Transcription

[MS 153]

Mission House, Serampore, Nov 4th 1806.

Dear Brother,

  Although we are strangers to each other in the flesh,
yet we trust we are one in Christ, pursuing one object, and interested
in one common cause, the enlargement of the Redeemer's kingdom.
Distance of situation prevents our having personal interviews with
many of the friends of Christ in this world we should therefore esteem it a
priviledge of no small value that we have opportunities of
corresponding with some of them through the medium of paper
and ink; knowing that it has a tendency mutually to strengthen
our hands, and encourage our hearts in our work. We, therefore,
gladly embrace this opportunity to communicate to you a
few things respecting the work of the Lord in this part of the
world; and, at the same time assure you that any information
with which you could furnish us on this important subject, (when
an opportunity offers,) would be both gratifying and interesting to us all.
  For several years after this Mission was established,
the preaching of the gospel was attended with no apparent success,
but the Lord has since been pleased to add a considerable number of the heathen to his church. The superstitions of the
natives are exceedingly strong, particularly as it respects their
cast, which is indeed a great barrier to the gospel, and destructive of every thing friendly and humane, but where
the gospel comes home with power to the soul, it destroys
these superstitions, and we behold Musulmans, and Hindoos of different casts from the highest to the lowest, uniting together both in the social duties of life, and in the more
important duties of religion.
  Our church at Serampore consists of about 100 members
of whom 24 are Europeans, the rest are natives, and we are
now frequently receiving new additions to our number. Several
of our native brethren are employed occasionally in preaching
the gospel. Some of them possess considerable abilities. Natives
preaching is a thing in which we have greatly to rejoice, as
this acquaintance [indecipherable] [indecipherable] with the language, modes of expression, as -
 

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