Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-07-07
MIssIONA RY

,MISSION NARY.
Fsrtker extracts from the ornty-Seeond
Ann uGt Report Of the Baptist Board
Of Foreign Missions
ConcLuIed
MISSION TO THE SLAMS.
Missionaries.-RepN Nathan Broom, Mrs
Brotbn, Mr. Oliver T. Gutter printer,
Mrs Gutter.
"Shan," says Mr. Jones, "is the name
given by Burrnans and Siamese to the
Laos country" 1t is not limited, howev-
.er. 10 that region, or to the people who
dwell there Their kindred races"
says the British resident at Gowahatti.
"extend throughout the country, whence
arise all the mighty rivers from he Bur-
ranpooter, 70 Kianguan (the river Of Nan
kin;) they occupy entirely the two from.
tier provinces Of Ava-Hookoom and
Moongkoom; they occupy all the east
bank ofthe Irrawaddy; they stretch down
the Salwen TO Tenasserim Laos and ST.
am and Cochin China are their proper
countries; they compose half the popula-
tion. Of Yunnan, great proportion otthat
ofSalwen. and stretch up into that district
. that has always bafled the Chinese, be-
tween Thibet, Tartary and Sechuen -
whilst Assam is chiefly populated by the
overhowings Of this great people. The
Caeharese are Shans; and the governing
race Of Upper Assam for many centuries,
the Ahunisy--are tribe from the highest
eastern sources Of the Irrawaddy"
Various estimates have been given Of
the numbers belonging to the Shan tribes:
Spread abroad over so many AMI extended
regions, they cannot be few. They are
represented by Capt Jenkins, the gentle
man from whom we have Just quoted TO
be ten times as numerous as the Burmese
Thsir character is also said to be much
superior 10 the Burman Those whom
Mr. Kincaid saw at Shan mart, short
distance from Ava. appeared to be milo
and industrious people, and by their dres:
and manufactures indicated STATE Of socl
ETY. much more advanced in civilization
than the Burmese. Many Of them dwell
in large towns other tribes are agrlcuI
tural some are engaged in traffic. The
Khamtis, who live in the northeast dis
trictof Assam, are "a fine bold people, anc
their neighhors, the Sing-phos, though
less civilized, are good-temPered, sImpl'
race"
Their religion has been generally sup
posed to be Boodhism. The Khamtls AM
Sing-phos are called Boodhists, and tn
Ahoms were probably sectarians of som
branch Of Boodhism, though they had nc
the image Of Boodh in their temples, an
do not appear to have been idolaters. b.
whatever their religion is, it is not Chris
tianity The true God is to them, still
"the unknown God" and, with, here an
there an exception, the name Of Christ hs
not been, heard by them, OCCASIONAL
our missionaries in Burmah have annouu
ed the gospel to such as Providence ca
intheir way but no herald Of salvatic
has ever assembled their rivers or traver
ed their plains; the teet OF them that pu
lish glad tidings have never been seen {
their mountains; and so far as we ha
been able to learn, not a solitary individu
ofthese unnumbered millions has belle
edun Him through whom on y is the
mission Of sins
The point at which it is proposed
commence operations to evangelize Il
bsnighted people, is Sadiya, situate at t
northeast extremity of Assam. count
totmerly subject to the emperor Of B.
nah, but'of late under the nominal &C
troll ola native prince, protected bv t
honorable East India Companv. T
Board were directed to this place in i,
t1rst instance, by Messrs. Pearce a
Trevelyan, Of Calcutta, and through tn
by Captain F. Jenkins, the reutIemar
whom reference has already been ma
and to whose kind Offices, in connect
with Messrs Treveiyan and Pearce,
'Boartars indebted, under God, for .
wide add efectual an opening" into
heart. Of countries hitherto deemed il
aesssible.r According to their represe1
tons indeed. il would be difficult to FL
position moro inviting, in ITSELF or n
Commanding The country IS believe
beheathy, on the testimony Of Eng
residents after trial Of many years |;
climate Is pleasant, the soil Is exceedir
rich, and the tribes with whom the
sion viii Be brought into Immediate