peaceful and lawful means to prevail on the legislature to expunge that
clause, or so to modify it that ministers of the Gospel may have leave
to preach, form and visit churches, and perform the various duties of
their office without molestation, and that they may have a right to
settle in and travel over any part of India for that purpose. Nothing
can be more just than this wish, and nothing would be more politic than
for it to be granted; for every one converted from among the heathen is
from that time a staunch friend of the English Government. Our necks
have, however, been more or less under the yoke ever since that year,
and preaching the Gospel stands in much the same political light as
committing an act of felony. Witness what has been done to Mr.
Thompson, the five American brethren, and our three brethren. Mr.
Thomason, the clergyman, has likewise hard work to stand his ground.

"I trust, however, it is too late to eradicate the Gospel from Bengal.
The number of those born in the country who preach the Word is now very
considerable. Fifteen of this description preach constantly, and seven
or eight more occasionally exhort their countrymen, besides our
European brethren. The Gospel is stationed at eighteen or twenty
stations belonging to our Mission alone, and at several of them there
are churches. The Bible is either translated or under translation into
twenty-four of the languages of the East, eighteen of which we are
employed about, besides printing most of the others. Thirteen out of
these eighteen are now in the press, including a third edition of the
Bengali New Testament. Indeed, so great is the demand for Bibles that
though we have eight presses constantly at work I fear we shall not
have a Bengali New Testament to sell or give away for the next twelve
months, the old edition being entirely out of print. We shall be in
almost the same predicament with the Hindostani. We are going to set
up two more presses, which we can get made in Calcutta, and are going
to send another to Rangoon. In short, though the publishing of the
Word of God is a political crime, there never was a time when it was so
successful. 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the
Lord.'

"Through divine mercy we are all well, and live in peace and love. A
small cloud which threatened at the time Brother Johns left us has
mercifully blown over, and we are now in the utmost harmony. I will,
if possible, write to