Newspaper Page Text
No. 33. Vol. IV.
HUMANITY AND GRATITUDE.
In the reign of Queen Anne, of England,
no courtier was more caressed than the no-
Lle Butler, duke of Ormond. Among other
lionours conferred upon him, he was ap
pointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland ; and in
sailing with his attendants from Chester to
Dublin, wa9 overtaken by a violent storm,
which drove them on the rocks of Anglesea,
avhere they were wrecked. His grace and
part of his company with difficulty saved
their lives’by swimming to the land.
The part of the island where they came
on was cold, barren and uncultivated.
They travelled up some mile 9 through a
desert, and the first house they arrived at
was fne humble cottage of a poor curate.—
It wias small, and indifferently furnished, as
every one would expect from the poverty
of the place, and a very scanty salary.
But the humanity and open-hearted hos
pitality of the curate and his wife, made
amends for all. Having kindled up a lire,
they dried the garments of their weather
beaten guests, set before them the best fare
their boti9e afforded, lodged them a3 well
as they were able ; and here they tarried
till the Rtorm was over.
Ormond was as much affected with the
kind reception he had met with, as he was
entertained with the peaceful contentment
which reigned in this humble abode. He
inquired out the name of his host, which
was Joseph R—. He asked some questions
respecting his circumstances; and on his
departure he promised to remember him.
His secretary aLthe same time gave the
Curate directions where he might find his
guests if he ever should come to Dublin.
We are now to follow the noble duke to
his government, where that 9oon befel him,
which has happened to many others m simi
lar situations. Variety of business, pleas
ure and amusements crowded from his mind
his humble, generous benefactor, and the
promise he had made him.
The curate waited long to hear from the
duke, but in vain. At length, roused by
bis wife, he resolved to push his fortune;
and having equipped himself as decently as
he could, he set off for the Irish metropolis.
Though obscurely stationed, he was
known to the dean as a man of no contemp
tible abilities, and of course was introduced
to preach at the cathedral, where the duke
attended with many'of the nobility of the
kingdom and other persons of figure and
distinction.
He had prepared a sermon for his pur
pose ; and this was his text; Gf.n. xl. 23.
Yet did not the Chief Butler remember Joseph ,
bat forgot him. He discoursed, as his text
naturally led him, upon the sin of ingrati
tude, which he painted in lively colours,
especially the ingratitude of the great and
affluent, in forgetting the friendly offices
they might, one time or other, have receiv
ed from persons in humble life.
He observed, however, that this negli
gence might arise not so much from innate
depravity of heart, a9 from particular cau
ses; from deep engagement in business,
from the amusements and dissipations of
high life; perhaps from the many solicita
tions of mercenary sycophants, ever pres
sing to he heard.
He came to his application, and asked his
honourable audience, whether some among
them had not, in the vicissitude of human af
fairs, received important offices of friend
ehip from people in far humbler circum
stances, but blest with generous hearts:
and whether they had in no instance forgot
ten such kindness, instead of rewarding it
ten fold.
He brought up the case of shipwreck,
where the affluent have often become de
pendent on the poor, and led his hearers
each to put the question to himself, “ Was
I ever in my life exposed to the rage of the
merciless elements, where all nature seem
ed to conspire to my destruction ? Did I ev
cr see my companions buried in the de
vouring deep, and myself brought safe to
Jand with a surviving few ? And did any
poor, hut conteuted man, with his kind
hearted wife„|receive me with my ship
wrecked associates, and warm and comfort
us to the utmost of their power, and wished
to have done much more; and never suffer
Us to depart, till serene skies and genial
sunshine prepared our way? And have I
suffered such benevolence to go unnoticed
and unrewarded, and my benefactors to re
main, perhaps to languish, under the pres
sure of friendless poverty ?”
Ormond was all attention; and his heart
smote him, when, on a closer examination
of the features and countenance of the
preacher, he recognized his generous land
lord of Anglesea. Turning to his secreta
ry, is not this our honest friend Joseph?
said the duke. I believe it is, replied the
Secretary. Upon this; orders were instant
ly given to invite him to dine.
When he came into the duke’s presence,
he frankly confessed to him (though uot
without a modest blush or two) that he
thought he had one opportunity in his life,
to put him in mind of his promise, and he
had embraced it. You are a deserving, hon
est man, replied his grace, and ordered an
immediate'inquiry into the vacancies of the
church. A living of three hundred pounds
a year was found vacant: and to this his
lordship at once advanced him.
THE MISSIONARY.
But how short lived is human power!
And how sudden, many times, the transitions
of fortune! At the accession of George I.
Ormond was divested of his honours; fled
from a capital impeachment, and his whole
fortune was seized by the crown. For some
time the liberality of his friends supported
him, but he ultimately fell into real poverty.
His old friend Joseph now remembered
him. This grateful man, hearing of the
duke’s misfortune, settled upon him, with
the free consent of his wife, two hundred a
year, out of the three hundred which the
duke in his better days, had settled upon
them. A first year’s salary was according
ly remitted to their benefactor.
Surprised at this liberality, his grace
wrote a peculiar detail of it to a nobleman
at court, who, though a zealous partizan of
another faction, maintained with him an in
violable friendship.
By his interest, Joseph was promoted to
a living of five hundred a year; and would
now have rejoiced to make a generous ad
dition to the duke’s support: But Ormond,
in the mean time retired to that country
“ From whose bourne
A r o traveller returns I”
And Joseph could relieve no more the mis
fortunes of his noble patron.
—
HEATHEN CUSTOMS.
Extracts from letters recently received from
Mr. James Garrett, late ofthe village of Utica,
and now a Missionary at Bombay, to his corres
pondent in said village.— Utica Ch. Rep.
To day, (Dec. 11, 1821.) for the first
time, I witnessed the shocking ceremony of
Hook Swinging. It is not universally, but
rather rarely, practised on this side of India.
You have, doubtless, seen some account of
it; hut as there is a considerable variety in
the modes of performing the ceremony,
you may find it not uninteresting to read
my account.
Brother Hall, having received informa
tion from one of the school teachers in his
employ, of the time and place of the cere
mony, walked out with me to the place,
which was about three quarters of a mile
distant from our dwelling. On arriving at
the spot, we found a large collection of the
natives, of all ages, and both sexes,wvho ap
peared quite merry, and eager to see the
horrid sport begin.
I was much struck with the appearance
of the spectators. They seemed to deem
it a season of rare amusement; aod snch is
the amusement best relished by their de
based minds.
The machine for elevating the person
who is to swing, is constructed as follows;
There are two wheels, about the size of
our common cart wheels, (though rather
more ponderous,) supporting a strong axle
tree : in the centre of this axle, i9 an up
right post, about twelve or fifteen feet in
height—This resembles the post foe a well
sweep, and has a pole passing through the
top of it, in the same manner as is often
seen at our “ good, old fashioned” wells.
From ihe axle, are long pieces extended
both back and forward, touching the ground
at the ends, intended to keep the axle from
turning; else the post would not retain its
upright position. This machinery is hung
with small holts, which add to the confus
ion at the time of the ceremony. When
the swinger came forward, he was accom
panied by a number of musicians, who were
doing all in their power to inspire him with
enthusiasm, and to excite the acclamations
of the multitude.
After running twice round, in a circle of
about ninetYyards, which was kept open for
the purpose, he was brought up to the car.
The hook wa9 fastened in his back, previ
ous to his being brought on the spot. As
soon as he was brought to the car, one end
of the pole, (passing through (he top of the
post, aqd being about twenty-five or thirty
feet long,) was brought down, and a rope,
passing through the ring of the hook in his
back was made fast to the pole near the
end. The length of rope for him to swing
bv, was about two and a half feet. The
opposite end of the pole was brought down,
and bound to the long piece extending from
the axle. The pieces from the axle were
so fastened, that they could be raised a few
inches from the ground, to allow the cart to
move forward
Soonflfter the man was raised from the
ground, the establishment was set in motion
by about forty men, who drew it by means
of ropes. They went five times round, in
the circle aforementioned, with about as
much rapidity a9 a horse would naturally
trot. There was another rope suspended
from the pole, about two feet from the one
on which the man swung by which he sup
ported himself; though apparently,, sup
porting but a small part ojf his weight by it.
He manifested not the least symptom of
pain. With the hand that was disengaged,
he scattered a kind of sacred dust over the
people from a bag tied round his body ; a
quantity of which fell into my eye: but I
happily got it out, without experiencing
any injury. He was dangling his leg about
in a careless manner, during the whole of
the time. His mouth was filled with beet
tie nut, beettle leaves, and tobacco. The
length of time that be was suspended, was
about seven minutes.
When 1 perceived that he was to be ta
ken down, 1 made considerable exertion to
MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK COUNTY, GEORGIA,) MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 1823.
CO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD AND FRENCH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATTTRE.
get near to him, and succeeded, though it
appeared to give some offence. My object
was, to see how the hook was formed and
inserted. 1 got so near, as to put my hand
upon his back, and see for myself, that
there was no deception; but that his weight
was really sustained by a hook fastened in
the flesh. It was a hook with two prongs,
nearly in the form of two fish-hooks, with
their backs together. The size of the wire
or iron, was about one third of an inch in
diameter at the bend. It was inserted
about half way between the shoulders and
the loins. The shape of the hook was such,
as to leave one and a half or two inches
spare, between the branches at the bend.
One of these branches was placed each
side of the spine—appeared to go pretty
deep, and to come out again about an inch
from where it entered. I should not have
thought it possible, that any person could
have endured such an operation, without
expressing more sense of pain: and after
witnessing it, still it seems almost incredible.
After he was taken down, he was immedi
ately hurried off the spot; so I had little
time to examine the apparatus.
They have other modes: so you must
not wonder if this agrees with no former
description you may have seen. The man
who swung today was about twenty-five
years old. I understand this is not don? to
expiate sin, but in performance of a vow.
For instance, a man or woman desires a
particular favour from any of their gods,
either for him or herself or family—the
vow is then made, that if the boon is grant
ed, he or she will swing a specified length
of time.
I before referred to the custom of wo
men in performance of their vows prostrat
ing themselves in the dust on their way to
the temple. This vow is made on similar
occasions, and is very frequent. I under
stand it is usually made in this way: If the
desired benefit is granted, she (for I have
seen none but women performing it) is to
measure the distance from her dwelling to
the temple of the god to whom the vow is
made, by prostration. It is seldom, that
these things are attended to by very opu
lent Hindoos, for they appear rather dispos
ed to let their purses suffer than their bod
ies, and often build tanks, &c. to obtain the
favour of their gods. I believe they also
do the same for the expiation of sin, or with
that view; though the general notion is
that they will suffer in another body for the
evil committed in this.
About half a mile from brother Hall’s is
Ihe present seat of idolatry in Bombay.
There is a large tank of water fifteen or
twenty rods square, walled with fine hewn
stone; on every side you can descend by
regular steps to the water’s edge. The
depth of the water is from three to eight
feet, according to the season of the year:
around this tank are a number of temples,
in the partings of which are a great number
of bells banging. In the inner rooms are
the idols, of different shapes, sizes, and
colours, made of wood and stone. Some
representing merely the figure of a man;
others have the body of a man, with an ele
phant’s, horses’s, sheep’s, or some other
beast’s head. Their worship commences
by ringing someone of the bells, and after
bringing an offering and presenting it to
their god, they go and bathe in the tank.
I have not yet been into the rooms where
the idols are kept, as the Brahmins esteem
the Europeans unclean, they are much
averse to our going in, unless we pull off
our shoes, and in that case they esteem it a
great condescension to admit us. At GP.
M. there is a great gingling of the Lells, as
at that time the people have generally got
through with the business of the day and
come to pay their homage to theirrespective
gods. The noise is o great as to preclude
the possibility of reflection. But thus it is
with these idolaters. The more confusion
the more devotion. These temples are
surrounded by a walk, within which are a
number of objects the most truly miserable
I ever beheld. There is one person I have
seen every time I have visited the place,
holding a small frame in his hand, which I
understand he has held for four or five
years. His fingers appear to be nearly
perished —the nails are grown out and cur
ved in like hawk’s claws in such a manner
as actually to grow into the palms of his
hand; as for flesh he can be said to have
none.
There is another who has for several
years carried one of his arms in an erect
posture. He never takes it down, and I
suppose he would be utterly unable to do
so were be to attempt it: as, by the appear
ance, he must have lost all use of the joints
—the arm is so far perished, that it is not
more than half its natural size. There are
a number of others who are practising va
rious austerities—their bodies nearly naked
and covered with ashes and powders of va
rious colours, their hair matted together.
&c. These are esteemed the holiest of
men by the deluded people, and are contin
ually receiving gifts of rice and other food,
to prolong their miserable existence. It is
supposed by the natives that these holy per
sons have a great influence with their gods,
and are able to bring down blessings or
curses on whom please. This ac
counts for their readiness to hestow gifts
upon them. These are some of the lesser
abominations of idolatry. The burning of
widows, beating the sick to death to appease
the angor of their gods, are still known to i
be practised. ,
Now, are these miserable creatures to |
be left thus to go on age after age ? Have i
Christians the means of sending them the
gospel, and teachers to direct them to the i
only Saviour; and will they withhold their
silver and their gold ? Do’ they prize im
mortal souls ? Do they prize the gospel, and
will they not do their utmost to send it to
them? It is true that something has been
done for this and other dark regions: hot
it is nothing in comparison to the wants of
the pagan world.
Your* most affectionately,
JAMES GARRETT.
FROM THE BOSTON RECORDER.
RELIGIOUS SUMMARY.
The Moravian Missionaries at Paramari
bo, Surrinam, in the course of the last year
baptized 73 adult Negroes and 18 children
—-admitted 56 to the Holy Communion;
readmitted 10; excluded 14. At the end
ofthe year 1820, the congregation consist
ed of 722 communicants, 93 baptized adults,
254 baptized children. The total amount
of negroes under their care is 1154 —The
latest regular accounts we have seen from
the Moravian Missions in the West Indies,
come down only to September, 1821.
At St. Johns, Antigua, 26 adults were bap
tized, beside 46 children; and 82 were ad
ded to the candidates for baptism, on the
2d of that month. At Bassaterre, St. Kitts,
3 adults were baptized aod 15 children.—
15 also became candidates for baptism on
the same day. The clergy of the Estab
lished Church in this island are active in
promoting the welfare of the negro popu
lation—and the Church Missionary Society
have stationed one of their Missionaries
there, Mr. Pemberton, who holds service I
in the parish church three times a week,
and has formed a society among the colour
ed people. At New Eden, Jamaica, 146
were baptized or admitted to the Lord’s
Supper between Easter 1820 and Easter
1821. This congregat ion is under the care
ot Mr. Becker, and is quite prosperous.—
The spiritual state of the Moraviau congre
gations at GroenekToof and Gnadenthal,
South Africa, by the last accounts, is very
encouraging. At Gnadenthal, the number
of communicants is 512. The work of God is
manifest among them, in their continued at
tachment to his ordinances, and their exem
plification of the Christian virtues.—The
number of baptized Hottentot® at Groenek
loof is 364; the congregation are diligent in
their attendance at church.—At Enon, on
the Witte Reveir, the number of Hottentot
boys and girls at school is 58. They show
a great desire to be instructed, and would
learn well if they had suitable books in suf
ficient numbers.- The Moravian Mission
aries have formed a fifth establishment on
the island of Antigua, at Cedar Hall, whpre
the prospect of gathering a congregation is
favourable,- —A Moravian Mission is about
to be established in the island of Dotninico,
which has proved the grave of many Meth
odist Missionaries.—By extracts from pri
vate letters in the Moravian “Intelligenc
er,” we learn that the work of the Lord
continues to prosper at St. Johns, Antigua,
as late a9 July 19, of this year—that 69
hadju9t beeD appointed for baptism and re
ception—and 76 were approved candidates
for baptism. The American Missionary
Register, heretofore the property of an in
dividual, will be published hereafter, like
the Missionary Herald, under the direction
and for the exclusive benefit ofthe United
Foreign Missionary Society. It will con
tain 32 pages, and be afforded at the price
of $1 50 per ann. It will be conducted as ‘
belore, by Mr. Lewis, Secretary for Domes
tick Correspondence, in that Society.
The collections taken up for (he Palestine
Mission in New York, at three several
meetings, while Messrs. Goode 11 and Bird
were there waiting to embark, amounted
to S6OO 47. Such tokens of Christian har
mony and love are precious indications of i
the approach of that time when all the
watchmen on the walls of Zion shall see i
eye to eye. The Baptist Missionaries at
Bencoolen, Sumatra, are directing their
attention particularly to the native schools.
Upwards of 100 persons attend the schools
about the settlement, and a growing dispo
sition to appreciate education is evident.
They have received a request from six vil
lages at a distance, for schools, to which
the natives promise to send nearly 200
children. These schools are commencing
and the prospect is favourable to the much
wider extension of the system. They are
preparing and printing school-books in the
Malay language; distributing hymn-books,
and the Gospel of Matthew, both in the
Arabick and Roman character. Mr.
Knill who is stationed at St. Petersburg,
earnestly recommends that a pious and zeal
ous minister of the Gospel be sent to Mos
cow, where there are many who would
gladly receive him; and the Loudon Mis
sionary Society will aid in the support of a
minister there fora time, if the/cun find a
suitable man. At a late collection for
Missionary purposes at Stroud, |fcg. a
note was put into the box with a Latin mot
to on it, denoting “ From God, To Gou.”-r-
Price. $ s 3 > so P r> ann - or> \
r r?tC ’(s3,oo in advance. $
A school of 200 pupils is maintained in
Poarl, S. Africa, (a short distance E.
of Cape-Town,) under the superinteudance
of the Missionary Mr. Evans, and the pro
gress of the natives, in knowledge; is
cheering. The slaves have formed two
penny-a-week societies, one male and the
other female, for Missionary purposes.
Beside the school above mentioned, an ev
ening school has been established, in which
some of the most influential gentlemen of
the town assist, and from 100 to 150 adults
and slave children attend three evenings a
week. Their progress has beea surpris
ingly rapid. Anew Missionary chapel
has been commenced at Bellary, in the
Mission garden, and is very conveniently
situated for the accommodation of .the na
tives. The London Sabbath School Un
ion has in its connexion 5,637 schools,
375 teachers, and 650,542 scholars ;—the
additions within the last year were 622
schools, 14,148 teachers, and 138,959 schol
ars. The meeting-house in Berry-street,
London, where Dr. Watts formerly minis
tered, has been recently re-opened, to ac
commodate the congregation lately wor
shipping in Queen street chapel. The
Theological Academy at Idle, Eng. has had
16 students the past year; six of them have
finished their academical and gone
to labour iu their master’s vineyard.^—•
The number of sailors and their wives, &c.
who attended divine service, Sabbath after
noons, od board the Floating Chapel at Liv
erpool iD July last, was about 950. Mach
good has been done. In Raritan, N. J.
61 were admitted to the church last spring,
and 145 in October following: whole num
ber 2(76. 60 of them were coloured peo
ple. In seven other churches in the vicin
ity, 346 have been received withiu eight
months. Total, 546. Rev. William Ja
cobs was ordained at Occoquon meeting
house, Prince William county, Va. Nov.
16; Sermon by Elder James Reid. Indi
an Oldtown,* now called Orono, is a small
island in the Penobscot river, a little above
Bangor; containing about 300 acres of land
and about 300 souls, the remains of the Pe
nobscot tribe of Indians. The religion of
the present inhabitants is Roman Cutbohck,
having been instructed by a French Jesuit
missionary. Their venerable chief, Orono
died in 1801, aged 113 The Sabbath-
School Union tor Scotland, have in connex
ion 916 schools, 2,121 teachers, 55,864
children; beside these as many as 6,000
adults attended the schools the year before
the last—l 76 of these schools have libra
ries, in which there is au aggregate of
10,000 volumes.
Mr. B. Jadownisky the converted Jew, is
now at the Theological Seminary an Prince
ton, under the New-York Jews Society,
preparing for the ministry.—“ The Ameri
can Me iorating Society,” U now negotiat
ing for 20,000 acres of land on the Canal in
the Wesiern part of New-York, to give
employment to such emigrant Jews from
Europe as shall be recommended by Count
Von der Recke. Mr. Frey, the convert
ed Jew, has collected about SIOOO and
formed at least 106 Societies, auxiliaries to.
American Meliorating Society. He has re
ceived liberal contributions in Wilmington’
and New Castle Del. where Auxiliary So
cieties are formed. The Revival in
Deerfield, N. J. continues—3l were admit
ted to the Church on (he second Sabbath of
December. At Doyleston, Pa. 30 per
sons were received, on the 3d Sabbath in
December, making 76 added in less than a
year: il.is towo has had no stated pastor for
14 months; the Holy Spirit is evidently
operating still on many anxious minds. .
The Presbyterian Synod of Ireland, forma
a Home Missionary Society—its operations
were commenced in 1820.—1 t has received
assistance from Scotland and from England ;
under its auspices, the Gospel ha been
preached in many destitute places iu Ireland
with pleasing success, and prospects are
opened for the settlement of ministers in a
number of towns which have hitherto been
almost destitute ofthe gospel ministry.
Anew monthly publication has commeoeqd
at New-York, under the title of “ Israel’s
Advocate,” published by John P. Haven*
for the American Meliorating Society
John McCorob is Treasurer of that Society ;
Rev. Alexander McLeod, Secretary lor
Foreign Correspondence; Rev. Samuel H.
Cox, Secretary for Domestick Correspon
dence ; Wm. McMurray, Recordiog Secre-*
tary. The Cumberland Synod, compos.
ed of eight Presbyteries, chiefly we belie vo
in Tennessee, report that 2718 persons
have made a credible profession of religion
within their hounds during the past year,
and 525 adults have beeu baptized. In the
limits of one of these Presbyteries, a Pres
byterian minister was not known, four years
ago. In the same Presbytery (he conver
sions of the last year have been 555.—i \
revival has commenced and is increasing ia
Sharon, Con.—many are anxiously inquir
ing—and a good number are already re
joicing in hope.—.—-In Southampton, about
100 indulge hopes that they have been
born again within a few weeks, and many 1
more are earnest inquirers. In Hastham|
ton, between 40 and 50 are already rejoic
ing in hope-, and 150 recently attended an
inquiry meeting, convinced of sin, righte
ousness and judgment. It is slated that at
Jkdlnjr and several adjacent towns, a Work