have sinned, and sinned grievous-render every other means for

ly, as brethren and as immortal their reformation, utterly abortive. beings, whose souls are of value, When bad men have the means of and whom it is of importance to social intercourse, especially when bring to repentance. We must they are permitted to sleep 10 or lay it down as a settled point, that 20, as is frequently the case, in a our object, I had almost said our single room, there always must chief object, is to make them bet-be a progress in iniquity. They ter, and so to arrange all the cir-will inevitably render each other 'cumstances of their confinement, worse. The most hardened and as to wipe off from their memories, deliberate villain, will become the the recollection of the past, to master spirit of the gang, and will break off their associations of vice, himself acquire confidence in his to inure them to habits of profita- strength, whilst he is bringing ble industry, to allow them time those of every other grade, to his for reflection, and above all to in- own standard of depravity. There stil into their minds and rivet upon is no theory about this. It is all their consciences, the truths of the sober and melancholy fact. We gospel of Jesus Christ. will mention by way of illustraIn our attempts to carry such a tion, a single instance which has system into effect, it is of the ut- fallen within the circle of our own most importance to bear in mind knowledge. A young lad, an orthis one self-evident truth, that phan, of 15 years of age, destivice is a contagious disease. Such tute of friends and with no means a disease God considers it. Now of support, purloined a coat, and if this be the case, it will teach us was for this offence confined for in the first place, that no benefi- some months in the prison of this cial results can be expected from city. He was during the whole of a system which merely secludes this time, placed in a room with bad men from society for a little four or five abandoned villains, while, and then sets them free two of whom were under sentence again more debased than ever. of death, and were subsequently Each one of them becomes a most executed for piracy. The condevoted missionary of sin, and by stant effort of these men, was to precept and example, will spread harden the heart of this youth, the contagion of guilt. It is as to initiate him in every art of dethough we should collect the vic- predation, and convince convince him, tims of the plague in every stage strange as under these circumof the disease, and after confin- stances it should seem, how easy ing them in a pest house, without and pleasant was a life of robbery. an attempt at cure, until the poi- They so far succeeded, that in a son within them had acquired the few months after his discharge, and utmost degree of unnatural malig- when suffering under want, he nity, send them abroad to scatter committed a crime for which he the seeds of death in every neigh-was sentenced to the state prison. bourhood and in every house. Con- Here the process of demoralizafinement for life would be better tion proceeded with awful rapidithan such a system as this. The ty. He became in principle and same self-evident truth will lead so far as was possible in practice, us to isolate every individual, who absolutely abandoned. Crime the is confined, so far as it is our own most atrocious, had lost every aspower, from every other. We hesi-pect that was revolting; and had tate not to say, that the herding to- it not been that God, more mercigether of criminals in our publick ful than man, visited that prison prisons, of itself, is sufficient to with his grace and converted this

MISSIONARY INTELLIGENCE.

AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSION.
BURMAH.

we almost dread to learn the issue. But our the British Commander, Sir Archibald hope is in God. We feel confident that Campbell, suspected their duplicity. On whatever may have taken place, he will the 17th January, the Chief of the Burbe at no loss for instruments to accom- mese Commissioners requested to have plish his wise and merciful purposes. the time prolonged for another fortnight. Having tried our faith, and our attach- This was peremptorily refused by Gen. ment to his cause, he may deliver his Campbell, and the Burmese were told, servants from unreasonable and wicked that unless the terms of the treaty were men, and open for them a door of utter- wholly fulfilled before 10 o'clock on the ance to speak the mystery of Christ, al- 19th, the attack of Maloun (or Malloon) though they have been in bonds. But would immediately take place. The Burin any event we have the consolation, mese having failed to fulfil the treaty, the that when clouds and darkness are around || British General was as good as his word. about the Almighty, righteousness and The cannonade began precisely at ten judgment are the habitation of his throne. o'clock, was continued with great effect, We have received a short letter from particularly the rocket fire, through the our respected friend, Mrs. Colman, dated, day, and at the close of it, the city was Feb. 11, 1826, accompanied by a printed taken by assault, the Burmese leaving document which furnishes very satisfacto-500 dead on the field, 80 pieces of artilry evidence of the successful operation|lery, 120 ginjalls (grasshoppers) 1800 of Hindoo female schools. At an exami- stands of muskets, 20 tons of powder, a nation which took place Jan. 16, the pu- | large quantity of munitions, and the milipils exhibited specimens of their improve-tary chest, containing 36,000 rupees. ment in writing, arithmetick, and sewing. Some of them read select portions of the New Testament; and not only answered questions in geography, but pointed to the position of different places on the map of the world.

In the absence of all private information concerning Burmah, it will be proper to give a summary of facts which have been collected from papers published in Calcutta.

RECOMMENCEMENT OF THE BURMESE WAR.

It appears that a treaty of peace was signed on the 3d of Jan. and fifteen days were allowed for its ratification by the Burmese King, who, at the same time, was to send to the British camp all the prisoners he had in possession, and pay five lacks of rupees as an instalment and earnest of the crore stipulated to be paid as the price of peace. Hostilities were immediately suspended, and a friendly in- || tercourse, games and feasts took place between the late enemies. The Burmese negotiators expressed their full confidence that the treaty would be fully ratified, and all the conditions fulfilled in good faith; and it was not till within one or two days of the expiration of the limited time, that

||

Among the trophies taken was the trunk of the Chief Negotiator, and in it the original preliminary treaty, which had never been sent to the King at Ummerapoora, for ratification. The craft of the negotiator being thus confirmed, Sir ARCHIBALD immediately sent the treaty after him; and hopes were entertained at Calcutta, that when the King was made acquainted with the terms of it that peace would ensue. One of the Burmese who was captured, attempted to excuse his Chief, by saying, that the Min. ister did not dare to send the treaty to his Master, but had sent the purport of it, in the form of petition, for his royal approbation. At the last dates, the British were pursuing their march for the capital, and had advanced 12 miles, and it was said that no other negotiation would take place till the arrival of the army at Ummerapoora. The loss of the British was said to be only 14; but a Colonel and a Major were severely wounded, and a lieutenant slightly.

The Burmese are said to have practised great art during the armistice to cajole the British with presents and fair words; but they had a Scotchman to deal with. It is added, that a reinforcement of 6000 men arrived in Maloun, the night before

the attack; and that the King's brother, || on their way up the country, not long who led it in, was killed. A squadron of after the capture of Rangoon. His mind the British navy, under Com. BRISBANE, was much inclined towards christianity, cooperated in the assault, and made but he had not courage enough to enter great destruction with Congreve rockets, fully into a publick profession of it. some of which were thrown 1180 yards.

Since the above was prepared, we have received a communication from Rev. George H. Hough, dated at Rangoon, of which the following is an extract:

Rangoon, Jan. 7, 1826.

Rev. and dear Sir,

Before leaving Bengal, I wrote acquainting you with my intention of returning to this place. I mentioned, that the situation of public affairs, not only rendered it expedient for one missionary at least to be at the station, but proper,

especially from the consideration that many of the natives had come in to Rangoon, and that the adjacent parts of the country were in a quiet and secure I see nothing now to obstruct missionary work, or rendering our situation dangerous, or even uncomfortable.

state.

1 brought round with me 500 copies of Matthew, of the Acts of the Apostles, of Hebrews, of John's Epistles, and several hundred tracts-a prudent distribution of these, it may be confidently expected, will excite inquiry, and do good, as the

natives can now read and embrace what religion they choose, without the hazard of personal injury.

Jan. 24th.-I have since my arrival made inquiries relative to the situation of our brethren at Ava, but cannot obtain any satifactory information of them. I can obtain nothing but reports, and these are various. In February, after my arrival in Bengal, thinking it possible their release, (if in confinement) might be effected by an exchange. I wrote to Mr. Swinton, Secretary to Government in the secret department, a letter, of which the following is a copy :

Sir,

To G. SWINTON, Esquire,

Secretary, &c. &c. &c.

When the English troops took possession of Rangoon, there were in Ava, Mr. Gouger and Mr. Laird, English merchants, and the Rev. Messrs. Judson and Price, with their families, American missionaries. From them, I believe, not a word of intelligence has been received. The least favourable conjecture is, that if living, they are suffering in a state of confinement. The fact, that the custom of civilized warfare sometimes admits the exchange of prisoners, and the deep interest I feel for those gentlemen, particularly the missionaries, urge me to submit to you, whether the commander in chief at Rangoon, may not receive some suggestions, which if carried into execution, might issue in their relief.

Since my return, four inquirers have come to see me. They have had some notion of the existence of a God; but of his character and attributes, they know nothing. After conversing with them some time, I gave them parts of the Serampore, Feb. 25, 1825. translation, and received their promise to

I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient and faithful servant,

come again. We live about two miles

G. H. HOUGH.

from the mission house. One disciple The following is a copy of the answer to

only has returned during my absence. I found Moung-shwaba at the mission house; we were happy to meet each other.

To day we have heard from Ma Mengla, Moung Shwa-gnong, and Moung Tha-a; they are at Prome. Oo-myat-la, the husband of Ma Meng-la, died while

the above.

"To the Rev. Mr. HOUGH.

"Sir,

"I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th ultimo, and to transmit to you for your information, a copy of the letter which has been