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CATHOLICK PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIANITY on which" Mr. C. "has hitherto endeavoured to conduct this miscellany."

Communications compatible with these sentiments will be received with thankfulness, and meet with due attention.

Subscribers may expect "The Christian Herald" to be issued regularly on the days already specified, and in a style of workmanship not inferior to that of the preceding numbers.

Extract of a letter to the Students of Divinity in the Seminary, of the Associate Reformed Church, New-York, from those in the Theological Institution of the same Church, at Selkirk, Scotland, dated 7th Oct. 1818.

"The instrumentality of christians is undoubtedly to be regarded as the proper means for extending the blessings of christianity. As one man depends upon another, for the supply of his ordinary wants, for the common blessings of life, for almost every pleasure and every enjoyment; so one man depends on another for the blessings of religion.-His dependance may be regarded as a distinctive character of the condition of man.-It runs throughout all the concerns of human life, and all the variety of circumstances in which man may be placed.

The instrumentality of others is the means of our subsistence, of our possessing the comforts of life and enjoying its pleasures. It would hence seem also to be the proper means for extending the blessings of religion; and who are to extend these blessings, but those who possess them, and have it in their power to impart them to others? In what way were we ourselves made partakers of the blessings of christianity? It was by the instrumentality of those who were before possessed of the Gospel.They sent the gospel of peace among us; they preached to us its glad tidings.

Perhaps some of those nations who are now sunk in ignorance and vice, were before the means of communicating christianity to those which are now enlightened by the light of the gospel.It becomes the duty then of christians, as far as they have it in their power, to impart the blessings of their religion to others.The obligations of christians to enlighten Heathen nations, have been scarcely recognized and seldom acted upon in former ages.

It gives us pleasure, and we doubt not, Brethren, but you rejoice along with us to see christians more aliye to a sense of that duty they owe to the Heathen world; to see them shaking off the apathy and the indifference of the centuries that are past; and diffusing far and wide that gospel which has brought to themselves salvation.

As to religion in Scotland, dear Brethren, we are happy to say that it seems to be flourishing.-Bigotry is passing away. The rage of party spirit seems to be subsiding. The different denominations of professing christians wear a more friendly aspect towards one another; and zeal for promoting the interests of the kingdom of Christ is cherished and is increasing.-The dark and neglected parts of our land are receiving considerable attention from the friends of religion; and that attention is not given in vain.

The condition of the Highlands of Scotland has, in particular, been of late much meliorated. Our countrymen there are in many places destitute of the means of religious knowledge.--They have parish churches indeed, established among them; but they are mostly in scattered villages, at a considerable distance from one another; the parish as usual extends over a considerable tract of country; and for this reason the most of them are at a great distance from any church. They besides are in many parts but ill furnished with the means of education.-Circulating schools have long been among them, but these have of late been much increased.-Teachers have been sent to go from place to place with the view, particularly, to enable them to read the Scriptures both in the English and Gaelic languages. This circumstance together with the occasional itinerating of evangelical ministers in that part of the country, have tended much to improve the state of religion. Many have been awakened to a concern about salvation, have eagerly read the scriptures, and have evinced strong desires to know more and more the gospel of Christ.

We are happy to inform you of one circumstance, Brethren, that we hope will be very favourable to the interests of religion here and in England.-The Legislators have voted a million of money for the erection and endowment of churches in England, and a hundred thousand pounds for the same object in Scotland.This we hope will be followed with the happiest effects, and we rejoice that God is thus making kings nursing fathers and queens nursing mothers to his church."

In the Seminary from which the above was communicated, there are fifty-three students :-Two of whom are under the superintendence of the Edinburgh Missionary Society, and sail this Spring for some of its stations.

ANECDOTE.

Mr. Flavel being in London in 1673, his old bookseller Mr. Boulter, gave him the following relation, viz.

"That some time before, there came into his shop a sparkish

gentleman to enquire for some play books; Mr. Boulter told him he had none, but showed him Mr. Flavel's little treatise of" Keeping the Heart," entreated him to read it, and assured him that it would do him more good than play books.' The gentleman read the title, and glancing upon several pages here and there, broke out into these and such other expressions, what a damnable fanatick was he who made this book!' Mr. Boulter begged of him to buy and read it, and told him he had no cause to censure it so bitterly ;' at last he bought it, but told him he would not read it.' 'What will you do with it then? said Mr. Boulter. 'I will tear and burn it, said he, and send it to the devil.' Mr. Boulter told him, then he should not have it;' upon this the gentleman promised to read it; and Mr. Boulter told him, "If he disliked it upon reading, he would return him his money.' Almost a month after, the gentleman came to the shop again in a very modest habit, and, with, a serious countenance, bespeaks Mr. Boulter thus: 'Sir, I must heartily thank you for putting this book into my hands; I bless God that moved you to do it, it hath sav ed my soul; blessed be God that ever I came into your shop.' And then he bought an hundred more of those books of him, told him he would give them to the poor who could not buy them, and so left him, praising and admiring the goodness of God."

6

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

The following "Survey of the Protestant Missionary Stations throughout the world, in their geographical order," taken from the Missionary Register for January 1819, will, doubtless, be gratifying to our readers; and its insertion, in this place, is intended to present a summary of the Missionary Intelligence already published in this work; and also to serve as an introduction to the more detailed accounts which may be given hereafter, in the Christian Herald, of transactions within the limits of this "Survey."

ARRANGEMENT OF THE FOLLOWING SURVEY.

It has been found expedient, not to follow the usual division of the Four Quarters of the World; but to adopt that Order of the Stations which any one, desiring to visit them in succession, might be supposed to follow with the greatest convenience. In the circumnavigation of the Globe here sketched out for him, he would visit, by sea or by land, all the principal Ancient Christian Churches, as well as the Mahomedan and Pagan Nations.

His course might first be directed to WEST AFRICA, comprehending that portion of the Continent which lies between Morocco and

the Line. Crossing the Line, he would enter on that part of Africa which, lying south of the Line, may be classed in Missionary Records as SOUTH AFRICA; and which should be considered as including the Islands that lie off its south-eastern coast. Passing up the coast of EASTERN AFRICA, the Christian beholds, with hope of better days, as he works his way up the Red Sea, on the one hand Abyssinia and Nubia and Upper Egypt, and ARABIA on the other. On entering the MEDITERRANEAN, after surveying Syria and the Holy Land, he passes, by Lower Egypt, throughout the Barbary States; and then taking his station, for a time, in Malta, as the centre of this great scene of holy labour, he visits, in succession, the Ionian Islands, Greece, the Archipe lago, and the Lesser Asia. Passing into the BLACK SEA, and contemplating, as promising spheres of Christian Exertion, its Turkish and Russia Shores, he may make his way, by the Russian Provinces lying between the Black and the Caspian Seas-while he anticipates the final happiness of PERSIA, partly through these Provinces and partly by means of the maritime and continental access to that kingdom from Western India-into the almost boundless plains of NORTHERN ASIA, comprehending the Provinces of that quarter belonging to Russia, with the widely-extended regions inhabited by Tartar and other Tribes, whether independent or connected with any of the neighbouring Powers. By the great country of THIBET, he may proceed to CHINA; connected with which vast sphere of labour is INDIA BEYOND THE GANGES; whence, returning to the great scene of British Influence and Power, IN DIA WITHIN THE GANGES, he may afterwards traverse the whole series of ASIATIC ISLANDS, from Laccadive and Maldive to Japan. From these, his course would lie through the Insular Continents, as they may be denominated, of AUSTRALASIA, and the numerous groupes of POLYNESIA. Passing on, and contemplating the great Continent of SOUTH AMERICA, with earnest prayers for the rising of the Sun of Righteousness on that dreary region, he may reach Guiana, the solitary portion of that Quarter of the World where Protestant Christians are labouring for the good of the Heathen; and then, winding his course among the Islands and Shores of the WEST INDIES, and passing through the Tribes of the NORTHAMERICAN INDIANS, he may finish his vast survey, by contemplating, with admiration, the Triumphs of the Cross on the inhospi table shores of LABRADOR and of GREENLAND.

In this circumnavigation of the Globe, we have marked those. Divisions, under which all the present and future exertions for the Conversion of the World may probably be arranged with advantage.

Under each of these Divisions, the Societies which maintain Missions therein are arranged alphabetically in the following

Survey;* and under each Society are placed its Missionary Stations, in what appeared to be their most natural geographical order.

(To be Continued.)

BRITISH AND FOREIGN BIBLE SOCIETY.

Monthly Extracts from the correspondence of the B. and F. B. Society for January 31, 1819.

66

From this interesting paper we learn that on the 27th of October 1818, a Public Meeting was held in Liverpool, and a MARINE BIBLE SOCIETY," was formed, auxiliary to the National Institution.

The benefit of system in promoting the Bible Cause is most clearly exemplified in the following extract :

Progress of Ladies' Bible Associations in Devonshire.
October 31, 1818.

THE first Meeting of the Committee of the Exeter Ladies' Bible Association exhibited a most animating proof of the efficiency of these Institutions, and of the benefit of system, although established only four weeks. Reports were presented from every one of the fifty-three districts into which the city is divided; and the aggregate result, within this short space of time, has beenFree Subscribers

Subscribers for Bibles

617

735

1352

£155 14 5 1-2

22 14 7

Amount of Free Contributions

Amount of Subscriptions for Bibles

Total, 178 9 0 1-2

This is a result unexampled, under similar circumstances, in the history of the Bible Society. The Reports bore conclusive testimony to the necessity which existed for such an Institution, and to the highly beneficial effects, direct and collateral, which may be confidently anticipated; while they evinced the influence of that wisdom and prudence, on the part of those concerned, which are the best and surest guides to success.

Plymouth and its immediate vicinity, including a population of more than Eighty Thousand souls, constitute a scene of peculiar

interest.

Eight Associations have been already established, conducted by more than Three Hundred Ladies of the highest respectability in these towns; and several others are in contemplation.

* The Survey, of which this is the plan, will be commenced in our next, beginning with Western Africa.

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