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jSf r , Becker, one of the Jewish Missicta
*in Gwpkny, f late tour, in whith
iravelkd bot*t ISO miles, distributed
aljUfrtht Jew* 41 Hebrew Testament*,
4U< -terkisms, more than 209 Tracts and
500 Card-. He pare them only to those
ivbo appeared anxious to receire them, and
who were likely to make a pood improve
ment of them. He met with several indi
viduals who were deterred from the profes
sion ofiChristianity only by the necessity of
giving up tbelr livelihood for the sake ot
profession, and faithfully improved his op
pnrtimity to give them instruction suited to
their state of mind. At Lissa there are be
tween 4 and 5000 Jews. The Lutheran
Clergymen there and at Rawi-Z seemed
deeply interested for the conversion of the
Jews, and promised whatever aid they might
be able to render to the cause.
Mr. Thelwall states, that in bis travels in
Holland, in the cause of the Jews, he finds
some of them lamenting the lifeless,unmean
ing *cd irreverent manner in which the
worship of the synagogue is conducted
among the old or orthodox Jews universal
ly ; and very desirous of introducing some
improvements, so as to render the worship
more edifying; for this purpose, they fre
quent Christian churches, and make inqui
ries into the employments of Christian min
isters, and their manner of proceeding with
the congregations under their care. 44 All
thi*,” Mr. T. observes, “ is a proof that
some feeling of the necessity of religion is
growing up among them.”
Ogle, Duncan & Cos. London, have pub
lished anew and elegant edition of Von der
Hooght’s Hebrew Bible, printed from ster
eotype plates. Every page has been re
vised four times afier the plates were cast, j
by persons familiar with the Hebrew lan-;
giiage. Price 25 shillings in boards.
- HOTTENTOT PREACHING.
The Missionaries at Bethelsdorp, Africa,
in their journals for the year 1817, give ns
tbe.following account of a Sermon by Kru
isman, a native preacher:
In the eveningat Bethelsdorp, Krtiism-in,
-sv converted Hottentot, preached from Isa
iah I*. 18—20. After speaking a short
time of the benefit of the natural son to the
earth and its inhabitant*, he asked, “ what
shall we do then, when the son shall be no
more our light by day. nor the moon by
night ? “ ill it be all darkness with us. then ?
Oh, no! the LorJ himself, who is the Cre
ator of the natural sun, shall be unto us an
everlasting light, and our God shall he our
glory. What occasion then shall we have
lor the natural sun, when the Lord himself
shall shine u|*on us ? And not this alone, but
it is also said, that all those who are saved
to everlasting life, shall themselves shine as
the brightness of the firmament, and as the
stars foreve.r and ever. Wl.at occasion
whal! we have then for the natural sun and
moon, when we shall even ourselves out
efiine them in brightness and glory ? And
not only that, but Jesus Christ also, the Suo
of Righteousness, shall shine upon us forev
ermore. God and the Lamb shall be the
light of the Holy city in which the right)
eous shall dwell forever.” Before the con
clusion, he asked; “But who shall goto
this heavenly and celestial city? I can as
sure you, none shall go and live with the
Lamb of (Sod forever, but those who follow
him here on earth. Well, lam afraid there
ere many at Bethelsdorp who shall never
see this city, unless a great alteration takes
place in them. This Bethelsdorp is so
much spoken of all over the world, and
each praise given to it, but let people come
here and see you; they would be astonish
ed, and would say, surely these are not the
people of whom we have heard so much,
otherwise we have been completely de
ceived. We see almost nothiog here now
of the great and wonderful things of which
we have heard so much before ; and that is
alone through your idleness, your stiffness
of heart, and neglect of what has been a
thousand times told us. Oh! you hard
hearted people, how long will you continue
in your sins? The devil, as a roaring lion,
goes abroad seeking whom he can find and
(inds u a , too many of •, an easy prey.
This lion comes so sly and deceitful about
-us, so that before we are aware, he comes
and throws one sheep out of the kraal on
this side, and another on the other side, and
brings them to the wide world, and makes
them an easy prey to himself. But still
Shanks be to God, there are some who are
not ignorant of his deceptions.” Kruisinan
preached about half of bis sermon in the
Hottentot language.
DECLINE OF INFIDELITY.
tn the late reign of infidelity, Newburgh,
U. Y. was remarkable for its deism. A
blind emissary of infidelity, who visited Bal
timore, and other places, appealed in New
burgh, and preached, in rite court house, his
abominable doctrines, railing against the
Bible and every sacred thing connected
■with Christianity. Through his influence
there was formed there a Druidical Socie
ty, named after the heathen Druidical
Priests in Britain before the introduction of
Christianity into that island. It bad a high
priest, and met at stated times. These
meetings were held in the true spirit of m
lidel immorality, fur the purpose of rooting
out and destroying all true religion. There
was at that time one Christian organized
congregation in Newburgh. Its pastor, the
p.roiessors, and the friends of Bible religion
generally, were openly attacked in the
streets, and ridiculed with many vulgar and
abusive epithets: and it is said, the pastor
was even spit upon. The men who were
attached to this infidel club possessed coo-
Filterable wealth and influence.
On a Sabbath, when the Sacrament of the
Lord's scppef was dispensing, in the Chris
tian congregation of the village, a few of
the leading members of the Druidical club
went to a spring, in the neighbourhood, and
one of with the approbation of the
resl, administered tbc Sacrament to dogs-
On the same evening, he who had done the
impious deed waa attacked with a violent
inflammatory disease; hi# inflamed eye
balls were protruded from their sockets;
his tongue was swollen in his mouth; ant!
he died before morning,in great mental and
bodily agony. This awful judgment was
esteemed m death blow to deism in New
burgh. .
Other infidul* have since died, id the vil
lage ; deaths little less alarming. One of
them, after a life of intemperance, was at
xfcked by mortification and carbuncles on
his back—into which the surgeons cut
deeply. While writhing under the pain of
the operation, he begged the operator to
abstain, and said, 44 He did not wish to go to
hell with his back thus cut to pieces.” His
infidel associates commonly attended around
his death-bed, and shamelessly indulged in
boisterous laughter and mirth. When his
deistical connexions were not in the room
be said “ It was strange that he, who but a
few days before had been in health, should
be now afflicted so dreadfully, and that if he
did not expect to recover he should be the
most miserable* man upon earth.” On the
night of bis death, ami shortly before it, he,
according to the habit of his life, swore in
a shockingly profane manner.
Some other deists, who formerly occupi
ed a respectable rank in society, and pos
sessed considerable property are now so
degraded, u that no one does them rever
ence.”
There are, at present, five churches, and
six congregation-, within the corporation
limits of Newburgh, and a flourishing Bible
Society, while deism is so abashed that
bardiy any one dares to speak in its favour.
The population of the village is about 3,000
souls. f.VewfcurgA Witness.
SUMMARY.
From the Boston Recorder.
The whole number of members in the
Methodist communion, through the world,
is stated to be 545,014. B.v the liberali
ty of Col. Thomas Pinckney, jr. the new
Episcopal Church of St. Paul, in the village
of Pendleton, S. C. has been completed,
and was opened by a suitable discourse
from Rev. Rodolphus Dickenson. The
Ladies’ Benevolent Society, of Charleston,
S. C. whosp object is to provide for the des
titute sick in the city, afforded relief to 70
persons in the course of the last year.
The annual expenditures of the Society,
somewhat exceed $2,000 Anew Meth
odist weekly paper has been established in
this city, called 44 Zion’s Herald.” The
revival in Candia, N. H. continues and-in
creases. It was expected that eighty-four
would be admitted to the church, the se
cond Sabbath in this month—several more
are hopeful converts. The Concord Fe
male Charitable Society furnish materials
for the employment of the poor;—and loan
the fruits of their labour to the sick and
destitute, or distribute them gratuitously.
Young females are encouraged to work
and fit themselves for attending Sabbath
Schools, and the house of God. Destitute
children have been clothed and prepared
for school—Tracts have been given fre
quently, and school books occasionally, as
also the Bible. Two missionaries, Mr.
Dunn and Mr. Ruby, have been sent to the
Shetland Islands, by the English Methodist
Confeience, where every thing on their
arrival, promised success to their undertak
ing. The Methodist mission at Korne
galle, Ceylon, in the Candiao provinces
flourishes ; a large mission house and chap
el, with a terraced viraoda, 80 feet long,
with two ranges of detached offices, and a
large school room have been erected.
The school has increased, and is counte
nanced by the chiefs. The Methodist
Mission in Ceylon, has eleven schools under
its care, containing about 486 children, of
whom 400 are boys. The infant Mis
sionary Society among the Methodists in
Ceylon, raised 500 rix dollars, the. first
year of its establishment. The Metho
dist missionaries have recently erected two
new chapels in Ceylon, one at Tempale,
the. other at Chilaw. The expense of them
is defrayed by particular friends on the
spot, and by the people of the neighbour
ing villages. Mr. Newstead states that
there are 51 persons, young and old, in
Church fellowship with the missionaries,
and 24 others on trial, whose general de
portment is good. The Eoglish Metho
dist Magazine, for November, states, that
the Methodist missions on several of the
West India Islands, arr prosperous. In An
tigua 191 persons had been admitted to So
ciety daring one quarter, and a still greater
number were expected to join the ensuing
quarter. The negroes here contribute
liberally to the missionary cause. In Mont
serat, a mission has been lately established,
with encouraging prospects. In Tortola
there is an increasing spirit of hearing, of
brotherly love, and attachment to the gos
pel. The missionaries are quite in harmo
ny with Mr. Chaderton, the minister of the
established church, of whom they speak in
high terms, as very laborious and faithful.
on well, though the long contest, between
Protestantism and Pppery, has created a
controversial spirit which is unyielding.—
Mr. Croscombe, the Methodist missionary
at Gibraltar, states that the spirit of hearing
has greatly increased during the last year;
50 members have been added to Society.
The blessing of God has extended to the
prison and the hospitals. The garrison
Chaplain is very attentive to every part of
his duty. The Governour bat corrected
many abuses of the Lord's Day.
MASONICK ASSOCIATION.
At a meeting of the members of Hiram
Lodge at New Haven on the 6th inst. a Mis
sionary Society was organized, the design
of which is exhibited in the following Arti
cle of their Constitution.’
u Whereto the StAsixibers entertain a
high sense of the utility and importance of
associations for diffusing the Holy Scrip
tures among the benighted heathen people,
and having a particular desire to promote
the happiness of our Jewish brethren, and
others in Palestine, (who have been the
highly favoured instruments in the hands of
God of irradiating the world with the heav
enly and Mnonick Lights,) wc do agree to
form ourselves into a society to be called
the JVw Haven Masonick Palestine Mission-*
ary Society , the sole object of which shall
he to raise funds to he paid to the American
Board of Commissioner# for Foreign Miss
ions, to be by them appropriated exclusive
ly for the above object.”
The Religious Intelligencer justly re
marks, “ The establishment of a Society of
this nature by Masons, is, in itself consider
ed, a happy circumstance; but when we
view it as an example to the Fraternity, it
is of still greater importance. The differ
ent lodges in the United Slates might with
the greatest ease do much for the diffusion
of light aDd knowledge among ignorant and
benighted nations. If the wealth, the tal
ents, the numbers which they tmnlain could
be enlisted in this good cause, the most fa
vourable anticipations might be indulged.”
GEORGIA ASSOCIATION.
DONATIONS.
From the Report of the Mission Board, made at
the late meeting of the Association at Bethel,
- Hancock county.
On our appointment ve were charged with
$1205 22 3-4
Os that sum appropriated 600
Leaving a balance of 605 22 3-4
Received since, interest up to
Nov. 24, 102 78
From the Hepzibah Society,
designated particularly for
the Creek Mission, 90 56 1-4
From the Greenwood church
and congregation, omitted
by mistake last year,
From a friend to missions, 4
Rev. Jonathan Huff, 1 00
The ch. ®cong. at Powelton 75 25
“ 44 Greenwood 18 70
Os 3 members of Union (Warren) 6 00
From the ch. & cong- at Kiokee, 8 25
“ Bethel, 10 00
“ Whiteplains, 7 50
“ Ebenezer, 7 30
“ Fishing Creek, 18 50
44 Bethel (Wilkes) 340
“ Phillips’ Mill, 34 12 1-2
“ Damascus, 9 00
“ Bethesda, 38 37 1-2
44 Clark’s station 23 00
44 Greeneaboro’, 1 00
44 Shilob, 13 00
44 Sardis, 4 43
44 Centre, 41 00
“ New Hope, 8 18 3 4
“ Fort Creek, 8 00
“ Double Branches, 5 00
44 Sharon, 8 50
44 Springfield, 3 00
44 Spirit Creek, 1 75
44 Horeb, 5 75
A sister in Sharon cb. for Ind. mis. 2 00
Miss Beersheba Blanchard, 1 00
Polly Lightfoot, 1 00
Mr. Thomas Friend, 2 00
JonathanCliatt, 2 00
Starling Evans, 2 00
Contributions for Colwnbian College.
Church $-cong. at Powelton, SSO 00
J. P. and Martha Marshal, be
ing the first annual payment
of 5 years subscription on Lu
ther Rice’s subscription list, 20 00
Ch. and cong. at Fishing crk. 7 00
44 Bethesda, 42 00
44 Greenesboro’, 10 00
44 Shiloh 13 00
Os Capt. A. Simons, 20 00
Mrs. Sarah Bugg, 1 43 3 4
$1363 58 1 4
Moral and Religious Miscellany.
BURNING OF WIDOWS.
The Presidency of Fort William, East
Indies, bas caused an order respecting Sut
tees, to be circulated at all the military
posts, and stations dependant on the British,
in which the officers at these stations are
instructed, that—
-44 In the event of the female who is going
to be burnt being less than sixteen years
of age, or there being signs of her preg
nancy, or an her declariug herself in that
situation, or should the people be preparing
to burn her, after having intoxicated her,
without her consent or against her will,
(the burning a woman under any of these
circumstances, being in direct opposition to
what is enjoined in the shasters, and mani
festly an act of illegal violence,) it will then
he their duty to prevent the ceremony,
thus forbidden and contrary to established
usage, from taking place, and require those
prepared to perform it, to refrain from so
doing; also to explain to them that, in the
event of their persisting in an act forbidden,
they would involve themselves in a crime,
and become subject to retribution and pun
ishment; but in the.case of the woman be
ing of full age and no other impediment ex
isting, they will nevertheless remain on
the spot, anti not allow the most minute
particular to escape observation—and in
the case of people preparing to burn a wo
man by compulsion, or after having made
her insensible, by administering spirituous
liquors, or narcotick drags, it will then be
their duty to exert themselves in restrain
i ing them; and at the same time to let them
know that it is not the intention of the Gov
ernment to check or forbid any act author
ized by tbe tenets of the religion of the in
habitants of their dominions, or even to re
quire any express leave or permission, be
ing requiredprcviously to the performance
of the act of Suttee; anJ the police officers
are not to interfere and prevent any such j
act from taking place.”
A CURIOUS DISCOVERY,
From the American Eagle.
A gentleman in Pompey, N. Y. write# to
his friend in this place, that the following is
a facsimile of an inscription on a stone, found
in that town in Nov. last. The stone be
ing 14 inches long, breadth 12, and depth 9,
with the figure of a tree and a serpent
climbing it, between the De and the L. to
gether with a cross.
Leo XDe 4 L s
VI x 1520 I cross.
The gentleman in Pompey requested the
opinion of his friend here, on the subject;
and we have been permitted to extract the
following from his answer;
Leo X, De, ) may thus be translated—Leo,
VI, 1520 sby the Grace of God, Pope,
and the 6tbyear of his Pontificate.
The tree, with the serpent plimbing it,
clearly denotes the writer’s faith in the
Apostacy, or Fall of Man, as described in
the history of Moses.
L. S. may denote, loco sigilli, the Latin
words for the place of the seal. The invert
ed f), may designate the place of the seal,
or the seal itself.
The X or Cross denotes the writer’s faith
in a crucified Saviour, or the truth of the
Christian Religion.
Dr. Mosheim, the most authentick histo
rian, informs us that Leo X. was made Pope
in 1513, and held the office of Pontificate
to the year 1520. If so, the year 1520
would be the 6th year of his Pontificate.
Tbi9 seems to prove that the writer of the
inscription was a Christian, and a Roman
Catholick. The inverted U is the most
enigmatical of the whole ; but might it not
be an O, denoting the seal, with the bottom
worn off by lime! Or might not L. S. be
the initials of the writer’s name, on a sepul
chral monument? Or might not the invert
ed U and the cross be masonick emblems,
the meaning of which 1 am perfectly ie
noraut ?
The Indians are reported the aborigines
of North America; but 1 doubt the truth
of this proposition. The fortifications and
the remains of antiquity in Ohio and else
where, clearly prove them to be the work
of some other people than the Indians.
Many of these fortifications were not forts,
but religious temples, or places of pubiick
worship. Many of them much resembling
the druidical temples still existing in Eng
land.
The first settlers of North America were
probably the Aaiaticks, the descendants of
Shero. Europe was settled by the children
of Japheth. The Aaiaticks, at an early
period, might easily have crossed the Pa
cifick Ocean, and made settlements in
North America. The South American In
dians probably were the first settlers of
North America. The descendants of Ja
pbeth might afterwards cross the Atlantick,
and subjugate the Asiaticks, or drive them
to South America.
Visionary a9 this idea may appear, sever
al facts tend to corroborate the conjecture.
The language, customs, and religious cere
monies of the South American Indians, re
semble those of the Asiaticks. The man
ners, languagp, and even size of the North
American Indians, especially the Esqui
maux, have a great resemblance to the
northern nations of Europe. What won
derful catastrophe destroyed at once the
first inhabitants, with the whole species of
the mammoth, is beyond the researches of
the best scholars and greatest antiquarians.
Discoveries of this kind furnish subjects for
the investigation of the learned and gratify
the imagination of the inquisitive.
But to return to the subject. How came
this stone deposited in the place where it
was found ? America was discovered hy
Columbus in 1492. Mexico was settled in
1521. Quebeck was settled in 1608.
Might some wandering Spaniard sail up the
Mississippi, or the Mohawk, and find a rest
ing place on Pumpey hill, as a second par
adise 1
The inscription seems but the signature
of some publick or official act. But wheth
er it were a Bull, Decree, Edict or Procla
mation of the Roman Pontiff, or an indul
gence, pardoning all sins, present, past, and
future, granted by some Roman Priest, &c.
is a mere matter of conjecture. It wa9 cus
tomary to affix seals to such sacred docu
ments. The sign of the cross generally at
tended all publick acts of trie Roman Cath
olicks. Yours, &c.
—-ZZ-ZZo
A Night Scene in an American Forest.
From the Journal of a Traveller.
When it was midnight, I walked out and
strolled in the woods contiguous to the
bouse. A glorious moon had now ascended
to the summit of the arch of heaven, and
poured a perpendicular flood of light upon
the silent world below. The starry hosts
sparkled brightly when they emerged above
the horizon, but gradually faded into twink
kling points as they rose in the sky. The
motionless trees stretched their majestick
boughs towards a cloudless firmament, and
the rustling of a withered leaf, or the dis
tant howl of the wolf, alone broke upon my
ear. I was suddenly roused from a deli
cious reverie, by observing a dark object
moving slowly and cautiously among the
trees. At first, l fancied it was a bear, but
a nearer inspection discovered an Indian on
all fours. For a moment I felt unwilling to
throw myself in Iris way, lest he should be
meditating some sinister design against me ;
however, on Iris waving his hand, and put
ting bis finger on bis lips, 1 approached him,
and, notwithstanding bis injunction to si
lence, inquired what he did there. “Me
watch to see the deer kneel,” replied he ;
“This is Christmas night, and all the deer
fal! upon their knees to the Great Spirit,
and look up.” Tlie solemnity of the scene,
and the grandeur of the idea, alike <’ ntrib
uted to fill nte with awe.’ It was affecting to
find traces of the Christian faith existing in
such a place, even in the form of such a
tradition.
A Fragment on Creation.
Perhap-nothing may appear ttiore sur
prising than that men should have been so
weak as to imagine thatfhe present order
of things was the mere operation of chance,,
nnd that matter is self-existent, and there
fore eternal. In the dark ages of Pagan
ignorance indeed, this may be excusable;
but guided by the superior light of revela
tion, we learn by faith that the worlds were
created by God. With what this great Bet
ing is in his Divine essence and nature, we
are but little acquainted; but this we know,
that this world is a grand demonstration of
his power—and the largest grasp of human
and angelick knowledge is no more to be
compared with him than one man to the
mass of all men, or one atom to the universe.
If God is so great, what then are we? We
are not capable of comprehending the.
smallest part of existence, but he can witti
almighty ease comprehend all his crea
tures; and such are the adorable perfec
tions of his nature, that he can for millions
of ages render happy the enlarged capaci
ty of the brightest angel, and yet remaiq in
exhaustible; and accommodate himself to
the meanest worm that crawls. Yes; in
our God is infinite goodness ; and in Jehovah
Jesus dwell all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge.
RELIGIOUS PRINCIPLES.
It is not a high station or g low one, great
endowments of mind or moderate, that mis
lead men. It is the want of that balance of’
mind which is regulated by religious princi
ples and a good disposition. ,
DESIRES.
To desire little makes poverty equal
with riches. He whe wants, is not rich—•
nor he who wants not, poor. Riches are
not to be measured by their use—we can
not call large possessions riches, only so far
a# they are conducive to comfort.
The following is the inscription on the
tomb stone of the late President of the
American Bible Society, at the city of Rur
lington, in the state of New Jersey. It Is
simple, comprehensive, and appropriate.
HERE
Lie, the remains of the
HON. ELIAS BOUDINOT, LL. D.
Born
On the 2d day of May, A. D. 1746.
He died r
On the 24th day of October, A. D. 1821.
HIS LIFE
Was an exhibition of fervent piety,
Os useful talent,
And of extensive benevolence.
HIS DEATH
Was the triumph of Christian Faith
The consummation of Hope ;
The dawn, and the pledge
Os endless felicity.
“To those who knew him not no words cam
paint;
And those who kaew him, know all words are
faint!”
41 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright^
for the end of that man is PEACE.”
ip
MOUNT ZION, MONDAY, FEB. 17, 11123.
The tongue, said Juvenal, is the worst part of a
bad servant. Every one is a servant of this de
scription who carries about a neighbourhood the
petty slander of the day. Who does not know
that in the thoughtlessness of conversation, many
things are frequently said by way of reflection on
our most intimate friends,which the uniform tenor
of our conduct contradicts? To hate these things
magnified and misrepresented and fashioned into
a different shape, anJ retailed and carried either
directly or indirectly to the ears of the person
against whom they were spoken, exhibits an of
ficiousness which delights in disturbing the peace
of society, and which is employed in the most
mean and degrading service. The estimation in.
which the character of a tale-bearer is held by
moralists and even by the pen of Inspiration,
would seem sufficient to prevent every one who
has the least shadow of a name which he withe*
to preserve, from engaging in so disreputable an
employment. Mischief-makers of this descrip
tion will often impose secrecy on the lips of those
to whom their tale is related, or affect to forget
the direct channel through which their informaj
tion was obtained, or apparently with great reluc
tance mention the subject for fear it will excite
unpleasant feelings, but in duty and in friendship
(hey are compelled to do if. In every neigbour
hood they find materials enough to employ all
their powers, and sometimes exert an influence
over those whose prudence and good sense, and
invariable tenor of life should place above this
petty calumny and detraction. But never is
their influence more deeply- felt than when they
find a person anxiously curious to know what is
said of him, in what estimation his character is
held, and who are his friends. Let some menial
or spy tell him that the person he most
esteemed has spoken disrespectfully of him, or
cast on his name some severe reflections, and it
excites his warmest resentment. It sticks like a
barbed arrow in his heart. He thinks it an un
merited attack which he feels it his duty to repel.
It sometimes gnaws like a worm at the very core
of hie heart; and nothing that can be said by
way of apology or explanation can fully satisfy
. bis mind. Indeed, the character of one who Its
! tens to a tale is only a small remove from the one
i who makes it. For it is very easy if w e possess a
i consciousness of rectitude, to owe into silence,
those retailers of slander, and this we shall event
ually find we must do, if we would avoid the chaj
, grin and mortification which it is the tendency v(
snob reports to create*