Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-05-26
MISSION AR Y
From the Baptist Missionary Mdgdzine>
MISSION TO THE KARENS.
Extract Of Mr. Vintom's Letter, dated Ia
roy, June s, 1885.


Since our arrival in this place, in add
ton to my studies, have been employed
IN distributing tracts, preaching to the
soldiers, and teaching the Karens, who
are here from the Jungle, the science Of
music. The distribution of tracts has
been no drawback upon my studies, for
the exercise it affords is indispensable to
my health. My mornings and evenings,
when the weather would admit, have de-
voted to this work; and generally in my
evening excursion have been accompanied
by brethren Wade and Mason, who have
improved every favorable opportunity of
preaching to the natives, while would be
visiting the houses or kyoungs in the I'M
mediate vicinity, giving tracts to all that
could read and would take. And have
j found but re7ytcoc who were unwilling to
take. The truth, is there is acide and
eGectuGl door open for the distribution of
tracts. True, some may, and probably
will, be destroyed. But shall we refuse
10 give on this account? But examples of
tracts being destroyed are very rare; at
least, so far rs my observation extends
Since coming to this place, presume in
more than a hundred instances, when
have asked man if he would receive a
! tract, he would repl Y, have the one you
gave me the other day; but on learning
that it was not like the one he had alree-
! dy he would receive it with evident salts
! faction. Indeed, nothing is more common
than to find numbers, on our return, to
whom we had given tracts, employed in
reading them. On one homeward excur.
sion found man who had collected his
= family around him, and was reading to
! them the tract he had just received. l
have occasion to pass the house of one Of
! the government-men almost every dav,
where have given number of tracts and
portions OF the scriptures, and | almost in
invariably see from one to three employed
in reading the books they have received.
Indeed, the second man (Burman) in au-
thority in the place, to whom have re-
Gently given number of books, said, the
other day, to one of the native Christians,
that he believed our religion, and was soon
coming to ask for baptism, and inquired if
! the teachers would probably REQUIRE him
to relinquish his post under government
as condition of his reception.
| The number oftracts and books have
distributed here is rising OF six thousand.
containing more than two hundred thou
sand pages. Soon after our arrival, the
i brethren requested me to take charge of
the English department of the mission
In conducting this l usually spend an
hour and a half, four evenings in the
week, besides occasional visits at tho hos
| pita and barracks. On Sabbath & Thurs
day evenings preach; Monday and Sat-
urday evenings We have prayer-meetings
| Within five or six weeks ten soldiers have
entirely left off the use Of all intoxicating
liquors, and have commenced attending
meeting. Our assembly has more than
doubled, and | should think nearly tre-
bled. There are number of interestng
| inqulrers, whom l have recently proposed
to meet statedly on Wednesday evening"
The few among them that are entertain
! ing hope, are beginning to feel a deep anx4
iety for the conversion Of their impenitent
associates; and their prayer meetings on
Monday and Saturday evenings are held
with special reference to this object
What will be the result, remains vet TO be
known; but we are hoping and expect
ing that the Lord will hear our prayer in
the revival of his work The Karen
singing school, which also undertook at
the earnest solicitation ofthe brethren here,
has succeeded beyond my most sanguine
expectations. By the close ofthe rains 1
think some of the Karens will be- able to
read music at first sight, and that without
aid.
AS in my journal I have bat merely al
luded to Mrs VintonHs school IN Chum-
merah, should add in this place that it
averaged from twenty to twenty-five: and
that the scholars made excellent proficient
5cy near Y one half of whom are members
Of the church. This school was OF no ex-
pense to the mission, except for the assist
ant, as all the scholars were boarded by
their parents, or, iffrom distance, BY the
Christians here. Although attended with
inconvenience, we had the school in the
"a vat, 50 thatwe have not been obliged TO
build.