But, alas! a large proportion of native Christians of this communion are scarcely to be distinguished from the heathen, except by the absence of the ashes on the forehead. Their principles and conduct dishonour the holy name by which they are called, and the desire of this Church to increase the number of outward adherents rather than to promote their spiritual welfare, has led her to accommodate herself in almost every respect to the practices around her. In many parts of the country you would hardly know a Roman Catholic from a heathen procession, unless your eye were to glance on the crucifix, or the figure of the Virgin carried aloft, amidst the din and pageant; and if you went into one of their chapels, the images, and pictures, and relics, would almost make you think you were in some ancient heathen shrine, instead of a place for the service of Him who is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth.. How grievous is it that the name of Christ should be thus dishonoured among the heathen!

Besides the Roman Catholics, there are a few Armenians living in Black Town, who have settled here for the purpose of trade. They have a church near the Esplanade; and if you lived at the Mission-house, you would be interested in your early morning walks by a nice looking old man in a long dress of blue cloth, with a leathern girdle, and a string of beads round his neck, pacing back

wards and forwards from the corner of one of the streets to the Esplanade. The movement of his lips, and the quick passing of his thumb and finger from one bead to another, tell you that he is engaged in exercises of devotion; and presently the sound of the bell announces that the six o'clock service is about to begin, the church doors are opened, and he goes in to finish his morning worship.

I know not who he is, or where he comes from; but I know that for years past he has been there morning after morning, and that his quiet, humble, serious look and manner, lead those who see him to hope and believe, that though clouded by the errors of his Church, yet that his mind and heart have received some portion of light from above.*

The Armenians are a very quiet people, and though they do not further the, progress of Divine Truth among the heathen, yet they do not hinder it, and had we but more missionaries, we might hope to awaken them to a fuller knowledge of the Gospel. But as I have already shown you, we have not enough to keep up what has been already begun, and it is, therefore, in vain at present to hope for any extension of the plans of the Society.

LETTER IX.

MY DEAR LUCY,

How differently circumstanced are the women in India from those in our own happy land! Here, where the light of the Gospel still shines brightly, they are considered as the companions and friends of their fathers, their brothers, or their husbandstheir feelings are consulted, their comfort is promoted, and their mental improvement is attended to; for, known to be co-heirs of immortality, they are felt also to be helps meet upon earth.

But far different is the lot of the native women in India-their relation to God being unknown, their usefulness to man is the only object of consideration; and it is taken for granted that the only end of their existence is to promote his temporal advantage.

The females of higher rank are secluded in their own apartments, where, confined to the society of their children and attendants, and seldom honoured by a visit from their husbands, they pass the tedious days in indolence or useless occupations.

In the lower ranks they are, in fact, household slaves, and when the work within doors is finished,

are thrust out to beat rice, to draw water, to collect cow-dung for fuel, or even to work as bricklayers' labourers, while their husbands perhaps are sitting at home, sleeping, or indulging in listless idleness.

Whether of high or low caste, the wife never ventures to eat with her husband or her sons; she must stand behind till they have finished, and then, taking the leavings of their meal, must retire to eat it out of sight.*

You will readily suppose that their education is not attended to, and will not be surprised that while the boys are generally sent to school and taught to read, to write, and keep accounts, the poor girls are brought up in the most entire ignorance.

Generally speaking, the higher classes still remain inaccessible on this point to European influence, and allege that their daughters would be degraded by learning to read! But happily, the lower classes are not so prejudiced, and though in most places they showed at first great unwillingness to allow their girls to go to school, yet now, as they begin to see the advantage of it, their unwillingness has very much given way, and in some places they are even anxious for their education.

*Bishop Heber says, "The worst food, the coarsest garments, the meanest work, and the hardest blows, seem to be considered the woman's portion."

But there is as yet a very small number of female schools in proportion to the multitude of children who might be instructed, for the parents are too poor to pay; and all that are at present established in South India are entirely supported by the liberality of Christian friends.

The first movement towards female education in Madras itself was from the natives. In 1824, several parents applied to Mrs. Ridsdale to establish a day school for their daughters. She did so, and others arose in consequence; but no regular plan was adopted till 1830, when some ladies residing there, determined to form themselves into a Committee, and to establish a larger number of schools.

They were encouraged by finding the children willing to come, and very intelligent and quick in learning their lessons; and after a little while, a large room was built in Black Town for a central school.

This school is under the charge of Mrs. Winckler,、 whose lively and affectionate interest for the children is met on their part by a fondness for school and a desire for improvement, which leads to the assured hope, that her work of faith and labour of love will not be thrown away.

There are generally about a hundred and forty girls present, and you would be delighted to see. them, with their gentle yet eager countenances,