Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-12-13

the villages within several miles, is CEN
orally recloned at 100000. But a s-csn-
sus made inl823 gave only q 900 hou-s1
ses. This, al seven inhabitants to ashodse
would make thepopalation about 1900
Large spaces, even within sthezwaIls, are
wholly vacant. Allowing for houses
omitted in the census, The population is
perhaps 100000 There are populous
villages in the neighborhood, containing
probably 100000 people. One of the .
most striking peculiarities in the town is
the universally with which males and fe-
males, Cd and young, bear upon their
foreheads, arms, and breasts, the marks
peculiar to their religion, -er sect Of it,
Some have a red or blue spot on their
forehead; others blue, red, white oryellow
perpendicular lines; others HORIZONTAL
lines Some, in addition to these, have
white ashes rubbed ia lines on their arms
and breast could not help recurring
! continually to that text, Deut. So: S,
Their spot is not the spot of, his chill
dren." The alusion is doubtless to s.mi-
! lar custom.
The incident of Elijah running before
the chariot of Ahab, Il Kings Is: 46,) is
continually brought to recollection here
and wherever else have been 10 India.
Men of distinction have servants running
! before. At least two always beside the
carriage Even the humblest equipa res,
and persons on horseback, are never with
out one ofthese runners, who is called So
ee. 1t is astonishing how these men, &C
cuStomed to the business from childhood,
can endure The ceachman never slacks
his pace on their account, and they keep
up during the whole drive. For long
time this appendage destroyed the pleasure
of my rides The men however do moth
ing else, and their labor, on the whole,ei is
certainly far less than that Of a mechanic
with u.s. .~-
! State of Religion.
The state Of religious feeling in Mad
ras, just at this time at least, is little better
than in Calcutta. The concert of prayer,
which is held uniedIv at different church
es in rotation, was he'd, while | was there,
at the Scotch kirk. One city minister
only was present. The services resem-
bIed those Of public worship. 1t could
not with propriety, be called a prayer
meeting. But religion seems to be exert
ing its blessed influence in the city more
AMI more, and Just at this time there seems
to be something like what is called, with
Us, a revival Of religion. The directness
aud ardor of address Of the newly arrived
| American missionaries, has produced
strong impressions on several interesting
, individuals, and on one of the pastors
Fifty or sixty persons, chiefly soldiers,
are anxiously pressing into the kingdom
of God
was happy to find, in the city, sever
al Sunday schools. Only that ofthe Yves
leyans seems fourishing.
AS regards Christianity among the ma
tives, Madras is behind Calcutta. in
qured of several ministers, and most of
the missionaries but no one knew the state
or number of native converts. The nom
ina Christians are few AS to the real
converts, one thought there were but two
or three in the whole city and suburbs;
another thought there were not halfa
dozen, at the utmost no one supposed
there were more than that number
Some hundreds have been baptized, with
their children, and many have grown up,
who were baptized in infancy. The CON
duct of this body does little honor to the
: cause.
Ofthe Catholics there are some thou
sands, but they are scarcely distinguished
by better morals or manners from the hea-
then, except by their not smsaring their
bodies and faces with idolatrous marks.
Anniversaries. "ae4A 8a
had the pleasure Of attending the ami
versary meetings of the Wesleyan Mis-
sion, the Madras Bible Society, &C., and
was greatly refreshed to see the crowded
attendance. and the general interest taken
in these institutions. They brought me
also into a pleasing acquaintance with
many missionaries from distant Stations
and thus enabledme to enlarge my stock
of official memoranda.
| was PARTICULAR y pleased with the
:, Wesleyan plan of having a second ami
versary for the natives, in which the SER
vices and speeches were in 'I'amuI The
body of the chapel, cleared of the settees,
was well filled with natives, who sat, after
their fashion, on the floor. They behaved
with perfect decorum, and listened with at
tention 1t certainly is a plan happily
calculated to enlighten and improve the
converts, while it instructs and informs the
| heather.
A case has recently occurred, which
has excited great interest among the ma:
tives, Ear and near. Arnmuga Tanbiran,
| literally, the six-taced god, a Distinguish
ed devotee, has been converted to Christi
i anity. He is now very old, having been
for fifty years a prominent pilgrim and
teacher Dressed in yellow robe-the
! socred heads round his neck-smea FED