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be in vain to expect that the gospel will ever widely spread in this country, till God so blesses the means as that native men shall be raised up, who will carry the despised doctrine, brought into the country by the Mleeches, into the very teeth of the brahmins, and prove from the scriptures, that this is indeed the Christ that should come into the world. We hope we see the dawn of this." (p. 426.) The mighty argument that silences every opposer is, that Jesus Christ has done what no man else ever did, or had compassion enough to do. He bore our sorrows, and made his soul an offering for sin. In all the examples of their gods, they find nothing like this. Although their ideas of sin are extremely deficient, yet this amazing instance of Almighty love strikes them at once, as fitted above every thing for the helplessness of man, and worthy of all acceptation. You can have but little idea of the impression which this one truth has begun to make on this heathen country. It does not strike a converted person in England with such novelty and fitness, as it does here, where the wits have been racked for so many centuries, to find a way of life that should be accompanied with its leading to God and heaven; and where, for so long a time, the guilty conscience has sought in vain for some solid ground to rest upon." (p. 427.)

"It would give you great pleasure, could you drop suddenly among us, on an ordinance day, and see the lively affection with which such a number of persons of different colours and nations unite in commemorating the dying love of Christ. You must not suppose however that our brethren are without faults, or that their knowledge and steadiness are equal to that of the same number of christians in England. We have to contend with the versatility of their minds; to bear with their precipitancy; to nurse them like children in the ways of knowledge; sometimes to rebuke sharply, sometimes to refrain for the present, sometimes to expostulate, sometimes to entreat, and often to carry all to the throne of grace, and pour out our complaints to God. They have however never showed any propensity to go back to idolatry, and we have, on the whole, reason to rejoice in them all." (p. 438.)

"We have it in our power, if our means were equal to it, in the space of,

about fifteen years, to have the word of God translated and printed in all the languages of the east. Our situation is such as to furnish us with the best assistance from natives of the different countries. We can have types of all the different characters cast here; and about 700 rupees per month, (part of which I hope we shall be able to furnish,) would complete the work. The languages are, the Hindoostanee,Maharastia, Oreea, Telingua, Bhotan, Burmah, Chinese, Corkin-Chinese, Tonquinese, and Malay. On this great work we have fixed our eyes. Whether God will enable us to accomplish it, or any considerable part of it, is uncertain." (p. 456.)

The periodical accounts given by the Baptist Missionary Society, (No. 12.) dolatries of the Hindoos, are very afof the superstitions and abominable ifecting. On the 18th of April, 1804, three women were burnt with the corpses of their husbands, on one pile, near the house of the missionaries. This horrid act is considered by the natives, as a strong proof of the truth of their religion!! The British governour, to prevent this dreadful mischief in the districts subject to the English government, has issued his proclamation prohibiting the practice. It is notwithstanding continued; and 30000 women, at least, perish annually by this diabolical superstition.

GREAT BRITAIN.

THE Sunday School Society, from its institution in 1785, to Sep. 1804, it appears from their report, had established or assisted 2232 schools, in which, 200,787 scholars have been instructed; and they have distributed, beside spelling books,42,680 testaments, and 6,583 bibles, beside donations of more than £4000 sterling in money.

On the 31st of May, 1804, according to annual custom, upward of six thousand charity children, attended by their patrons, masters, and matrons, went in procession to St. Paul's church, where an excellent sermon preached by the Bishop of Lincoln, from Matt. xi. 5. "And the poor have the gospel preached unto them.”

METHODIST CONFERENCE.

was

THE annual conference of the preachers in Mr. Wesley's connection, was the minutes of their proceedings, the held in London, 30th of July last. In numbers in the society are thus stated

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THE information, which has been received, respecting the state of religion within the bounds of the General Assembly during the last year, exhibits a variegated scene. Whilst, on the one hand, it presents many things which are just cause of gratitude and rejoicing; on the other, it brings into view, some, calculated to produce humiliation and regret. In several congregations, particularly on Long Island, in the bounds of the synod of Albany, and in the western parts of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, there have been considerable revivals of religion. The number of adults who have been received into the church in different parts, by baptism, as well as those who have been admitted to the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, has been considerable. Such as have been added to the church, during the revivals which have taken place in times past, have generally, and indeed almost universally, proved steadfast in the faith, been progressive in their christian course, and evidenced the sincerity of their profession by the holiness of their lives and conversation; whilst instances of apostasy have been very rare. Praying societies have been established in many places, and generally well attended. In those congregations which enjoy the Vol. I. No. 1.

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preaching of the gospel and the administration of its ordinances in a stated manner, there is generally manifested a growing attention to the things of religion. A more than usual anxiety, and more vigorous exertions have also been manifested by vacant congregations to have the institutions of religion statedly among them. In several places the highly important duty of catechising has been more attended to than formerly, and has produced those salutary effects, which we have reason to expect will always flow from it.

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The prospects with respect to the Indians are highly encouraging. school has been established among the Cherokees, in the state of Tenessee, under the care of the Rev. Mr. Blackburn, with flattering prospects. Some of the Indian tribes to the westward seem also favourably disposed to receive the gospel, and have expressed an earnest desire to have schools established among them. The school among the Catabaws, established by the synod of the Carolinas, is also continued; and several young men of different tribes have received, and are now receiving, their education under the care of the synod of Pittsburg.

Whilst there is very satisfactory evidence to believe, that there has been a great and glorious work of God carried on throughout a widely extended portion of country to the south and west, within the bounds of the General Assembly, and that many souls have been savingly brought home to God; it is proper to observe, that in general this has been accompanied with very uncommon and extraordinary effects on the body. There appears also reason to believe, that, in certain places, some instances of these bodily affections have been of such a nature, and proceeded to such lengths, as greatly tended to impede the progress, and to tarnish the glory, of what, in its first stages, was so highly promising. That God has all the powers both of our mortal and immortal part absolutely under his direction, and subject to his control, and can influence and affect them according to his sovereign pleasure, will not be doubted by any who acknowledge Him as the framer of our bodies, and the father of our spirits; and that in him we live, and move, and have our being. Experience and the very reason and nature of things also

manifest, that human nature may be deeply affected and even overpowered by particular views and impressions of spiritual and divine things. But it is equally manifest, that these effects may be, in a considerable degree, produced by natural causes, or by the agency of spiritual and subordinate beings. Satan may transform himself now, as well as formerly, into an angel of light. It is enjoined upon us not to believe every spirit, but to try the spirits whether they be of God. As the magicians endeavoured by their enchantments to imitate and discredit the miracles performed by Moses, so has it been an artifice of Satan, in every period of the church to endeavour to obstruct and bring a reproach upon a revival of religion, by counterfeiting the operations of the spirit of God, and exciting those who were concerned in such revival, to extravagant and disorderly proceedings. True religion is a most rational and scriptural thing. One of the unhappy circumstances usually attending a revival of religion is, that some who are engaged in it, are prone to consider all its concomitants, and every thing connected with it, as sacred. This affords the adversary an opportunity, unsuspected, of sowing tares among the wheat, to the great prejudice of the approaching harvest. In times of the revival of religion, it highly concerns us carefully to guard against grieving the holy spirit of God, and provoking him to suspend or withdraw his gracious influence, either by resisting, or not duly improving his operations; or by yielding to the sug gestions and influences of Satan. All religious experience is to be brought to the test of divine truth, to the law, and to the testimony; if it be not conformable to these, it is because it is spurious. God is a God of order, and not of confusion; and whatever tends to destroy the comely order of his worship is not from him, for he is consistent with himself. Whilst, then, the General Assembly mourn over, and lament, those irregular and disorderly proceedings which have taken place in some parts, and which have tended to obscure and tarnish the glory of this good work of God; they rejoice, that in general they appear to subside that the minds of the people are reverting to more rational and scriptural views and exercises; that but few of the ministers in their connection have countenanced or encouraged

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these wild extravagances, or considered any bodily exercises as a criterion by which to form a judgment of a person's character or state; but have formed their opinion in this case from the conformity of their views and exercises to the word of God. The Assembly are happy to find, that the pernícious and destructive principles of infidelity and philosophy, falsely so called, continue to lose their influence, or are less avowed. Whilst, at the same time, they have cause to lament, that formality and lukewarmness in religion seem to prevail in some of our churches; and that the sacred institutions of the gospel are attended with so little power. Multitudes continue careless and secure, perishing in ignorance and in sin, whilst the love of many waxes cold. A respectful and se rious attention, however, to the institutions of religion, seems pretty generally to have prevailed, and an increasing union and harmony in societies which are composed of presbyterians and congregationalists.

We are also happy to learn by the delegates from our sister churches of Connecticut, that the highly useful practice of catechising has been more than commonly attendedto amongthem, that their churches are in peace, and that there is a generally increased attention to the things of religion among them.

Upon the whole, the Assembly find no inconsiderable cause to bless and praise God for the tokens of his goodness. They find also many things which are cause of humiliation before him. They feel themselves called upon, from the circumstances in which they are placed, to renewed and vigorous exertions in the cause of their God and Redeemer, in hope that their labours shall not be in vain in the Lord. And do earnestly exhort all the people under their care to activity and perseverance in the christian course, looking to the mercy of God unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom be glory in the churches, world without end. Amen. Ass. Miss. Mag.

Extract of a letter from Virginia, Sept. 1804.

"It gives me much pleasure to be able to inform you that the revival of religion, of which I have formerly spoken, continues to extend. There is every reason to hope that its effects will not be transitory: for in many

parts of the country decent houses for publick worship have been lately erected; and where such accommodations are wanting, multitudes assemble, and continue encamped for days in the open fields. This is a crisis, of which enlightened and influential christians should avail themselves "

The middle association of Essex

county, who always have a sermon at their monthly meetings, have, we hear, agreed that for the present year the sermon be on the subject of the Trini. ty, or the divinity of Jesus Christ; also that one of their number exhibit an essay on one of these subjects at each of their meetings.

Literary Intelligence.

GREAT BRITAIN.

FOREIGN.

Mr. Parkinson, surgeon, has in the press a work, entitled, "Organick Remains of the former world displayed." In which the Mosaick account of the deluge is shown to agree with the present appearance of the globe.

Major Rennel has been comparing the Geography of Scripture, with his own local observations, which have fully established its accuracy. We have not heard whether the result of this investigation has been made publick.

Mr. Barrow, who lately published the second volume of his Travels into the interior of Africa, was, a year since, about to bring forward the Account of his Travels in China.

Mr. Park, the celebrated African Traveller, has undertaken another journey of discovery, into the southern part of Africa.

A series of Letters has been published in England, written from South America, by an English gentleman, detained a prisoner by the Spaniards, in Paraguay, in the years 1797-8,descriptive of the Country, Government and Manners of the Inhabitants, adorned with highly finished engravings.

The Rev. T. Wood, of Huddersfield, has issued proposals for publishing by subscription, a work entitled, "An Historical, Geographical, and Chronological account of the progress of Christianity on its first promulgation; also a sketch of the primitive Christian Church; with remarks on the revival of religion in the present day." This work was to have been published in April last, price 5s. boards.

An improved edition of Miss Hannah Adams' View of Religions has been published in England, revised and corrected by the Rev. A. Fuller; to which is prefixed, an original Essay on the Nature and importance of truth.

PORTUGAL.

In Portugal, a strong disposition has been lately manifested to patronize those studies which benefit mankind. This has been indicated by the patronage afforded to Mr. Bartolozzi, after Britain had declined to engage his services any longer; and by a commendable attempt to construct a map of that country from actual measurement, and a series of triangles. This map is published in an advanced, though not in a complete state.

GERMANY.

The Literary Society of the county of Mansfield, in Saxony, have opened a subscription, for erecting a monument to LUTHER, at Eisleben in Saxony, the place of his nativity. The king of Prussia patronizes and supports the undertaking.

The ELECTOR of BAVARIA has purchased for the University of Wiirsburg, the Blankian Cabinet of Natural History consisting of 28,000 specimens. The library of the University has also been enriched with the books that belonged to the secularized clergy.

The number of works which appeared at the last Leipsick Fair, was 1404; among which were 125 novels; 36 dramatick pieces, and more than

300 translations.

M. Harding, of the Observatory at Lilienthal, near Bremen, who has been employed on an atlas of all the stars down to those of the eighth magnitude, which lie within and near the orbits of the two new planets Ceres and Palas, discovered on the first of Sept. 1804, a THIRD NEW PLANET. place, as settled by Dr. OLBERS, on Sept. 8, was at M. T. 8h. 11m. 20d. A.R. 1d. 29m. 39s. dec. in south Od. 47m. 19s. its motion in A.R. is about 7m. 56s. retrograde, and in declination about 12m. 24s. south per diem. It is

Its

A new review commenced with this year, in London, called the Eclectic Resiew. The design of the Editors is expressed in the following motto, which they have prefixed to their work.

Cicero gives us an account of the various opinions of philosophers in his age; but he himself was cf the Eclectic sect; and chose out of each of them, such positions, as, in his judgment, came nearest to the truth." Watts' Improvement of the Mind.

The numbers appear monthly, containing 80 pages 8vo price 1s 6d sterling. The profits are applied to the

assistance of the New British and Foreign Bible Society.

We have seen the three first num. bers, "The object of this work is to rescue good writers from the partiality and abuse of Socinian and high church criticks." The work is ably and impartially conducted, and on every account is worthy of publick patronage.

All the above works harmonize in their design, with the Panoplist, and from them the Editors expect to de. rive much assistance.

OBITUARY.

Nov. 26. At Bath, aged 82 the Rev. ARCHIBALD MACLAINE, forty eight years minister of the English church at the Hague. His funeral sermon was preached by Dr. Gardi, ner, of Bath, who stated many particulars which strongly indicated the truly christian frame of mind in which this venerable minister of the gospel departed this life. Dr. Gardiner observed, as we have been told, that on retiring to bed, Dr. Maclaine thanked God, that while the heathens, naming Socrates in particular, were so much in the dark about their future, state, he, who had been a grievous sinner, had, through the mercy of God, such a blessed hope, and added, "I know in whom I have believed." Dr. Gardiner represented the Dr. to come as a penitent to the throne of grace, leaning only on the cross of Christ, filled with gratitude to God; that Christ Jesus and eternal salvation were his constant theme, and that he was filled with the hope of glory. His last words to his friends were, "Weep not for me, O ye of little faith."

In Scotland, Dr JOHN ROBINSON, professor of Natural Philosophy in the University of Edinburgh. Dr. Playfair, exprofessor of Mathematicks in the same University has succeeded him. Dr. ROTHERAN, professor of Natural Philosophy in the neighbouring University of St. Andrews, died about the same time? Also, Dr. WILLIAM BUCHAN, aged 76; in his death the medical world has lost one of its most valuable members: a man who, perhaps beyond all others, simplified the language and doctrines of medicine, and, by adapting his style to ordinary understandings, stripped

(To be continued.)

the science of its mysteries, and in fact taught every one to be his own physician. His "Domestic Medicine" is doubtless one of the most useful books on the subject, in any language; and his " Advice to Mothers" cannot be too much recommended.

A letter just received from Edinburgh, from the secretary of the soci ety in Scotland, for promoting Christian Knowledge, announces, with deep regret, the death of Rev. Dr. JOHN KEMP, the late worthy secretary of the very respectable Society abovenamed. This intelligence (to use the language of the letter) "will perhaps be as sincerely lamented, though not so extensively felt, on the other side of the Atlantick, as it is in his native country. In July last the doctor was visited by very alarming symptoms both of paralytick and apoplectick affections, which led his physicians to order him to retire to the country, where he chiefly resided since that period. For a considerable time previous to his dissolution, his health seemed to be rather improving; but on Tuesday last he had a severe stroke of an apoplexy, and expired on Thursday," the 18th of April. We shall improve the earliest opportunity to communicate some sketches of the character of this excellent man.

In Mohegan, (Con.) MARTHA, 2ged 120; widow of Zacarah, one of the Nobility of the Mohegan tribe of Indians, and many years an Agent from said tribe to the General Assembly of Connecticut.

Drowned, in Salem harbour, Mr. JoHN EDWARDS, rigger. He, with his son and another man, were returning

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