, 1862-05-19

SoIce!y ana SatflGcc III IudfI-IM4er.
esfft.G Letter from a Missionary.
d.. I. S Barwell, for many years Mission.
arr Of the American Board in India, writes to
the New York T,1ou,ae, under date Of Fcbrua,
~ 17sh, from Melur, Madura, saying
In the missionary field, occnnied by the
AMERICAN AiadIi1a mission, are i class Of sor.
ccTere, called in Tamil Kordangkies. They
1'rr1ese Il, have the. spirit Of some god co me-
upon them: Gud thus, when Questioned, 1ley
give a1isWers showing what should be done IA
Tc1noye uisc:lSc, or where stoluu property ma7
te found, &e- They also Lave twelve lotrs
stcds, relresenting tic twelve signs Of ttc
zoolac, with Which they perform devination
lhty are much sought alter, and ycrr often
Lear, in the yillagcs, the sound of tlsc little
dfum which they Use constantly, while invol5-
ing the divine power, and then continue it
when giving the responses.
Yesterday, Oh the afternoon Of the Sabbath,
70 yhiage near Melur, heard the sorccrcr
drum; ard know four or five such persons
living near me. 4 few days ago VISITED tie
house ofa man who had tile day before buried
son OF about twelve years. Iaskcd him If h..
consulted the hordangkies, and what they
*add aport his son. lie spread out the fingers
Gf e foih %'d cnnx,,tha LIS hasds indicating That
nason to believe :hat be had at Least five i've
az, be said, ASSURED him that his boy
would 1eenSeri And now here were fhr
'ather ard mother sigline and 1nonrn-
a.g :. IN their Loneliness aud sorrow.
Trusting rot in that s,napa:L;zi-,.t'
comforting Savior who Ecpt 1t the rrarc
c: Lazarus. II things occur as tlx sorsrr,r I1sT
Predicts, te gels much credit, and when they
Go not, he says: "It was the wiring in tfe
head, or fase; and the uurcilectlns people.
N their Ignorance. accept the excuse, and yery
! k,lE SCI him again tic next time a person
crowd es M Of 1s 1e EGm95mss rir tried to uaesslye
Tamil, word or name on Il tact, and put:ia@
down suin Of money, having told The sor,
ctrcr he should hnye it if he would tell what
was written. OF course, he always fats: ;nd
yct he seems vcfy little ashamed. uMy stom-
aeh wants! must get liying,'' he rrnI;es ;.
and, strange to say, fhe people arc M usualIY s:t,
isfed with this foolish excuse, and 20 "a rs
te1oTe consulting these deceiyers. Hov s;i
IS thcH slavery 10 Ignorance, deception aud
SIN;
The favor Of the gods or evil spirits is often
sought By sacrifices. Let me tell you Of one
from Melur- went out on the Sabbath after
1oon with a catcclist to d village, where we
1ouDd tic people, particularly women. rn-
gagged in boiling rice as an offering Of thanks
giving to goddess, Parayathi Amman. for
recent rain. a temporary temple, like booth,
decorated with flowers and tinseI. Near
the enlrancc, seated on straw. was A. Rr,i,.
min, the great man and lord Of the y;l!,~e
He and the company listened to an exposi-
ton Of the ten commandments aud the war
Of life, for the most part quietly aud without
much Of spirit Of disputation, until it bean
togrow dark. He then politely gave me lc5Te
to withdraw, hut rs intinated a desir. IN
stop longer, and observe their mode OF wor-
slip and sacrifice, they made no serious ohi.c-
ton. T then retired to little dis
tance and eat down, the BEahmfn
kindly sending me portlon nf
his Straw Us 8 seat. Women came with their
dishes OF 5ice, presented them to the ;ia1 and
gave a portion to the priest. Persons were
busy, as.is usual on such occa=ions in riyinr
the worshipers sacred sshes. made nf bnu32
cn1r. f1nn, with which thcr r,a 4ha:- 80: