Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-08-18
From the Baptist Missionary Magazine,
for august 1886.
MISSION TO THE SLAMS.

MISSION TO THE SHANS.
Extracts of a letter from Mr. BroaOn, dat
ed Calcutta, Oct. 10, 1885.
Before we left Maulmein we found two
SAans, one from Zenme in Laos, the other
from above Ava, with whom studied the
language for about two months previous to
our leaving Maulmeln, and made out vo-
cabularv of two or three thousand Words
find it varies little from the language of the
Shans where we are going.
Application ofthe Roman Character to the
Shan language.
Finding that the Shans have no regular
alphabet, Except the very imperfect one
which they have borrowed from the Bur
mese, and that even this is written very diff
ferentlv in different districts; we have con-
cluded to introduce the Roman character, as
far as practicable, among all the northeast
ern tribes, and especially amongst those
who have no written character at all, as the
Singphos, &c. The expense ofbooks print
ed in the native character, considering their
greater bulk, cost of type, and extra amount
Of labor, will be at least four times as great
as that of books printed in Roman. We
must not, however, dispense with the print
| ing and circulation of tracts and scriptures
in the native character where it can be read;
and we expect to find great field for tract
distribution throughout the vast territory be-
tween Sadiya and Ava. AS soon as we
have ascertained what particular modlhca-
ton of the Burmese character can be read
bv the greatest number Of Shans, we shall
need to have font cast in that character,
though the expense will probably be consid-
cradle. We shall take small font of Bur
mese with us, and few additional Shan
marks; but the forms of many letters vary
so much from the Burman, that we have
some doubt whether we shall be able to
print, so that our tracts can be read, without
having an entirely new font.
! You will learn the method Of our apply
/ ing the Roman character to the Shan from
! the Nov. No. of the Calcutta Christian Oh
server, which will be forwarded to you.-
There appears to be nothing at present
/ which is doing so much towards breaking
ern tribes, and supplanting it by a literature
truly Christian, as the recent introduction
ofthe Roman character into India. tits the
heather hterature-I am more and more
convinced of every day-it is the heather
liter ature of these nations that props ur
their religion, and in fact gives it all its
charms, binding down the minds of its vo-
taries to an ignorance and stupidity that is
truly astonishing.
In the same communication, after speak
ing of the kindness of Mr. Pearce, at whose
house the missionaries were most Hospitality
entertained while at Calcutta, and alluding
to the purchase of small font of plea, with
the diacritical marks necessary for the Shar
language, from the donation of C-pt. Jen
kins before acknowledged, Mr. Brown sub
joins:
Several other individuals have interested
themselves very much in the Sadiya mis-
sion; Major WI ite, of Assam, has subscrib
ed 200 rupees; Mr. Bruce and Lieutenan
Charlton each 100; and r. NJ. Bird, Esq o
Allahabad, has sent brother Pearce an orde
for $50 rupees to be applied for the assist
anco of the mission. have also to men
ton the donation of a large number of books
partly for the mission library at Sadiya, AM
partly for the use of schools, from c. E
, Trevelyan, Esq, distinguished friend G
missions and general education, who, il
,, connection with Capt Jenkins, was tn
means Of introducing Saydiya to US as
s missionary field. An orrery and globe &c