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left withoQt some source io the state,to
which he i* gone. 5. Rich men spend, in
some cases, as much as 20,0001. and even
to ‘10,000?. in the funeral rites for the good
of the soul of a parent. 6. Finally, all the
dreadful immolations which have been men
tioned, have the good of a future state for
their object.
“ And thus the Hindoo spends much time
every day in religion; and taany give up
all their comforts, make the most costly
sacrifices, endure fatigue, pain, and famine,
for the good of the soul. Yea, some meet
death in its most terrible forms, under the
hope of obtaiuing the happiness of a future
state.”
He alone can appreciate the value of the
Christian atonement who has escaped from
the bondage of self-justification, into the
glorious liberty of the children of God.
Let those wbo are thus emancipated, whose
chains the Angel of the Covenant has thus
touched and broken, go forth in the spirit
of gratitude and love, to implore the same
boon for the dejected millions of Hmdostan.
——
LUTHER'S MONUMENT AT WITTEN
BERG.
The following account of the publick ex
hibition of the monument lately erected to
the memory of Martin Luther at Witten
berg, is extracted from a German news
paper.
“ The erecting of the monument was
commemorated wjth great solemnity on the
31st October. TTieday being extremely
fine, the concourse of people was very
great, and the? whole’ ceremony was con
ducted with a degree of order and solemni
ty suitable to the occasion, and which made
n profound impression on the spectators.
The statue of the great reformer, by M.
Schadow, is a master-piece. Before the
staWie was uncovered, the ancient and cele
brated hymn, * Ein teste Berg ist unser
Gott,’ was sung in chorus, and had a sur
prisingly sublime effect. Dr. Kitsch then
delivered a suitable discourse ; at the con
clusion of which, a signal being given, the
covering of the monument fell, and dis
closed this noble work. Many of the spec
tators, overpowered by their feeling-, fell
on their knees in adoration of the Almigh
ty, who gave us this great man. The
preacher then put up a solemn prayer,
concluding with the Lord’s Prayer; after
which the whole assembly sung the hymn,
‘TheL'wd appeared and restored to us
his work through his servant.’
“ In the evening a bright fire was kindled
in iron baskets placed around the inonu-!
uient, and was kepi up the whole night. l
Ai! til; houses, not excepting the smallest,
cottage, were illuminated; the Town-1
hopse, the Lyceum, the Castle, and the j
Barricks, were distinguished by suitable !h-;
scriptions, and a lofty illumination between
the*, towers of the town announced lbe|
feeling with which the inhabitants of Lu-’
liier - native place honoured his memory. .
Tne students from Halle, Berlin, aDd Leip-1
sic, conducted themselves in the most ex-,
emplary manner, and went at eleven at \
night to the market-place, where they sung
several academic!; songs. The memory of
this day will leave in the heart* of the peo
ple of Wittenberg, and of all Protestants,
an impression of respect and gratitude to
his majesty the King of Prussia, to whom
we are indebted for this solemn commemo- 1
ration.”
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
Os the Baptist Denomination in the U. States.
It is asserted by Cotton Mathrr, in his
Alagnalia, that “some of the first planters
in New England were Baptists.” They j
did not, however, assump the character of
a distinct denomination, until after the ar
rival of Roger Williams in Massachusetts, J
whose sen'.im its nod talents rendering him !
obnoxious to the government of the colony, ■
he was banished to Rhode Island ; and the !
first Baptist church formed in America,!
was founded at Providence, in 1G39. The
first church in Jfewport, R. !. founded in
1644 by Dr. Clark, was the second ; the
second in that town formed in IGSG, was
the third; (he church in Swansea, Massa-*
ebusetts, begun by John Miles, in IGG3, was
the fourth; and the first in Boston, found
ed first in Charlestown, in 16G5, by Thom
as Gould, was the fifth. In forty years
from the founding of the last mentioned
church, there arose eleven more in the
following order ; Sevenfh-day. Newport.
. 1671 ; Tiverton, R. 1. 1685; Middletown,
New Jersy, 1683 ; Penoepeck, now called
Lower Dublin. Pennsylvania, 1609; Pis
catawav. N. J. the same year; Charleston,
S. C. 1690; Cobansey, N. J. 1691 ; second
af Swansea, Massachusetts, 1693; Welch
Traci. Defawaie, 1701 : Groton, Cnnnecti-
cut, 1705; Seventh-day, Piscataway, N. J.
1707. The fir<t church in Philadelphia
-was in reality formed in 1698, although it
has been generally dated in 1746, when it
was re-organized.— Benedict's History of
the Baptists , vol. i. p. 272.
Thus in almost a hundred years after the
first settlement of America, only seventeen
Baptist churches had arisen in it. Nine of
them were in New England. Os these sev
enteen churches, only four, that is, the
three in Mass, and the one in Connecticut,
were annoyfd on account of their religious
principle*; and of these fonr the church at
* Boston suffered most severely.
In the year 1707, the Philadelphia Asso
ciation was formed of the following church
es, viz. Pennepeck, Middletown, Piscata
qua, Cohansey and Welch Tract. This
Association wa9 the first in America. From
1707 till 1740, about twenty new churches
were formed in different parts of the United
Slates. Some were of the Arminian cast;
but most of them adopted the Calvinistick
faith. About this period no very remaka
ble events appear to have occurred. The
churches in New England, except Rhode
Island, tvere persecuted and fleeced; those
in other parts were left at liberty to serve
TT
God, and dispose of their properly aS they
pleased.
/kbout the year 1740, a very powerful
work of grace began in New England, and
prevailed in most parts of the United States.
It was called, by way of derision, the New
Light Stir. This work commenced under
the famous George Whitfield. There was
much opposition. But it is said that, as
they took the Bible for their guide, Baptist
principles extensively prevailed.
Towards the conclusion of the American
war, and for a number of years subsequent
to the termination of that serious conflict,
there were very extensive revivals of reli
gion in different parts of the land, and Bap
tist principles spread to a considerable de
gree. In the year 1780, according to Mr.
Backus, not less than two thousand persons
were baptized in New England only.
ten years, beginning wilh 1780, and ending
with 1789, considerably over two hundred
churches were organized in different parts
of the U. States. During this period a
number of ministers, and with them a con
siderable number of brethren, fell in with
Eihanan Winchester’s notion of universal
restoration.
In 1790, John Asplund published his first
Register of the Baptist denomination in
America. It was anew attempt of the
kind, atHl as correct as could he expected.
By this it appears there were, at the date
of it, in the United States and in the Terri
torie*, eight hundred and sixty-eight church
es, eleven hundredund thirty-two ministers,
including those who were not ordained, and
sixty-four thousand nine hundred and seven
ty-five members. In 1791, Mr. Asplund
published a second Register. By this it ap
pears that our brethren in some states had
increased greatly, and in others they re
mained nearly as they were in 1790. Since
Asplund published his last Register, a num
her of computations have been made of the
extent of the Baptist interest in America ;
but no list of churches had been attempted
until it was undertaken by Air Benedict.
Since the close of the American Revolu
lion, not many of our brethren have been
troubled on account of their religious opin
ions.
After some observations on the New
Light Stir, and the succeeding years, Air.
Benedict says. “On the whole, it appears
that baptism is fast returning to its primi
tive mode. A general conviction seems to
he prevailing, that infant sprinkling is an
invention ot men, and ought to bn laid
aside ; that believers are the only subjects
jof the baptismal rite, and that immersion is
i the only way in which it ought to be ad
ministered. Os late years a considerable
j number of ministers of the Pedobaptist or
{der have come over to the Baptist side ;
j some whole churches, and many parts of
others, have done the same; and we look
forward to the time, when there shall be
‘with the saints of God but one Lord, one
•faith, and one baptism,
i By the estimate made by Mr. Benedict,
in the year 1313, it appears the sum total
of the Baptist denomination in the United
States was as follows; churches, 2633;
ministers. 2113; and members, 204,185;
including 110 churches, 415 ministers, and
25,139 members of unassociated churches,
those who hold to weekly communion,
Free-will Baptists, those who call them
selves Christians , and Dimker Baptists,
which numbers being subtracted, leaves
the number of Regular Baptists, about the
year, 1813—churches, 2223; ministers,
1797; metnbers, 178.496. This estimate
includes 19
1230 members, in Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick.
By the fourth Annual Report of the Bap
tist Board of Foreign Missions it appears,
that in the year 1819 the state of the Reg
ular Baptists was about as follows ; Associa
tions, 138: churches, 2682; ministers,
1859 in 125 associations; 172.033 mem
bers, and probably in all (he associations
190.000 members, of whom 12,270 had
been bapiized thp preceding year; making
an increase, in about five years, of 459
churches, 62 ministers, and 11,504 mem
bers.
By the Report of the same Board, in
1821, it appears that the present state of
the Raptist denomination is, 3298 churches,
2255 ministers, 207,073 members, of whom
17,296 were baptized the preceding year;
making an increase, in three years, of 616
churches, 396 ministers, and 19,073 mem
bers.
In this brief view of the ri s e and pres
ent state of the Rapiists, we have much to
excite our admiration ; for we see them ri
sing, in proportion as the country in which
we live has risen; and at the present time,
from various circumstances, we may antici
pate, that the principles of the Baptists,
which we believe, in general, to be the
principles of the Bible, will obtain a still
more universal spread. Yet there is much
to excite our regret a members of a body
which we would be glad to see flourish,
and as the servants and promoters of the
cause of Christ. In general, it may he
said that the number of ministers has not
increased in proportion to the churches;
for, in 1790, we find 868 churches, and
1132 ministers; and in 1813, 2233 church
es, and about 1797 ministers. And though
the disproportion has not been so great in
succeeding years, yet the increase has not
equalled that of the churches. At present,
allowing that every minister is employed
i on each Sabbath, there must he about 1043
| churches left destitute every Sabbath.
I How much is not lost by this!—for certain
; ly it is very desirable, that on every Sab
bath the people of God composing those
destitute churches should be instructed in
the mysteries of the kingdom, and in each
congregation sinners be warned to flee
from the wrath to come.
But this is not all; many of the present
ministers are not able to give themselves
wholly to the work, so that much of their
invaluable time is lost in worldly pursuits,
that they may be supported.
Disheartening as this picture may appear
yet we have reason to be glad that some of
our churches and associations are under the
influence of better principles; and we may
reasonably expect, from the times and cir
cumstances under which we live, that the
state of things with respect to the Baptist
denomination in the United States will un
dergo such a change, that, like the waters
of the sanctuary, it will wideu and deepen,
until lost io the ocean of that period when
all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
[Columbian Star. -
CHEROKEE INDIANS.
1 Letter from the -Rev. Thomas Roberts to the
‘, Rev. O. B. Brown, dated
Valiev Towns, Jan. 22, 1822.
1 Dear Brother,
1 I received your printed favour of the 22d
ult. and am glad to find that the College is
in so prosperous circumstances.
We shall always hold the friends at
Washington in grateful remembrance, for
their kindness to us on our pilgrimage, f
have often observed that where a pastor is
hospitable and kind, the flock is disposed to
copy afier him.
The Lord and his people were very
good to u*. all the way, so that our journey
was rendered truly pleasant. We arriv
ed at .the Valley Towns all in health, and
could look back on our track with grateful
astonishment, that notwithstanding we had
travelled the distance of tight hundred
miles, and some of that as rough as the
United States can present, yet not a person
was injured, not a nor a wag
"n broke down.
The Cherokees received us in the most
friendly manner, many of them running to
the road to shake hands with us, and saying,
Ossee! [good.]
‘['he face of (he country is very rough,
and so is the civil arid mural state of the
people who inhabit it; but they show
strong desire to improve, and there is no
doubt but a few years’cultivation will effect
a great change in their manners : and God,
who alone can elevate valleys and bid
mountains sink, will, we hope, raise these
poor Cherokees from the dust, and place
them with the princes of his people.
The school is increasing very fast since
we came here. In,about three weeks, 13
or 14 crime of their own accord, and most of
them are full-blooded Cherokees. The
whole number of Cherokee scholars is fifty
j four; and though their skin is red, or dark,
; I assure yon, their mental powers are white
| —few while children can keep pace wilh
i them in learning; aDd many of them can
work well. They are trained, not only to
I books, pencils, and pens, but also to the
’ hoe, the mattock, the plough, the scythe,
and the sickle. These useful instruments
! rise in value amongst them, and one of their
greatest cares is to keep them sharp and
bright; while those of destruction are cov
ered with rust.
Or.e thing I must not omit. These 54
little Indians are half naked ; and when
they lie down at night we have not blankets
enough to cover them. The cold disturbs
their midnight sleep, and drives them from
their straw beds to seek warmth at the
fire-side. There are many godly families
in your city, who, if they knew the wants
of the children here, would send us some
relief: pray tell them; and they will en
joy the happiness that arises from doing
good, and lay up for themselves a good
foundation for the time to come.
We have a Sunday school, and a Sunday
School Society, which was formed five
weeks ago. About forty Indians became
members, and some of them subscribed $1
per annum There were more than thirty
dollars subscribed in less than an hour.
This may excite you to cry, like the
servant of Elijah, “ I see a cloud like a
man’s hand, rising from the sea.”
BAPTIST ASSOCIATION IN MISSIS
SIPPI.
From the Minutes of the last session of
the “Union Baptist Association,” convened
at the Meeting-House of Hopewell Church,
in Franklin County, Mississippi, we observe
that an evangelical Missionary spirit influ
ences our brethren in that distant section
of our country ; and although no great re
vivals had taken place in the churches, yet
harmony and brotherly love seemed to pre
vail amongst them. Their Circular Letter
the Association had been fa
voured with a full representation, and that
the ministers had manifested a happy liber
ty in preaching the gospel.—The follow
ing paragraphs are extracted from ‘.he
Minutes:—
“ Brother John Smith, our missionary
since the last Association, made his Report,
which was read, in which he states that in
eighteen months past, he has preached
about four hundred sermons, and to about
forty thousand persons; and duripg that
time has travelled nearly eight thousand
miles.
“ Received by the hand of our clerk a
communication from “ The Board of Mana
gers of the Baptist General Convention of
the U. States,” whereupon, Resolved , That
we heartily approve of the measures and
objects embraced in that communication;
that we feel a prayerful concern for our
foreign mission at Rangoon, in the empire
of Burmah, which appears to be in *great
jeopardy in the midst of the rage of the
heathen; and that we express our pleasure
in the success of missionary labours at home
and abmad, and our sincere wish to be
auxiliary to a cause that must finally tri
umph over the fearful powers of darkness.”
Believe always that most people are not half so
good as their friends represent them, nor half so
bad as they are painted by their enemies, and
you may be certain that you will derive many im
portant benefits from it.
Bethel Union.— On the 7th iust. a prayer
meeting was held at Charleston, S. C. on
hoard the ship Monarch, Capl. Burnside.
The following notice of this interesting
event is copied from the Charlston Cou
rier :
“ A light was hoisted nt the mast-head,
and an awning spread over the deck, from
the edge? of which sails were hung, suffi
cient to protect the worshippers from the
weather. On entering these walls, we
were delighted to see about 100 hardy sea
men collected, and waiting with serious si
lence lor the geutleman whoAwas to offi
ciate. Over the capstans a large stand
ard was folded, and this was the preach
er’s desk : while a flag covered the chair
intended for him. Lights were hung up
within the awning sufficient to enable os
‘to see well all that passed ; and. we can
safely say, we never witnessed a more
decorous and attentive meeting. Such
prayer meetings it is intended to keep
up, whenever the masters or owners of
vessels shall offer them : and notice will
always be given by hoisting the Bethel
Flag during the day, and a light at the
mast-head at night. \Ve understand Capt.
Burnside has politely’offered the use of
his ship for the same purpose again.”
WORTHY OF IMITATION.
The following article would have been publish
ed at an earlier day, bad not the paper which con
tained it been mislaid. We trust that the ex
ample here shewn will be followed in other sec
tions of the state.
FROM THE-DARIEN GAZETTE.
Messrs. Editors—lt cannot fail to he
highly gratifying to the friends of virtue
and of good order to observe so general a
combination as the subjoined article exhib
its of the most repeclable names in our
community, in suppressing an evil which
ha? long been justly complained of as mili
tating equally against the civil and the di
vine laiv.
It is sincerely hoped that after so unani
mous an expression of the publick senti
meut, no other steps will be necessary
to secure the important end propos
ed. But lest some misguided persons
should still sees disposed to persevere in a
violation of the Sabbath , so generally dis
countenanced, we beg leave to call the
publick attention to the “ Georgia Justice,
sec. 3d, of the act to prohibit trading with
slaves,” page 35—in which all trading
with slaves at any time without a legal tick
et, is strictly prohibited under penalty ofa
fine, which, at the discretion of the court,
may be laid at SSO0 —and as to the light in
which the Sunday trade is regarded by the
law, the following clause quoted literally
from the same section will sufficiently
shew :—“ If any slave or slaves shall be
found in any store-house or tippling shop,
unless sent by his, her or their owner,
overseer or employer, after the hour of 9
o’clock at night or before day-break in the
motning, or on the SABBATH DAY, it
shall be taken and received as presumptive
evidence against the person or persons
owning or person keeping the store or tip
pling shop of a violation of this act.”
We the sub-crihers proprietors of slaves
in the county of M’lntosh, for the impor
tant purpose of supporting the laws of God
and the laws of the state, and thereby pro
moting the interests of morality and good
order in our community, do hereby engage
to prohibit them from trafficking & trading
on the Sabbath day ; and in order that this
arrangement may not interfere with the
comfort and convenience of the citizens of
Darien, nor with the trade of the mer
chants, we promise to permit our people
some time in the week to bring in their ar
ticles for sale with a legal ticket; and we
cordially invite the Honourable the City
Council and the citizens individually, to co
operate with us in this laudable undertak
ing.
William A. Dunham , James Nephew,
James Smith , John Kell, Ebenezer S. Rees,
James Troup, Roswell King , sen. Barrington
King, Charles West, Roswell King, junior,
agent of P. Butler , esquire, James Dun
woody, William R. M'lntosh, Thomas Spal
ing, C. 11. M'lntosh, John M'lntosh, James
H. Giekic, Daniel 11. Brailsford, William
Cooke, John Hutson , William Carnochan,
Scott Cray.
We the undersigned do cordjally unite
our endeavours to promote the important
cause entered into by the above named
gentlemen holding slaves in this county.
Charles M'Gregor, Rufus R. and H. Mer
rile. Henry T. Hall, Anson Kimberly, Charles
L. Champayne, Armand Ltfils, C. Thayer,
C. Campbell 4* Cos. C. G. Jones, N. •Thomas,
A. Smith 4” Cos. P. fy S. P. Hurd, Benjamin
Williams, Henry Atwood, Abner Beers , Lewis
Peek, Orrin Bills, Camp 4” Rogers, N. 4- O.
Legriel.
PROPHECY AND HISTORY.
The 44th and 45th verses of the 11th
chapter of the book of Daniel, contain the
following predictions ; .
44. But tidings out of the East and out
of the North shall trouble him ; therefore
he shall go forth with great fury to de
stroy, and utterly to take away many.
45. And he shall plant the tabernacles
of his palaces between the seas, in the glo
rious holy mountain ; yet he shall come to
his end, and none shall help him.
On this passage, Mr. Scott, an eminent
commentator, offers the following remark
able exposition.
“ All the attempts of the commentators
to apply this to Antiochus have proved
fruitless; for though he went forth with
great indignation to subdue some revolted
provinces in the east and in the north,
yet he never returned into Judea,
which land alone can be intended by
the u glorious holy mountain.’’ It is
more, probably concluded, that this part
of the prophecy relates to events yet
future. Some conjecture that (fie Per*;' ‘
ans who border on the Turkish donuin
ions to the East, and the Russians who ij P i
North of them, will unite agaiost i|, e
Turks ; that in the land of Canaan u, e
latter will fix their camp with great osten
tation, ax well as wage the war with g reit ,
fury ; and that there they shall receive
such a defeat, as shall end in the
subversion of their monarchy.”—[S C0 (p s
Bible, 4th American from the second Boa.
don edition, Vol. 3.
The reader need not he told how exact
ly the above passage applies to the late
news from Europe, of an expected alliance
between the Russians end Persians against
the Turks. If Air. Scott had written his
commentary after reading a modern news,
paper, he could not have adapted it more
exactly tri the events of the day. The
character of the warfare waged by (he
Turks is accurately described by the terms
“ great ostentation,” and great Ataj.’’.
We will only add, that should the w%\e \
prediction contained in the text be found
to apply to these events, we shall hear of
no alliances between the Turks and oth
er nations ; “/or he shall come to his
end, none shall help him.” Such a co
incidence i? very remarkable, and we are
surprised that it has not sooner been dis
covered.
N. Y. Statesman.
AFRIC \N ANECDOTE.
A writer in the New-York Christian
Herald, in discussing the necessity us in
structing Slaves, relates the following |l r j.
king fact:
That the the African is capable
of being rapidly enlightened, no one who
has ever studied its character, can doubt.
Avery respectable gentleman in one of the
southern cities, in a late letter to the wri
ter, observes: “ Aliss has a black
child, not twelve years old, under her in
struction, who has committed to memory
the whole of the New Testament! Do yon
know any white child that equals this ? I
know of none This child is free, and we
find generally a difference in intellect and
expansion of mind between the slaves and
the free blacks.” Is it to he supposed that
a mighty population of blacks, who are as;
high in the scale of being as ourselves, and!
who are rapidly increasing, can long con-!
tinue easy in the ignorance which now en -
velops them? 1 know it is a motto openly
avowed by some of our southern brethren,
that ‘the more ignorance, the betterslave,
and the greater safety !’ This may not on
ly be flatly denied, hut experience abun
dantly proves the contrary to be true.
Without fear of contradiction, I assert, (hat
it has been owing to the timely discoveries
of Christian slaves, that the lives of whole
neighbourhoods have been preserved,
when rebellions have been raised; and .
that every rebellion in the southern states
that has ever been made known,has been
discovered by those whose conscience?
were enlightened hv the Gospel; and l
need not say, that during the last war there
was ample need of such slaves about us,
even if we went only on the principle of
safety!’ Alas, and dare we rely upon this
barrier as a protection from every storm
that may arise ! And so the Gospel of Jesus
—the word of God, is to put a dagger into
the hand of the slave—the religion ofHea
ven is to teach our servants to cut our
throats ! Or perhaps the slaves of America
are an exception to the’command ‘preach
the Gospel to every creature? —orperhaps
St. Paul’s instructions to servants would on
ly serve as a standard of rebellion in our
land ! No—it is our duty to teach them the
word ot God—it is for our safety to this
—the Gospel was designed for such—the
eternal God has commanded this, t and wo
to that short-sighted, that hard-hearted,
that cruel policy, which dares withhold
from them the Gospel of glory, uuder the
pretence that our safety demands this.
- w— —
The Infidel conquered by the Bible.
A society of infidels once assembled to
declare their solemn protest against the
word of divine revelation, by destroying
the Bible. A large fire was kindled,’ and
the Bible placed upon a table in the middle
ot the room, around which they were seat
ed. One of the boldest in profanity was
appointed to take the sacred hook from ttye
table, and lay it upon the fire, while all the
company, were to testify their approbation
of its destruction. He took the Bible'in
his hand—walked solemnly to the fire,
where he stood trembling for a moment —
and then returned it to the table—sayiqg,
“ 1 dare not burn this book, till we can find
a better in its stead.” The whole compa
ny were so struck with this unexpected re
buke, that they dispersed without effecting
their object; leaving the Bible a victorious
occupant of the place of their former rev
elry.
From the Boston Recorder.
The following effusion from the heart
of one of the Fathers in the New-Englafid
Churches, being part of a letter to'a
nephew, looking forward to the ministry,
contains a testimony to the truth of our
religion.
“ My sun is far in the west, having al
most closed my eixtv-fourth year ; and it
gives me feelings unutterable. The world
all slides from under me. I see nothing
here but vanity. But the truths of the word
of God, appear more and more real, and of
amazing importance. The testimony of
the word concerning the sinfulness, wretch
edness, and weakness of man ; concerning
the Lord Jesus Christ, as God with us;
his atonement, righteousness, intercession ;
and his infinite, unchangeable and eter
nal fulness; and concerning the Holy
Spirit, to change and sanctify the heart;
to shew us the things of Jesus ; and fill the
broken heart with peace and consola
tion —these and the like thing? increase in