"Taamatu," writes the Rev. Charles Barff, of Huahine, 66 was removed to her rest, December 6th, 1851. She was very far advanced in years, having been about ten or eleven years of age at the period of Captain Cook's visit to the islands in 1777.

When the Missionaries reached Huahine, in 1818, Taamatu became one of their most diligent scholars, and soon made very good progress in learning to read and write. In 1819 she presented herself among the first candidates for baptism, and, in January, 1820, she was admitted to that ordinance as a hopefully converted character. In the month of May of the same year, she was one of fourteen who were united in church fellowship, and sat down for the first time at the Lord's table.

"On account of her eminent piety, and the progress she had made in reading, writing, &c., she was selected to accompany Mr. and Mrs. Ellis to the Sandwich Islands in 1822, where she remained upwards of twenty years. While residing on that group she was very usefully employed in instructing the females to read the word of God, and in urging them to seek the way of salvation. On returning to Huahine, in 1845, with her husband, a pious native of Haavaiia, the Missionary of the island, the Rev. Dr. Baldwin, gave her a most excellent character for piety, consistency, and diligence in every good word and work.

"During the years that have elapsed since her return to her native island, Taamatu has continued the same course of active and consistent piety. So long as her strength remained unimpaired, she was constant in her attendance on all the public means of grace, Bible classes, meetings for prayer, Christian experience, &c. When mingling with those of a kindred spirit in the exercises of devo

tion, she was in the element most accordant with her best feelings and desires. The Bible and the Pilgrim's Progress, which constituted her library, she read with prayerful diligence, and had stored in her memory a large portion of their contents. She was very useful in visiting the sick and aged females at their houses, to read to them the word of God, and pray with them. For almost two years before her death she had become too weak to walk any distance, but she continued to do what she could in visiting those near her own dwelling. Christ crucified was the great subject of her conversation and her glory.

Excepting when prevented by unavoidable circumstances, the Missionary made a point of visiting her every Saturday, and always felt his own spirit refreshed by her pious conversation, and sound Christian experience. He visited her about noon on the day of her death, read with her the twenty-third Psalm, and engaged in prayer. She conversed on that occasion very feelingly on the excellences of the Psalm, and the happiness of having God for our rod and staff in passing through the dark valley, and in the joyful prospect of being for ever with Jesus.

"In the evening of the above-mentioned day, the monthly prayer-meeting was held in her house, her husband being one of the lenders. At her special request the meeting was conducted in the room in which she lay, and was protracted for an hour beyond the usual time. Though weak in body, she joined in the sacred exercise with unusual earnestness of soul. She was quite free from pain, and calmly and piously took leave of all present. Almost immediately after the close of the meeting her spirit departed to join the saints above."

"Monday, April 22nd.—In accordance with a plan long contemplated, I left Almorah in company with Mr. Artopé, to proceed to the famous shrines of Kidarnath and Badrinath, at the season when pilgrims flock to them from the Hardwar fair, for the purpose of preaching the gospel, and distributing books among them.”

66

JOIN THE ROUTE OF THE PILGRIMS.

Tuesday, May 24th.-Reached the banks of the Mundakuse, and joined the pilgrim road, crossing by a Juhla or bridge of ropes, our horses swimming, and being dragged with a rope across the stream. Many pilgrims were proceeding to Kidarnath, and we joined the stream as far as to Gapt Kaseea very beautiful walk by the side of the roaring torrent, covered with thick forest, with now and then a view of the towering snow at the end of the valley.

"Reached Gapt Kasee at 10 o'clock. A dirty place, with a temple and dharm-sala (or lodging house) in a court-yard. Pitched our tent on a spur, just above the village.

"Wednesday, 5.-Started this morning, and continued our march along the valley, passing and meeting various groups of pilgrims. The scenery grand and beautiful. Almost intermin. able forests-the path winding up and down, along the banks of the roaring stream."

VISIT A HEATHEN TEMPLE.

"Thursday, 6th.-To-day we left the direct road to Kidarnath, in order to visit a place called Tree Jogee Narain, where there is a temple visited by the pilgrims on account of a fire which is said to have been kept burning in it for three jugs (or ages), and called a dhoonce. Where the road turned off we

commenced a steep ascent, and after crossing

a spur of the hill, passed through some beautiful forests of horse- chesnut and oak.

"Went to the temple, and talked with the people. Some of them could read, and came to our tents afterwards for books. There was no opposition. Every one expressed approval of all that we said. Several Gurhwalis were collected in one group, and seemed to listen with a great deal of attention and interest to what we said. The people generally seem to have no faith in their own religion. They almost invariably speak of their religious practices as simply the custom of the country, which it would be wrong in them to relinquish. One man expressed an earnest desire to know how he might obtain purity of mind, and when he was directed to the true Incarnation, by faith in which the forgiveness of sins, and the sanctification of the soul, are secured on the promise of God, he admitted that the remedy appeared an effectual one, but did not see how it was possible for him to avail himself of it. I told him there was at least one thing he might do, and if his desire were as sincere as he said, he certainly would do it, and that was, habitually to seek by prayer that guidance and strength which he needed from that God who is the hearer and the answerer of prayer.

"Friday, 7th.-Started early this morning, rejoining the pilgrim road to Kedar."

A SACRED HOT-SPRING.

"At a little more than half way to our halting-place, we came to Gauru Kuund, where there is a hot-spring and a haltingplace for pilgrims. The water is received in a small tank, and here almost all classes and sects, and both sexes bathe together promis

cuously, producing a state of the element which is any thing but pleasing to the eye. It is wonderful how easily men will, under the force of superstition, get over difficulties which nothing else will enable them to overcome. Here were Brahmins bathing by the side of people of low caste, and men of high rank and native cultivation by the side of the district coolies; and not only bathing, but taking the holy water into their mouths, though there is not one of them who would not indignantly refuse to receive a drop of the purest water at my hands. We stopped here to breakfast, scaling the rocks that overhang the place, from whence we could ook down on what was passing below, and a sad sight it was! By the pilgrims passing from one bath to another, the whole place had become like a pool of mud; and here the delicate women, who had been bathing in the hot-spring were passing through all this mud and filth in their wet clothes in the cold morning air, to the straw sheds, open on all sides, where they changed their apparel and then went forth again to a miserable little building called a maudir or temple, to present their offerings; and after this they set forth on their long and wearisome journey to Kedar or Badrinath."

They

"Their work is to proceed to the plains, and induce pilgrims to visit the shrine, and lead them on their way. They acknowledged that they only did it for a livelihood. are an unpromising set, and likely to excite active opposition as soon as they get any idea that the object we aim at would lead to a taking away of their gains. But they listened very well, and said that what was addressed to them was all true and good."

A MAN OF QUALITY, AND HIS NOTIONS RESPECTING THE WAY OF SALVATION.

"Tuesday, 11th.-Ookimath. This place is the residence of the Rawal of Kidarnath, who lives here in considerable style, and only visits the temple during one month of the year; his place there being supplied by his substitute and successor. He sent us a present of

rice flour and sweetmeats, and a goat, and we went in the afternoon to pay him a visit. He is rather a young looking man, and has the appearance of a southern. His speech also bewrayeth him. He affects great liberality of sentiment in religion; and, after the usual formalities, began by saying that God is one, though there are various methods of worshipping him on earth, all equally ac ceptable to him, as many roads all lead to the same place; and that the various objects of worship were but so many different manifestations of him. To this I replied that God was indeed one, and that it was also true that there were different countries in the earth, inhabited by different races, and following different customs, but that the essential nature of all these different races was the same—they had the same susceptibilities of pain and pleasure -the same necessities-the same natural consciousness of right and wrong—from which it would appear that the way of salvation for all would be one and the same. Also that God was not only one, but free from imperfection; while it must be admitted that contradiction and contrariety were imperfections in any being, which it was, therefore, impossible to suppose could attach to the Divine Being, or to anything that proceeded from him. But the various religions to which he referred, as equally efficacious, did contain many things that were contradictory-they were mutually opposed, and, therefore, could not be supposed to have all proceeded from the one God. To this he replied, 'that these contradictions were the inventions of men, and not an essential part of the true religion.' Taking this admission, I told him that there was one re. ligion which laid claim to entire freedom from these human inventions, to be found in the Scriptures, which declared themselves to be the word of God; and the distinction between these Scriptures and the books of all other professed religions was, that they did not lay claim to the belief of man as of Divine au̟thority, without giving good and satisfactory reasons to substantiate their claim. The facts recorded in them were not the inventions of poets, written many years after the events were said to have transpired, but were recorded in well authenticated documents, written by persons who were eye-witnesses of the wonders they recorded, and who testified

the honesty of their convictions by dying in support of the truth of their testimony; and that these accounts were circulated and read immediately after the events recorded took place, and by persons who were quite disposed, and had every opportunity to contradict them if they were able to do so. In reply to this, he remarked that kindness or benevolence was the chief thing. This gave me a good opportunity of saying that the remark was true, and that we had the best proof of this in the character of God himself, who is love. But it was essential to distinguish between true and false benevolence. True benevolence did not admit of a compromise with justice or holiness; and the clearest proof of what true benevolence is, and that God is truly love, is furnished in the great plan of salvation which God had provided for man. From this I took occasion to give an outline of the gospel history and plan of salvation-the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and the design of all; and pointed out that this was from its very nature a universal religion, and adapted to the necessities of all; and that, therefore, it must be of necessity also an exclusive, as the only divinely authenticated religion. I then stated that the great command of the Redeemer to all men was to repent of sin, and to turn unto God, through faith in him, and that he had promised that whoever did so should obtain forgiveness of sin, and the sanctification of his nature; and I pointed out that sincere faith in him would naturally result in purity of mind, because the mind of man is always influenced by the character of the object on which he reposes his trust; and that, in addition to this, the Redeemer had promised the aid of the Holy Spirit to help the infirmities of those who believed in Him. He then returned to the subject of imageworship, and admitted that the idol was no God, but aided the mind in calling God to remembrance. On this I remarked that image-worship was forbidden in the Scriptures, and there were many reasons for this, as that no image could be a correct representation of the Infinite Spirit, and that the mass of mankind invariably came at last to believe that it was God. While I was saying this, one in the company commenced declaring that the idol, after it had been duly installed by the officiating Brahmin, was in

fact God to the worshipper, for that God dwelt in it. This was a clear proof of my assertion, that the people generally regarded the idol as something more than an idol. I then rose to leave. There was another present of prasad, including a piece of Pashmeri cloth, brought for us; but I returned it on the ground of its having been an idol-offering. I gave him a New Testament and Genesis, and several books in Hindoo, and begged him to read them, assuring him that if he did so with a sincere and fixed mind he would find great benefit from them, both in this life and that which is to come. There was a considerable company of people present while this conversation was going on, of persons in attendance on the Rawal, and pilgrims who were staying in the dharmsala."

A DISINTERESTED PROFESSOR.

INTERVIEW WITH SOLDIERS.

It ap

Friday, 14th.-Halting for three days. Went for a walk up the road to the Toomnath temple. On my return I began to talk with a soldier, who afterwards called his companions, and we had a good talk with them before breakfast. They acknowledge that it is a matter of boast among them that they have visited so many shrines, and others are thereby induced to go. They listened to us very well, and all took books-they are a fine, noble set of men."

A SENSIBLE AND INGENUOUS PRIEST.

"Afterwards the Pujari (or officiating priest) of Toomnath came with two or three others, and we had a long conversation with him. He has seen some of our books, which he got at the Hurdwar fair from a Missionary; but said he could not well understand them. An astronomical book, however, which he met with somewhere, he understands very well, and entirely agrees with the Newtonian

system in preference to his own. He is a very sensible man, and talked very well for some time. He also took several books, and promised to read them attentively. After this several other people came for books and medicine. One old man said he had come from a place near Surat, in the Gulf of Cambay, all alone, and intended after visiting Badre to go to Benares and Juggernath, and then home. He must have been upwards of sixty; but he seemed quite cheerful and well.

"16th.-Had another interview with the Pujari of the Toomnath temple. The medicine we gave to one of his companions has had a beneficial effect, for which he seems thankful. We also gave him a little tea for the patient. He brought some other people for books, and came to ask me to explain to him the genealogical table at the beginning of Matthew's gospel, which I had given him. I pointed out to him that it was necessary to show that Jesus had descended from certain persons whose descendant it had been predicted he should be; and advised him to commence from the part where the table ended. He appeared satisfied. He afterwards asked for a present, as it was the custom of gentlemen to make one, when they visited the place. I told him I could not do this, as I did not approve of the work in which they were engaged. It was a work of deceit and not of salvation; but if he wished to forsake it, and would accompany me, or come to Almorah, I would see to it that he should not want while studying the word of God. He said that he wished to go to Almorah, but could not do so now. Perhaps he might be able to join us before we reached it. I told him that the only ground on which we could receive him would be the conviction, that his present pursuit was contrary to the word of God, and that if he would carefully read the books I had given him, and meditate on them, with prayer for guidance; and if the word of God took hold of his mind, he would doubtless come to the conviction I had spoken of. I was much pleased with him. He seems to me more candid and straightforward, as well as more sensible, than most of those I have met, and it may be that I may hear something more of him."

EXHIBITION OF CHRIST, THE TRUE AVATAR.

I

"Saturday 22nd.-Went into the marketplace. Began by conversing with a Brahmin from Bandelkund, who was on his way to Badri, asking him what was his object in going there. He replied, as usual, to worship the deota. I then asked him, whether Gol was not in every place; to which he assented. If God then is everywhere, what need is there for you to go to Badrinath to find him? By going there in search of him, you imply that he was not to be found in the place you come from, nor is everywhere present; and this is to cast a reflection on his Godhead. But, said he, all the world does so, and I do the same. In this I replied that he was mistaken about all the world. There were eight or nine hundred millions of people in the world, and of these the Hindoos were at most not more than eight or nine millions, and of them a very small portion came to Badrinath, and every year they are getting fewer and fewer; and besides these few, no one else cared anything about Badrinath, or knew anything of Ram, who, he said, was his God, and whose name he constantly repeated, in order to obtain salvation. asked him who Ram was, that he called him God. He said he did not know; but his gooroo, or teacher, had told him he was God, and he was constantly to repeat his name, and then his sins would be forgiven, and his heart purified. I said, as he did not know who Ram was, I would tell him. I then mentioned the chief particulars of Ram's history-that he was Raja of Oudh, and had a wife named Sita, who was stolen from him by Rawan, Raja of Ceylon, and this led to a war, in which Ram subdued Rawan, and afterwards he returned to Oudh, and died by drowning in the Sarjoo, and that he was not God, but only a sinful man like ourselves, though, doubtless, a brave and powerful Raja; but to call such a man God was to cast a reflection on the Divine Being. Several people had gathered round while this conversation was going on; and one among them said, that it was written in their shas. tras, and therefore it was their duty to do as they were doing. I said, if their shastras were the word of God, of course, it was their duty to obey them, and mine also; but I wished to know if I was to regard them all