The

door, from which they step into the well. well is about two and a half or three feet deep. Men and women step promiscuously into it, turn round in it seven times, say seven paters and seven aves, throw some water on their head,and thus this painful ceremony ceases.

'Although a reader may think this station superstitious and painful enough, yet there is another performed by some far more so. The pilgrims who perform this station, when they reach the altar in the grave-yard, instead of rising from their knees like the others, walk on their knees to the well-gate, and from that to the two monuments, go round them on their knees seven times, move to the unroofed house, and through it to the well. The first pilgrim that attracted my attention was a man, who, after going through all I have described on his knees, was just going into the unroofed house, but his strength was so exhausted, and his knees so lacerated, that he had to get two sticks, one in each hand, on which to lean, that he might be able to get through the whole. I believe if they fail through fatigue and pain, they can taste nothing until the station is performed. Some of these pilgrims are a long time before they recover their strength.

"The above is but a very faint description of the ceremonies performed, and the sufferings endured. No writer could paint them in all their horrors. Think, for a moment, of men and women, young and old, from the boy or girl of twenty to the man or woman of sixty years or more, travelling on foot, perhaps sixty miles, for the purpose of torturing themselves, by crawling on their hands and knees, over sharp gravel and rough flags, until, in many cases, the blood drops from their mangled flesh. All this, in many cases, is to make an atonement for some horrid crime perpetrated, or to get the soul of a friend released from the pains of purgatory, or to thank the Queen of Heaven,' for restoring a husband or child to health. May it not justly be said of poor Ireland, that darkness covereth the land, and gross darkness the minds of the people? May a gracious God soon say, 'Arise, shine, for thy light is come, the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee!' Hasten the time, O Lord God of salvation!"

COLONIAL MISSIONARY SOCIETY. Decease of the Rev. Moses Parker, late Missionary in Van Diemen's Land.

THE October Number of the WITNESS contains a letter from this faithful man, recording his labours, success, and hopes-the present Number records his death. The following letter, from the Rev. Wm. Jarrett, secretary to the Van Diemen's Land Colonial Missionary and Christian Instruction Society, conveying intelligence of the mournful event, requires no comment. Mr. Parker, during his short term of service, seems to have manifested very valuable qualifications for his peculiar and difficult sphere of labour among the convicts and settlers thinly scattered over a wide tract in the interior of Van Diemen's Land. His loss will be severely felt. Christian sympathy must be excited in behalf of his widow and fatherless children, in the far land of their sojourn. If it should dispose any friend to communicate for

their assistance, the Rev. A. Wells will be happy to transmit any sums that may be confided to him at the Congregational Library.

"Hobart Town, May 26th, 1845. "My dear Sir,-A few weeks since I wrote to state to you the grounds upon which we had come to the conclusion that Mr. Parker was fit to fill the office of missionary, vacant by the removal of Mr. Morison to Port Phillip. It is my painful duty now to inform you of his death. He had proceeded to the Huou River, a distance of twenty-five miles from Hobart Town and forty from Richmond, where he was attacked with dysentery. Some days clapsed before we could be informed of the circumstance, and several more before he could be removed to town; and at the expiration of a fortnight from the first attack of his disease he died. was my privilege to be present when he breathed his last; I say privilege, because I was permitted to witness in his case a striking illustration of the power of the gospel to afford peace and comfort in the hour of death.

It

"The impression of the committee respecting his suitableness, as recorded in my last communication, has been strongly confirmed since his death. Very many instances of the usefulness of his ministry have been brought to our knowledge, and most convincing evidence presented that he laboured throughout his short but useful career with a single eye to the Redeemer's glory. We feel our loss to be indeed great, and at present quite irreparable. You will, I am sure, unite with us in the prayer, that the Lord of the harvest will be pleased to provide a suitable successor to our brother who has entered on his rest.

"Our deceased brother has left a widow and five children, who are destitute of the means of support. Feeling that the widow and fatherless have a strong claim upon our sympathy, we have opened a public subscription on their behalf. All that we can do, however, will be quite inadequate; may we therefore look to you, kindly to use your interest to obtain from the widows' fund in connection with the Evangelical Magazine, an allowance in aid of the distressed family of our deceased brother, and any further aid you may be able to obtain ?

"The committee trust that you will allow them to draw, as heretofore, in favour of any agent they may deem qualified to supply the office of the late Mr. Parker. The committee deeply feel the importance of fixing a high standard of qualification. They feel, moreover, that it would be better that the office should not be filled, than filled unsuitably. We have resolved to wait two months before taking any steps to appoint a successor to our departed brother, and in the mean time to supply his stations in the best manner we can. So much embarrassment would be caused to the committee, if not permitted to draw, in the event of the appearance of a suitable person to fill the vacant office, that we trust your committee will exercise a generous confidence in our judgmert and integrity, and concede to us the favour we ask. I remain, my dear Sir, faithfully yours, "WM. JARRETT, "Joint Secretary of the Van Diemen's Land Colonial Missionary and Christian Instruction Society.

"To the Rev. A. Wells, Secretary."