Micronesia Mission.

PONAPE.-(ASCENSION ISLAND.)

LETTER FROM MR. STURGES, FEBRUARY TO APRIL, 1856.

In this communication, which covers a period of about two months, Mr. Sturges mentions various incidents connected with the missionary work on Ascension Island. Under date February 9, he says: "We are pursuing our work with much more quiet than could be expected during the excitements of shipping season. Our congregations are rather increasing, but this can hardly be the case long if the Sabbath continues to be the special reveling day for seamen on shore." On the next Monday he wrote: "Yesterday I preached to a large and attentive congregation, on the doctrine of the resurrection. I have ever found this people more willing to listen when told of Jesus and the resurrection of the body through him, than on any other subjects. They believe in the future existence of the soul, but are surprised on being told that their bodies also are to rise from the grave and live again."

think of," but which shows "what poor natives and poor missionaries have to contend with." A professedly pious captain, who, on a former visit, had shown himself a friend, whose coming was now "welcomed as a God-send," who had attended the meetings, addressed the natives, prayed in the missionary's family, and "promised all that was asked," was yet found to have abandoned himself to the licentiousness which is so fearfully prevalent, and to be, like others, "reveling as with the brutes." Well may the writer ask, "Do you wonder the missionary's heart is almost ready to break at times, not because heathenism is so bad, but because a white heart is so much worse? What can we expect of this poor people, when every word and act they hear and see, except from missionaries, is in such perfect keeping with all their lusts?”

Again, February 22, he writes: "The business of distilling native rum is carried on pretty extensively at times, and is mostly in the hands of foreigners. To-day, as I was making my accustomed tour, I passed near three brothels, two of them kept by Englishmen, and one by an American. Such places, surely, have few like them this side of the world below! On passing the door of one I looked in, and oh the sights! Beings in human form and with white skins; but all else how unlike the human species! Not one of all these stupid and sleeping ones had life and decency enough to say a word to me; but the poor natives, the mere remnant of this scathed people, how they stared and tried to hide away! Much as my heart ached at the sight, I was glad to see that any of them had

Ignorance-Orderly Congregations.

Feb. 29. While talking to a crowd to-day by the wayside, I urged upon them the duty of prayer. Some said they would pray; others said they could not, as they had no Bible or kava to pray over! It has so happened, that when praying, I have clasped my Bible in my hands before me, not having any table on which to place it; hence their notion of the use of the book as necessary in intercourse with God. They consider kava as the only means of communication with their spirits, and always hold a cup of this drink in their hands when addressing the object of prayer. A poor native then, who has no Bible and no kava, is shut out from this privilege.

March 15. I am very busy now, moving among the people. My heart is often cheered to see how well they

remember what has been told them on former visits, and how well pleased they seem on being told some new truth. In making these visits, we usually start pretty early in the day, and take as many neighborhoods in the route as is convenient. We speak to all on the great concerns of the soul; and all seem to expect it of us.

April 7. Our congregation at this place has been very good for the last two or three Sabbaths. True, some boys are rude, and there is whispering; but as this is sometimes in the way of inquiries about what the teacher says, we do not feel like checking it entirely. We are really beginning to enjoy our Sabbaths. We love to hear the horn sending out its gospel sounds through these verdant hills and valleys; and then, at 9 o'clock, to see the natives coming to the house recently fitted up, quite decently, for the worship of the true God. It is pleasant to see what notions this rude people have of proper conduct in the sanctuary. They know how to conduct; and most of them do

conduct well. We have a small house fitted up expressly for worship. On one side of the preacher's stand is a small enclosure, forming a pew for the Nanakin's family; and on the other, a similar one for the missionary's family. The floor in front, is covered with clean mats, on which the congregation sit. We spend about one hour and a half in singing, talking, praying, &c.

When the congregation is dismissed, there is no confusion; all retire in perfect order; the males, who sit on the left side, first; then Nanakin and his family; then the females. This order of sitting and retiring is all native; they have adopted it without a word from me, and we see no reason why it may not

tion, that each has its own basis, or that they rest, or float, upon the sea. We can easily show them how the several little islets clustering about this main island have one common foundation, and if these have, all lands may have. And if our lands are one, then the people are one, and we are brethren. We then tell them how one God made us all, and how we should all serve him. They have been taught that different lands are like so many separate worlds; each has its own

bow the head; the lower the bowing, the

more reverent it is considered. In most crowds, the voice of prayer would hush to perfect silence. We have not thought it best to alter the native posture of worship, they seem to do so well; and we fear if we were to change their fashions, we should hardly make them better.

Speaking of an impression that ill health might require him to leave the islands, Mr. Sturges says: "I hope such an evil will not 1856.

New Residence-The Chief and the
People.

THIS letter is of earlier date than others from Ponape, which were received some time

since, and from which extracts were published in the January Herald. It presents, however, a fuller account than has before appeared of the circumstances under which Mr. Doane commenced his residence at the new station, in the Jekoits tribe.

I have completed my house and am now living in it. We moved on the twenty-seventh of last month, and thus far we have not been disturbed. Our goods have all been brought in safety. I was expecting, from the pilfering disposition of the natives, to lose many small but valuable articles, as I could not put them away securely, and they had to pass through many hands and could easily have been taken. But I am happy to say, not a thing is missing. This is not because the people of this tribe are so remarkably honest. Had they the liberty, we should soon be stripped of all we wear, as well as all we have in our house. But we are secure thus far, because God has favorably disposed the heart of the chief towards us. He promised me that nothing should be taken, and announced that he would put any one to death who should steal from me; but he has had no occasion for executing so severe a threat. Could this chief be brought under the influence of

tiousness, and can carry on what they regard as a lawful system of pilfering from the ships. To all natives, stealing from a ship is lawful; and the more each one can get, of rope, old iron, oars, clothes, knives, axes, in short, whatever is portable, the better man is he. It will thus be seen why the chief is anxious that ships should enter this port; and as it is generally believed that missionaries have an influence to bring them, he wishes to be in the way of profiting by this influence. I too am expected to bring "trade" with me; and thus, by a little begging and some trading, and of course many presents from me, he hopes to be well provided for.

And besides all this, missionaries are rising here, and are becoming of more consequence from year to year. Though we are foreigners, we are seen to be not a little in advance of those "beachcombers" who stop here from ships. If then this chief can have a missionary near him, he will place himself on an equality with the Nanakin of the Kiti tribe, and the Ichepon of the Matalanim. Not for once have I entertained the thought, neither is it to be entertained, that I am safe here because of any moral good I may do. Far from it. This people, like all unrenewed men, dislike to be told of their sins, and they care nothing for what I say of God and eternity. All this is, apparently, like talking to the winds. I am heard in what I have to say, but all the natives would greatly prefer that I should drop all preaching, and turn to dealing out red cloth and knives, and drinking grog. Still, since I have been here, through the influence of this chief, we have had regular meetings on the Sabbath. Last Sabbath, we appointed a meeting in the morning, and lo, our congregation, of seventy-five or a hundred, were at the door before breakfast time! We postponed eating till after service-rejoicing so to do that we might speak of Christ. Were it not for the influence the chief exerts, we should have none to hear us. One word from him, commanding the people to remain at home, and we should have vacant seats and dead walls to preach to. It is not a little encouraging in our first attempts, to find so large and attentive congregations as we have.

My residence here will greatly lessen the fatigue of a tour around the island. From Kiti here, occupies about one day, and it always has been trying-as wearying almost as the toil of the day-to be obliged to camp for the night in some feast-house. These inns afford no conveniences. All you have is the floor to sleep upon and the roof to shelter from wind and rain. Any other comforts you may wish, food to eat, a place to sleep, &c., you must either bring with you or go without. The trials of the brethren will therefore be somewhat lessened by finding here a Christian home.

We experience some trials. At present we are alone, twenty-five miles from our brethren, and this separation is trying in this wilderness. The habits of the natives also are trying. My house is looked upon as public property, or rather all expect to find here a home. They come to lodge, to eat, to lounge. I have been obliged to administer many rebukes; yet they seem to regard my house as like that of other foreigners, and to the house of a foreigner all can have free

Madura Mission. India.

PERIACULUM.

LETTERS FROM MR. NOYES, OCTOBER 21, AND NOVEMBER 29, 1856.

In a letter from Mr. Noyes published in the Herald for February last, he mentions the organization of several small churches in different localities in his field. In a letter dated October 21, he thus speaks of these

New Churches.

I am delighted with the little churches which have lately been formed in my field. The effect of them is excellent. I administered the sacrament to each of them not many days since. The deacons passed around the cup and plate as gracefully as I ever saw deacons in America. The collections for the poor go into their hands, and they seem to be fulfilling the duties of their office faithfully. We have no pastors yet, but hope to have in due time. I have my eye on two persons whom I hope to bring forward before long as candidates for the office. We have no specific form of church organization, such as could be classed properly under any sect of Christendom; nor are we ready for ecclesiastical organization. The churches are in their infancy, and hardly know their right hand from their left in these matters. We have a majority of Presbyterians in the mission at present, and had at the time the Deputation were here, but I do not think they know who were Presbyterians and who not. We hardly know ourselves, and pre

cious little do most of us care what we are called, if we be allowed the liberty to act as the New Testament and our own good sense teaches.

Call for Help.

In the letter from which the above extract

is taken, Mr. Noyes says, "Do send us more men, we pray you, for we labor at present under great disadvantages in that respect. Our work cannot be managed efficiently with our present force." And his letter of November 29, is mainly devoted to a presentation o

the necessities of the mission in this respect. Since the letter was written, two missionaries and their wives have left the United States to join the mission, but this fact will not greatly diminish the force of the statements made,

as applicable to the present wants of the field. This scanty reinforcement will do but little towards filling the vacancies and occupying the new stations referred to.

Our need of missionaries is pressing. Unless we have help soon, our work must go backward. It has pressed so heavily upon us, so poor has been the prospect that we should obtain an adequate number of laborers, and so deeply impressed have we been with the importance of fully occupying this Madura district, cultivating more fully those parts of the field already under partial cultivation, and "breaking up the fallow ground" in those large and extensive portions of it as yet a barren waste, that it has been a serious question with us whether we ought not to invite other missionary societies to come in and take from our hands a part of the work. Of the eighteen stations into which our field is divided, only eight are now occupied, and several of these are large enough for the labors of two able bodied missionaries. Though I enjoy good health, and can endure as much as most foreigners in this country, I find it impossible to perform the labor that ought to be bestowed on my own station. I can visit each of the congregations once a month, and do something among the heathen, but multitudes of heathen villages must be left unvisited, and thousands cannot hear the preached gospel. The same is true of other stations, and if such be the fact in relation to places supplied with resident missionaries, what shall be said of the ten stations unoccupied? The mission has received no considerable reinforcement since 1846. In that year, four new missionaries arrived, and one mission family returned to the United States; so that at the commencement of 1847, there were in the field nine ordained missionaries. In 1848 the number increased to ten, and in 1849 to eleven. From

1850 the number has decreased, and at present, it is as low as it has been any time since 1845. No new missionary from the United States has been sent to us for eight years. The providence of God directed hither two brethren from the Jaffna mission-one in 1853 and the other in January of the present yearbut they have scarcely made good the places of those obliged to leave. We see no prospect of relief from our present uncomfortable position for some years to come. Yet, when the wants of our field are fully understood, and the character of our work and the prospect of great results in it (if strength be afforded for efficient operations) shall have been fairly brought before the minds of candidates for the ministry, I confidently hope that many will be induced to come to our aid. This hope relieves, in a measure, the despondency which oppresses us while looking at our present state and our more immediate prospects.

Notwithstanding that we have been a feeble band, and have prosecuted our work these many years under great disadvantages, the Lord has not permitted us to labor in vain and spend our strength for nought.' I venture the assertion, that few missions of the Board, if any, for the past eight or ten years, can show more precious and cheering results than have been realized here. But our success has had the tendency to lead us into greater embarrassments. Converts made, and new churches formed, have devolved upon us new cares and labors. New congregations and new openings among the heathen have called for longer and more wearisome journeys, and for more strength to be expended in preaching the gospel to the ignorant. Our corps of native laborers is by no means

such as is needed. The mission de

pended at first upon the young men of Batticotta seminary and upon other foreigners, and our seminary has not been in operation long enough to furnish us an adequate supply of men. Foreigners cannot be depended upon for our work,