returned to this Island in 1790, and died here a few years ago, leaving behind him the translations which he had made, with great care and trouble, of many of the books of the Old Testiment, which have never yet been published, but which I am now endeavouring to collect for publication. Petrus Hermanus Gerardus Philips, one of the two young men whom I have selected, is the eldest son of this gentlemen; and John Gerard Pevera Appohamy, the other, is a cousin of his.

Approving as I do of the policy of the Dutch, in as far as it relates to their mode of propagating Christianity among the natives, and wishing to shew the natives that I thought the same system should be pursued by the English, I anxiously seized the opportunity which the Resolution of the Society afforded me of manifesting my respect for a family, which had been distinguished for the last sixty years, by the numbers of able and respectable men belonging to it, who had most materially assisted the cause of Christianity among the people of this Island; and 1 accordingly felt great pleasure in being able, from a conviction of the merits of the two young men whom I have mentioned, to select from that family the persons who are to receive so marked an honour as that of being educated and ordained under the care and patronage of so distinguished a Society.

Having mentioned the subject to General Brownrigg, our present Governor, he has agreed, on behalf of Government, to pay the expense of the voyage of the young inen to England; and I therefore expect that they will leave this for England either in October or January next.

I cannot conclude without informing you of my views with respect to that part of your letter to me, in which you suggest that if a Society could be organised in Ceylon, as an Auxiliary to your Church Missionary Society, it would tend greatly to further your wishes and plans. I have read with great attention the plan, contained in the First Number of the Missionary Register, of Church Missionary Associations; and intend to propose to such of the persons here as are likely to agree with me upon the subject, to have a Church Missionary Association at Columbo, with subordinate Associations of the same description at Jaffna, Galle, and Trincomalee, which are the principal British Stations on this Island: and, with the view of procuring the aid of the natives themselves

in the measure, I mean further to propose that each of the principal Castes among them shou also form, for the same purposes, subordinate Associations: and, that they may be fully acquainted with the nature of the plan, I have directed the First Number of the Register to be immediately translated into Cingalese, Tamul, Dutch, and Portuguese, which are the languages that are the most generally understood throughout these Settlements. Believe me to be, with great esteem and respect,

My dear Sir,

Your very faithful and most obedient Servant,
(Signed) ALEXANDER JOHNSTON.

Letters to the President, Lord Gambier, from his Excellency Governor Brownrigg, and from Sir Alexander Johnston, breathe the same sentiments of cordial desire to assist the designs. of the Society.s

A letter has been received from the Missionaries. Lynch, Ault, Erskine, Squance, and Clough, dated Ceylon, July 14, 1814. Beside Dr. Coke, their company had been bereaved of the wife of Mr. Ault. Mr. Hayward; the sixth Missionary, and his wife, were to remain for some time at Bombay. The rest embarked at Bombay on board the Earl Spencer, Captain Mitchell; and, having left that place on the 20th of June, arrived at Point de Galle, in Ceylon, after a short and pleasant passage of nine days. They were received at Point de Galle with Christian Kindness by Lord Viscount Molesworth, Commandant of the Fort; and have been most courteously treated by his Excellency Governor Brownrigg, and others in authority.

The Rev. Mr. Bisset, one of the Chaplains, visited them, by desire of the Governor, from Columbo.

They stated to him, that their grand object was, first, to enter on the study of the native tongues, in order to have access to those who did not understand English; and, in the mean time, to avail themselves of any opportunity of instructing and preach- · ing to such as might be disposed to hear them.

Stations of the several Missionaries.

The following account of their destination will much interest our readers.

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Mr. Bisset appeared to be fully satisfied with our design; and assured us, that we might expect every encouragement in so good a work. In an after-conversation, he informed us, that the Governor, himself, and others, not being acquainted with our funds, and how we were to be supported, had been consulting on some means of assisting us, in case we stood in need of it; and that the only means which they had in their power, and which they thought would most effectually answer what they supposed to be our design, was for us to open English Schools in some of the principal places, whereby we should teach the natives, and at the same time be in the most effectual way of learning their language. bati As such a proposal was unexpected, we took some time isto consider of it; the result of which was-we believed it to be of God; and from the Instructions which we had from the Committee, we believed our accepting of the proposal would fully meet their views. Accordingly we returned his Excellency, and himself (Mr. B.), our warmest thanks, and gratefully accepted of their kind proposal. He gave the Governor this information; and, in a few days, received advice, that his Excellency approved of our design and plan, and that he thought a salary of fifty rix-dollars per month (fifty guineas per anuum) could be allowed to each school; and, as Columbo was already fully supplied with English Masters, he thought Jaffna, Manaar, Batticaloe, Galle, and Matura were the most eligible places. Mr. Bisset further informed us, that this was only the Governor's opinion; and that we were at full liberty to accept of any or none of these places, as we judged most suitable to ourselves;

and advised us to take some time to consider the matter, before we should determine: and, as he was just setting out again for Columbo, we might write in a day or two, which would answer the same end. To this prudent aud friendly advice we cordially agreed; and on Monday morning, July 11, we opened our little conference.

Our first question was, Should we separate so far, and to so many places?-After looking at every argument for and against the question, we agreed to separate to Jaffna and Batticaloe on the one hand, for the Tamul Language; and Galle and Matura on the other, for the Cingalese; and to give up Manaar; and that two of the brethren should go to Jaffna.

The second question was, Who shall go to these several places? This being by far the most important question, we humbled ourselves before God, and prayed for resignation and Divine Direction: we looked at the places and languages, and the disposition and talents of each brother. We foresaw that those who learned the Tamul could not, at any future period, change with the brethren' who would have to learn the Cingalese; nor the latter with the former. We agreed to fix our stations by ballot: when brothers Lynch and Squance were chosen for Jaffna; brother Ault for Batticaloe; brother Erskine for: Matura; and brother Clough for Galle. We felt truly resigned to our appointments. Not a murmuring word, nor, we believe, a thought of the kind existed. At this instant our feelings were most acute. We saw ourselves as at last separated to various and distant parts of the island: we embraced, and wept, and prayed for each other. God had given us the spirit of love in an unusual degree. We agreed that brothers Squance and Lynch should set out on the Thursday following; and that brothers Ault and Erskine should remain at Galle till further instruction how to proceed to their places. We also agreed, that on Thursday Morning we should receive the Holy Sacrament together, Having mentioned this to Lord Molesworth, he thankfully communicated with us. We are now, Dear Fathers, about to separate. Hitherto, through all our trials and changes, our gracious Lord and Saviour has been with us. We adore, and praise, and trust in him. We feel his love constraining us and never were more firmly resolved to live and die in his blessed work.

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Whether our mode of proceeding, and the plan which we have adopted, may meet your approbation, we cannot tell; but we are conscious that we have acted in simpli city and godly sincerity: and we do most sincerely request your advice or reproof, as you may judge necessary. That you, and all our Fathers and Brethren in the Gospel of Jesus, may be kept in the unity of the Spirit,.. and bond of peace, and live to see more glorious days of the Son of Man, is the sincere prayer of your sons in the Gospel,

JAMES LYNCH,

T. H. SQUANCE,
WILLIAM AULT, BENJAMIN CLOUGH.

GEORGE ERSKINE,

From a subsequent Letter from Mr. Lynch, dated Jaffnapatam, Sept. 9, 1814, it appears that the Missionaries were settled in their respective stations.

On our arrival (Mr. Lynch's and Mr. Squance's, at Jaffnapatam) we proposed to take a room immediately and open school, but found it very difficult to find one to answer the purpose of a dwelling-house and school, being mostly too small; as, in this warm climate, the people must have two or three times as much room as in England. Though we have been here a month, we are not yet provided. We are studying the Tamul, and hope to understand a little of it in a few months we have considerable hopes of success in this part, and we long to address the poor heathens in their native tongue: and could I stand under a tree, at the corner of a street, as I formerly did in Ireland, and preach Jesus to them, I would promise myself such happiness as even there I did not enjoy. Since our arrival we have had Divine Service every Sunday in the Church: the congregation is but small and extempore preaching did not please at first; but the offence has now ceased, and several people have expressed a desire to have Sabbath Evening and Week Evening Meetings. This we rejoice to hear, and intend to comply with their desire as soon as we can procure a place. We have no doubt that we shall very soon form a class of serious people.

Brother Ault, at Batticaloe, has a Sabbath Morning Congregation of about two hundred hearers; and he is also requested to open Evening Meetings: he also hopes to