TheRev. Samuel Kidd, of the London Missionary Society, is now principalof the college. Penang, or the Prince of Wales Island, you willsee by referring again to your maps, is situated off the west coastof the peninsula of Malacca--you will find it about the 6th degreeof north latitude. It is a beautiful situation, and has a goodgovernment. The number of Chinese is about 8 or 10,000, 14 or 15,000Malays. There are also Siamese and Burmese. This mission was begunin 1819. It has now two missionaries with their wives; the Rev.S. Dyer for the Chinese, and the Rev. T. Beighton for the Malays.These missionaries are very devoted, and are doing great good.They have a number of schools for children, where they teach themdaily out of the Holy Scriptures, of the way of salvation by JesusChrist; and by the books which the children receive, much goodinstruction is conveyed to the parents. But I have not time togive you all the particulars of this and the other stations ofthe straits.The same year, namely 1819, the mission was begun in Java. Theseat of this mission is at Batavia. The elevated island of Java,presents some very fine tracts of country. Batavia itself isunhealthy, but a few miles out of the town where foreigners generallyreside, the country is delightful, and the climate agreeable. TheRev. W.H. Medhurst is the missionary at the stations. He and Mrs.Medhurst have been very abundant in their labors, and as theirlabors multiply, their zeal and their success increase. Mr.Medhurst has travelled in various parts of Java and the neighboringislands, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and scattering inevery direction the good seed of the word of God.Another mission was commenced this same year, 1819. This was atSingapore, an island situated in the straits, not far distant fromthe south-eastern extremity of the peninsular of Malacca. At thisstation, from the commencement to the present time, there havebeen laborers both for the Malays and for the Chinese. The Rev.C.H. Thompson for the Malays, and the Rev. J. Tomlin for the Chinese.These missionaries have travelled and scattered abroad the word,especially in Siam, where Mr. Tomlin has made two or threevisits--where I suppose he now is with my good friend the Rev.D. Abeel. In the establishments of all these missions, Dr. Milnetook a very lively interest. He enteredintothe business withthis whole soul. He expected great things, he attempted greatthings, and he accomplished great things. At the age of 20, hedetermined to become a soldier to serve abroad in Immanuel's wars,undertaking to destroy Satan's kingdom. He prepared himself forthe conflict, buckled on his armor,--at 27, entered on the fieldof battle, served with courage and fidelity 10 years, and then,worn out by useful toils and hard service, died on his post.Children, farewell; in the next I will tell you of Leang Afa.Your true friend,E.C.B.______
Canton, (China,)Dec. 19, 1831.MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--You know the goodness and mercy of ourGod, you know how he has given his dear Son to die for us poorrebellious sinners, and has promised to give to Christ the heathenfor his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for hispossession.It is our heavenly Father, that Being who cannot lie, who has toldus that his word shall not return unto him void, butshallprosper,and accomplish all his holy will. If all good people would onlydo their duty, the heathen I think would very soon become converted.When the children of God pray and labor as they ought, he alwaysblesses them.I have told you about one person who came to Dr. Morrison's house,and heard him talk of Jesus and of the way of salvation by theblood of the Lamb, and that man believed and was baptized. I havenow to tell you of another, who has become a disciple of Jesus,and is devoting all his time and strength to the service of hisdivine Master, Christ the Lord. I am going to tell of the evangelistLeang Afa.When Dr. Milne left Canton and went to Malacca, in 1815, Afa wentwith him as printer--this was his trade. Soon after this, it wasobserved that the truth had taken a strong hold upon his mind,he was convicted by the holy law of God, saw himself to be a sinner,poor and miserable, blind and naked, and in need of all things.And thus he was brought to declare his determination to take uphis cross and follow Christ. What care was taken to instruct himwill be seen by the following extract from Dr. Milne's Journal.November 3, 1816. At twelve o'clock this day, I baptized, in thename of the adorable Trinity, Leang Afa. This service was performedprivately in a room of the mission-house. Care had been taken byprivate conversation, instruction and prayer, to prepare him forthis sacred ordinance. This had been continued for a considerabletime. Finding him still steadfast in his desire to become aChristian, I baptized him. The changeproduced in his sentiments and conduct, is, I hope, the effectof Christian truth, and of that alone:yet who of mortals canknow the heart?Several searching questions were proposed to himin private, and an exercise suited to a heathen candidate forbaptism, composed and given to him to read and to meditate upon.With respect to his former life, he says, I was never much givento idolatry. I seldom went to the temples. I sometimes prayed towardsheaven, but lived in careless indifference. Although I rarely wentto excess in sin, yet I have been occasionally guilty of drunkenness,and other kindred vices. Before I came hither (to Malacca) I knewnot God--now I desire to serve him.The following are the questions proposed, and the answers givenat the time of baptism:1. "Have you truly turned from idols, to serve and worship theliving and true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and all things?"This is my heart's desire.2. "Do you know and feel that you are a sinful creature, totallyunable to save yourself?" I know it.3. "Do you really, from your heart, believe that Jesus Christ isthe Son of God, the salvation of the world; and do you trust alonein him for salvation?" This is my heart's desire.4. "Do you expect any worldly advantage, profit or gain whatever,by your becoming a Christian?" None. I receive baptism, becauseit is my duty.5. "Do you resolve from this day to the day of your death, to livein obedience to the commandments and ordinances of God, and injustice and seriousness of life before men?" This is mydetermination, but I fear my strength is not equal to it.On my part, says Dr. Milne, the ordinance was dispensed withaffection, joy, hope, and fear. May he be made faithful unto death,and as he is the first fruits of this branch of the mission, mayan abundant harvest follow to the joy of the church, and to thehonor of Christ. Such is Dr. Milne's account of Leang Afa, andO, with what delight must the sainted spirit look down from heavenupon the disciple of Jesus, as he labors, and toils, and faintsnot!April 7, 1819. After prayers and many tears, the twobrothers in Christ parted. Afa returned to China, and not longafter, was married. His wife has become a believer in Christ, andhas received baptism. He has now living, two children--a littledaughter of four, and a son of eleven years. The son's name isLeang Atih. He was baptized in infancy. He now lives with me, andI will tell you more about him in another letter. Atih had a littlebrother a few months old, but last summer he died. His parentsgrieved very much for him, because they loved him very much, andhe was a tender child.Afa has promised to give me a written account of himself, by andby. I think it will be very interesting, and when I receive it,I can tell you more about him. He has received a great deal ofill treatment from his friends, neighbors, and countrymen. Hishome is about seventy-five miles west from Canton. He has an agedfather, whom he supports. Though old, and feeble, and grey headed,and oft times tenderly instructed by his son; yet, poor man, heresists the truth, loves his idols, and says there is no God. Andso when the son Leang Afa, and his wife and young Atih, kneel downtogether around the family altar, to worship the living and trueGod, the father, the grandfather, the old, feeble, dying man, goesaway and worships.--O how dreadful, how pitiable, he goes awayand bows down and worships, as he himself declares, the DEVIL,and then comes and rails at his son, because he has forsaken thegods of his country! This is a great trial to Afa, but he bearsit as he does all his trials, with meekness and fortitude. Afflictedand persecuted as this family have been, they feel almost as ifthey had no home on this earth. They are poor in the things ofthis world, but doubtless they have treasures in heaven. They livesometimes in one place, sometimes in another. During the last summerand fall, they have lived in a hired house in this city. Afa hasbeen here to see me to-day, and Atih has gone with him, this evening,to see the family. In the morning, if the Lord will, he will comeback to me, then he will go about twenty miles to the east of Canton,to a retired place, where he, with another Christian, is printingtheScripture Lessons; and his grandfather, and his mother andlittle sister, will leave the city and go to the West, to theirown village. But the true God will protect them, says Afa, andkeep them all in safety.Afa is now forty-four years old. More than fifteen years he hasborne the Christian name, and toiled and suffered hardships andpersecutions in his Master's service, and his faith and his zealincrease as he holds on his way: so may it be to the end. Dearchildren, remember, I entreat you, Afa and his family in your dailyprayers, and remember also, your true friend,E.C.B.______
Canton, (China,)Dec. 20, 1831.MY DEAR YOUNG FRIENDS,--When I have given you a short account ofCanton city, and told you a few things about my boys, then I mustclose these letters. Canton is a very large city, situated in 23degrees 7 minutes north latitude, 113 degrees 14 minutes eastlongitude, from Greenwich. It is distant from the open sea, about70 or 80 miles, and stands on the north bank of the Jake, whichthe Chinese callChook-eany, that is, thePearl River. Thecity is built wholly on one side of the river. Opposite to Canton,is the island of Honam, on which stands the celebrated HonamJoshouse. Indeed, all the way from Canton to the open sea, is partland and part water, and forms a great number of islands.A part of Canton is enclosed by a wall built of brick and stone,about 20 or 25 feet high, and 10 or 15 feet thick. The part ofthe city which is enclosed by the wall, is nearly square. Eachof the four sides of the city, I should think, measures about twomiles, perhaps less, perhaps more. On each side, there are threeor four gates, these are always guarded by day, and shut and barredby night. Foreigners may not enter the gates. On the south, thewall extends within about 20 rods of the river. On the north side,it extends to the brow of a hill, which terminates the range ofmountains which rise and stretch along in the rear of Canton. Thereis a wall which divides the city into two parts, the north andsouth. The south part, is about one quarter of the whole, and hasbeen built since the other, and is sometimes called the new city;but this distinction is not necessary.The space between the city walls and the river, and aconsiderable extent of the east and west sides of the city withoutthe walls, constitutes the suburbs of Canton, or, as the Chinesesay, the city outside, which, as to its streets, houses, shops,&c. is all the same as the city inside. So the Chinese have repeatedlyassured me, and this, I believe, is the opinion of the foreignershere. Usually, the streets are not more than eight feet wide, andoften not more than four. Their houses and shops are seldom, ifever, more than two stories high, and often the top one is onlya kind of half story. The shops are built close on the streets,and not unfrequently project over them. When the shops are openedin pleasant weather, the whole front is removed; this displaystheir goods to great advantage. Some of these streets are verybeautiful. Dwelling-houses and shops are seldom built on the samestreet.Dwelling-houses, and the gardens and yards around them, are usuallysurrounded by a wall which is built close on the street, and sohigh as to prevent any one passing along, from seeing the houses.At each end of the principal streets, there is a gate and a watch-housebuilt above it. The gates are closed at night, and the watchmenkeep a constant look out, and beat with their gongs or bells thewatches of the night.Thepopulationof Canton is very numerous. I think, not lessthan amillion of souls. Many people think this number too great,and perhaps it is. Including those who live on the river, and allthose within and without the city, the number is very great. Thoughthe houses are not high, yet the people live together very thick.They marry young, and live to a good old age. In the same house,you will sometimes find great grand-parents, grand-parents,parents, children, grand-children, great, and even great, great,grand-children, making in all a very great number. From personalobservation, I should not think that more than one tenth or onefifteenth part of the whole people of Canton live on the river.But if to the 40,000 boats, we allow only three persons to eachboat, we shall have 120,000 on the river, and if this is only oneninth part of the whole population, it will amount to more thanone million. But, my young friends, I will not trouble you anymore with these hard reckonings; your teachers will explain thewhole for you.Foreign merchants have for several years traded to China. Onlya few rods from the south-west corner of the city walls, thereare twelve or thirteen large buildings, or rather rows of buildings,and each of the rows contain three or four, and sometimes morehouses, built like the houses in the United States, andherewe live; in all, I suppose, about 100 persons, English, French,Dutch,Americans, &c. These houses are sometimes calledfactories, and sometimes hongs. The English have a chapel andclergyman, and worship on the Sabbath. While Mr. Abeel was here,and also since he left, the Americans have had worship on the Sabbathin a large room in one of the private houses.We live very comfortably here, though cut off from some of thegreatest domestic and social enjoyments. No man can bring his familywith him to Canton. All the work about house, cookery and everything, is done by Chinese men servants. The servant that was withme several months after I came to China, did his work well enough,but did not like to read; besides, he was quite old. So I mentionedone day, that I should like a lad that would learn to read andwrite. A servant of one of the gentlemen with whom I lived heardthis, and immediately wished me to take his little brother, thenten years old. His name is Atsan. In a few days, he made hisappearance, a fine, round-faced, sprightly-looking boy. He knewsomething of his own language, but not a single letter of the English.Just at this time, Afa came and wished me to take his little son,Atih; and in a few days, the boy came, poorly clothed, with greathead, flat nose, and crooked shoulders. His first appearance wasnot very promising. He could read and write his own language well,for a boy of his age, but knew not a word of English. I wrote outthe alphabet for the two boys, and they began to learn; two orthree days after this, they wished to introduce another boy. Thiswas Achang, fifteen years old, and had been to school about threeyears. He had learnt also a part of the English alphabet.In this way I became acquainted with the boys. This was a yearago. They have done, and still continue to do, exceedingly well.They read, write and recite, both Chinese and English, daily. Ifthey continue to learn as they have done thus far, they will makeexcellent scholars. They read daily in the Scriptures. They havelearnt the name of Christ the Lord, and I hope ere long they willchoose him for their Saviour. Atih says he loves the Saviornow,and prays to him every night and morning, and when I ask Atih ifhe did not fear men would laugh at him, he answered, men do laughat me, but I do not fear them that kill the body, I rather fearHimwho can destroy both soul and body in hell. And now, dearchildren, farewell. I beg you will not cease to pray for the dearboys, and all this nation, and more than this, I hope you willcontinue to send them the Bible and missionaries. And still more,I desire that some ofyoumay come here, may come as goodmissionaries, for hundreds are now needed to preach the gospelto these heathen. Say, will you come? I once knew a boy, youngerthan some of you are now, who, having read an account of the heathen,such as you have now read in these letters, desired to be amissionary, and go to the heathen, and the Lord has granted thedesire of his heart, and now he is a missionary, laboring to makeknown the glorious gospel of the blessed God.Farewell. Your true friend,E.C.B.______