Newspaper Page Text
■ite condition of this new end interesting
conununity.
Law on Buying and Selling.
Wheo * person buys any property, let
him consider,well before he gives his pro
perty in exchange for the property of an
other. If he exchanges property with an.
other and has taken the exchanged pro
perly away, and shortly after wished to
have his own returned, his wish shall not
be granted, unless the other party is agree
able. If any damage be found on the pro
perty, which had not been discovered at
the time of exchanging, it may be return
ed; but if the damage was known at
the time of exchanging, it shall not
be returned. If a person exchanges pro
perty for a person who is sick, the sick
person shall be allowed to see the property
received in exchange ; and if he does not
like it, it shall be returned.—Persons must
not undervalue nor cry down the property
of others; it is very bad. The persons
who are buying or selling, let them them
reives buy and sell without the interfer
ence of those who have nothiug at all to
do with tbe matter.
Law against Sabbath Breaking.
It is a great sin in the eye of God, Jo
work on the Sabbath day Let that which
agrees with the work of God be done ; and
that which does not, let that be left alone.
No houses or canoes must be built, no land
cultivated nor any work done, nor
persons go any long distance on a Sabbath
dav. If hey desire to bear a missionary!
preach they may go, although it be a long j
distance; but let not the excuse of going
to hear the word of God, be the cover for
tfotne other business : let not this be done :
*t is evil- —Those who desire to hear Mis
sionaries preach on a Sabbath, let them
come near at’ hand on the Saturday; that
is good. Persons on the first offence shall
be •* arned; b’ if they be obstinate and
persist, they shall be compelled to do work
for tie king. Judges shall appoint the
work.
Lam against raising False Reports.
If a per*o-iS raises a false report of ano
ther, as of murder or blasphemy, stealing,
or of any thing bad, that person commits -a
groat sin; the punishment of those who do
lb l '—he must make a path four miles long
and lour yards wide—lie must clear all the
gre=s 4*c- away, and make it a good path.
If a person raises a false report of another,
but w hich may be less injurious than that of
blasphemy, &c. he shall make a path of on<-
or two miles in leDgth amt four yards wide,
ff a false report be raised about some very
trifimg affair, no punishment shall be award
ed. ‘Vljen the paths are made, the person
■who is the owner of the land where the
ways are made shall keep them in repair;
Jet them be high in the middle, (hat the
water in wet weather may run down on
each side. Should the rela’ions of the per
son who is required to (Hike a path, wist,
to assist him, they are at liberty to do so.
The Chiefs of the land where the man i
at work, must “provide him food; he mos;
not he ill-treated ; he, mut not be compel
Jed to work without ceasing, from morning
till mgbt; but when he is tired, let him i
cease, and begin again next day, and when
he has finished what he Whs appointed to 1
do, he has fulfilled his punishment—-The
Judge* shall make known to persons rais
ing false reports, the punishments they hall
undergo
The Missionaries remark that the good
effect of Hue law, in particular, hj* been
very apparent. — London Missionary Regis.
WESTERN ASIA —PALESTINE MIS
SION i
Extracts from Mr. Fisk's Communications. ‘
I have hhd frequent religious discus-ions
with Pair** G. my Arabic intruder.
When hr began to give me lesson?, he did
oot know who I was. On coming into my
room one day, he saw a letter addressed to
me, and observing it he inquired if I was an
’ ecclesiastic. I told him ye*; at which he
expressed a high degree of pleasure, ad
. dressed me as a brother, and felt himself
much honored in being acquainted with
roe; but added, very softly, that he should
he rather be ter pleased if 1 ware a Catho
\ lie. ! told him if he would show me, from
| the Bible, that the doctrines of popery
r were correct, I would most cheerfully em
brace them. Instead of atiemptiog to do
I this, he said it was interest and lust which
I ‘ Jed tne first Protestants to leave the Roman
I'"Church. I told him ii could not he world
I lv interest, because they suffered great
lodges by doing it, and many of them suffer
ed martyrdom. I then referred to what
S. Paul says of the marriage of a bishop
-and a deacon. He admitted that the Bible
allow* priests to marry,and said,that celiba
‘cv was meritorious only , when it was a
voluntary act; not forced: but the CouDcii
of Trent having decreed the celibacy of
the clergy, every member of the priest
hood must abide by the decision of the
jfClhurcb. 1 then told him w hat were, in
fact, the thing* that caused Protestants to
leave the Church of Rome ;—such a* in
dulgences, the Inquisition, purgatory, wor
ship of images, praying to saints,infalib llity
■>f the Pope, prayers in Latin, and prophib
tjnff the Scriptures. He said the stories
of selling indulgences, and of burning peo
ple m the Inquisition, were all fables.
A few days after the above conversation
ooU place, Mr. Wilson was at my room
vlu-n Padre G. came, and they entered in
ti a discussion which lasted two hours.
Phe Padre was manifestly much embar
a-*ed by the arguments drawn from the
Jihle. Hi* only ground to stand on was
hi*, —“ The Church says so. Christ has
iromPed tobejviih his Church ; therefore
Vbat the Church says and does, is of di
ine authority.” Here he stood, and noth
>g could move him. We read to him a
; ariety of passages from the Bible, in man
pgt opposition to the dogmas uod disci
line of the Roman that private individuals
i must interpret the Bible. It must be
done by Popes and we must believe what
ever they say.
The next day he came into my room
with a very triumphant air, and said.—“ 1
have a very important consideration to
advance, in regard to our discussion yester
day.”
Fisk Well what is it?
Padre G. Scripture has four senses, the
literal , the moral , the apogogical and the
mystical . Aud the London edition of M*r
tini’s Italian Bible, which you use, has
omitted the three last, and gives us only
the literal; and Paul says the letter kill
eth, but the Spirit giveth life. You told
me yesterday, that Martini’s translation
was approved by Pope Pius VI.; but 1
have learned since, that it was approved
only with the other three senses, a9 con
tained in the commentary of Mansignore
Martini, not a9you have it.
F. 1 did not tell you that the Pope had
given permission to circulate this tranaja
lion without the commentary. 1 know ♦ -
rv well that the Church of Rome, proba
bly from a conviction that many or its
doctrioes and usages are not supported by
Scripture, forbids the circulation of the
pure word of God, except when accompani
ed by papal comments and explanations;
lest if the people were to read the word ol
G/>d alone, the erronrs of the Church should
be discovered. But I told you yesterday
what is true, that this translation was made
from the Vulgate by the Calholick Arch
j bi*hop Martini, and approved by the late
| Pope as a correct translation. Now,
whether Ihe word of God, when correctly
translated, may be distributed by itself, or
whether the word of the Church must be
added to it and mixed with it, is totally an
other question. Pray how did God origin
ally give his word to men; —with a com
mentary, or without?
P. G. Without, certainly. But as a piece
of meat brought from the market, is ren
dered more fragrant and delicious by the
change* and additions made in cooking, so
the holy church has added very necessary
explanations to Scripture.
F. And the consequence of this proceed
ing is, that tbe Catholicks transfer the rev
erence they ought to feel for the word of
God alone, to the word of the Church, and
I generally fil'd they do not even know what
i* implied by tbe Holy Scriptures. When
I ask a Catholick for a Bible, he shews me
a hook of p-ayers, or sermon*, or some
church hook, I have met with but few who
knew any thing about tbe Bible, as distinct
froci other church books.
It has been urged among Protestants as
an objection against the Catholicks, that
they do not allow people to have the Bible
in their own language. But some have
thought it almost impossible, that a church
Calling itself Christian, should prohibit peo
ple from reading the word of God. If,
n .wever, I rightly understand vou, it is a
fact, that the church of Rome doe* not al
low people to read the Bible
P. G. Yes, it is so ; and there is a very
good reason for it ; for the Bible cannot be
umWstood, except as explained by tbe
church
F When you speak of Martini’s Bible &
Commentary, as containing the four senses
of Scripture, do you mean that these are
all included in the original Bible, or that
either Martini or the church has added
three senses which are not in the original.
P G. These enses are all implied in the
original ; but they cannot he understood,
excppt as explained by the Fathers and Ihe
Church.
F. The inference from all this is, that
God has given men a book which it is not
safe for them to read. The Church of
Rome take* this book and make* such addi
tion* a? render it safe for men to read it.—
Is tfii* the case ?
P G. Lis not permitted me to argue on
these subjects. 1 have always been occu
pied with languages, and have not attend
ed sufficiently to these subjects to under
stand them.
CHINESE YOUTH. ,
The Christian Secretary give? the follow- ,
ing particulars of the two Chinese Youth i
who have lately been placed in the For- 1
eign Mission School at Cornwall :.
They are cousins ; their ages are 19 and
21.
The younger left China about two years
ago in a vessel for Amsterdam, from which
place he arrived in this country in Febru
ary.
The elder arrived in this country from
China direct, about two months ago.
Neither had any knowledge of the des
tination of the other to this country, until
the arrival of the elder in Philadelphia—
when they accidently met in the streets.
They are cousins to the Chinese youth
now in the school at Cornwall—had heard
of his arrival in the u Boston country,” and
that he was receiving an education there,
and felt a great desire to be taught also.—
They arrived in this country friendless and
pennyle*s. The younger lived with the
supercargo of the ship in which he came
from Amsterdam. The elder supported
himself by making small toys, which he
1 sold in the streets of Philadelphia, in which
business he was engaged when he was ac
cidentally net by a gentleman from the
state of New York, who was attending the
meeting of the Gen. As. of the Presbyterian
church. Upon being asked, principally by
signs whether he would like to be taught
: the English language, he immediately sig
nified his desire, and appe.ared highly grat
ified with the idea, and informed the gentle
man that he had a cousin in the city. This
‘gentleman look steps to bring their
case before the Christian publick, and the
result was the formation of a society of Fe
males in aid of *he Foreign Mission School
at Cornwall. Nearly S3OO were immedi
ately collected, and more will doubtless be.
In New York their appearance excited
great interest, and a considerable sum of
money was collected for the school.
On Wednesday last they were presented
to the General Association ofConpecticut at
Windsor, and a handsome collection taken
up for the school.
On Thursday eveniog they were pre
sented to the inhabitants of Hartford, in
Ihe brick-meeting house, dressed in their
native costume. The read to the audi
ence from the New Testament translated
into the Chinese laoguage by Dr. Morrison.
A handsome collection was made for the
school. They left the place yesterday’
morning for Cornwall.
From the information we have received
of the intellectual capacities of these stran
gers, we believe them capable of receiving
instruction of every kind as readily a9 our
native bom citizens. That they may, after
receiving the advantages of a Christian ed
ucation, return to theft- native country with
an experimental knowledge of tbe Saviour,
and become the heralds of salvation to their
benighted countrymen, must be the prayer
of every Christian.
Improvement in Bengal —Three newspa
pers are now published in the Bengalee
language, and one in Persian. In these the
natives freely discuss subjects connected
with heathenism as well as Christianity,and
bring to light many facts respecting the
blackness ofidolatry which might otherwise
have been sought for in vain. Some of the
chief natives Tor wealth and respectability,
come forward and voluntarily take an ac
tive part in establishing and maintaining
schools—especially Charity Schools.—
Great harm< ny *ub*i*l9 among the Episco
palian, Independent and Baptist Missiona
ries—and a great number of pamphlets are
printed hy one or another, in Bengalee or
other languages, to increase the faith and
strengthen the hands of the believer ;
scarcely a month passes in which additions
are not made to some of the churches.—
Compare this with the state of things in the
same country thirty years ago, when Bibles,
Sabbath?, and religious instruction were
wholly unknown—-and wh p n tbe Baptist
missionaries laboured six years before a
single native seemed to have received the
grace of God ! Bost Rec.
France. —A letter from the Rev. Mark
Wilkes, under date of March 12 h, stales,
that meetings for prayer, and Missionary
Associations are alr°ady establishing from
the Alps to the Pyronnees, aud from the
Mediterranean to the Atlantick, in ihe
largest cities and humblest villages. This
letter is accompanied by extracts of letters
from various parts of France, which give
us reason to believe ‘that our Christian bre
thren in France are beginning to feel the
importance of engaging in missionary en
terprises.
The establishment aud free toleration of
a Protestant BiMe Society m Catholick
France, was an era in the progress of Re
ligious Freedom We congratulate the
friends of the Bible Cause on the growing
population of this institution li roust cheer j
them with the hope of still farther triumphs J
over the prejudices against which they yet
contend, till Christians of every name shall
unite their efforts in a cause so simple and
so sublime.
CALUMNY REFUTED.
FROM THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
Gentlemen: Presuming, from the lenor
of your recent remark*, that you will take
pleasure in giving publicity to any fact*
which mav enable the pqblick to forma
correct judgment touching the conduct and
aims of the Missionaries at Serampore, I
beg leave lo request the insertion of a brief
extract from a detailed exposition by Messrs.
Divie Bethune aud William Colgate, emi
nently respectable citizens of New York,
published in the Commercial Advertiser, at
tbe time the correspondence of Mrs. Rowe
(a part of which you recently quoted) ap
peared in the Reformer. The Missiona
ries at Serampore require nothing but a
candid statements of facts, to vindicate, in
the most triumphant manner, all their pro
ceedings.
Your’s with high consideration.
The Editor of the Star.
44 It will ‘>e remembered that Carey went t
out to India, when the name of Missionary (
was a reproach—when the whole power of j s
government against even the i c
admission of Missionaries on their shores. \ |
Carey and his associates had to retreat from ; 1
Calcutta, and take refuge in the barren,! I
hitherto useless town of Serampore, then J ’
under Danish government. Here they i
commenced their labours of love; they i
turned the barren wilderness into a fruitful <
field; a thousand persons have been bap- i
lized on confession of faith, thegreater part <
of whom were formerly Pagans. About I
fifty native preachers, among whom are
ome Brahmins of the higher rank, are now
employed throughout India, and several
large societies have been gathered wholly
by their means. About twenty thousand 1
heathen children are under instruction, and
such is the anxiety of the natives to obtain
it for theirchildren throughout Bengal, that
rich Hindoos have become annual subscri
bers to the native schools. The name of
Missionary ceased to be a term of reproach.
The government of India delighted to non-,
our the men they formerly despised. So
bright was their path, that the British Par-;
liament were petitioned to strike from the
renewed charter to the East India Compa-*
ny, the prohibition of Missionaries landing,
in India—and did 6trike it out. i
During the war between England and i
Denmark, it was necessary for the safety ,
of the Mission and the property, to have a ;
charter from the King of Denmark, end the j
property was vested, by common consent,;
in Carey, Marshman and Ward, as trustees,
to appoint their own successors. This t?as 1
the act of the Society to England, as well
as of the Missionaries.
To cut the matter short, let us even ad
mit, for the sake of argument, the full
| amount of crime charged on these venera
ble men, by the alleged Baptist Missionn
ry’s letter from India; it only amounts to
this, that, Carey, Marshman and Ward, re
; fused to admit the Missionaries recently
! sent out by the Society, to an equal partici
i put ion with themselves in the direction of
the funds their own labours had accumulat
ed ; and in the prosecution or abandonment
as they might determine, of the grand
schemes of benevolence they had planned,
and were perfecting with all the vigour of
intellect, and all the wisdom of experience.
Let us look at the possible consequences ol
; the point being conceded to new comer*.
| Messrs. Carey, Marshman and Ward would
! have had only three votes in their delibe
J rations; these additional members would
form at once a majority in the Board of Di
rection, who might interrupt the whole
course of efficient operation, so happily
carrying on, dissipate the money collected
into other channels, and torn the old Jesu
ists, as they call them, neck and heels, nut
of their own houses. So far from being
criminal, was it not wise, incumbent and
laudable in Messrs. Carey, Marshman and
Ward, to erect a barrier, and to negotiate
with the parent Society for security against
such an unhappy, and perhaps fatal issue
to all their labours at last ? If tbe other
Missionaries sent out, breathe the same
spirit with the correspondent of the Reform
er, those apostolick men coujd expect no
mercy at their hands. He says expressly,
he considered the persons , as well as the
property of Carey, Marshman and Ward as
the property of the Society. If so, the
new majority of the Board of that Society
might at once, if they chose it, turn the
senior members ofthe minority out of bouse
and home and power. The resolution once
taken, some plausible excuse, coupled with
defamation of character, might readily be
found for justification. Can any righteous
man condemn our venerable friends for
their caution in this respect? By receot in
formation, we have reason to believe that
Mr. Ward and tbe pareDt society have ar
ranged this important matter to mutual sat
isfaction^
Mr. Gleason, an assistant missionary,
writes from Brainerd, that a grist mill, saw
mill aud trip hammer, had been erected by
the mission family on the Chickamaugah
creek An Indian chief observing how
much was done by means of water, said.
44 1 suppose the next thing you attempt will
be to make the Chickamaugah talk !”
The New England Tract Society, agreea
bly to an act of the Legislature of Massa
chusetts, will hereafter be styled the
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY.
—zz*zz* —
CIRCULAR LETTER
Os a Convention of Delegates from the Rap
list Churches convened at Shoal Creek
Meeting House , Jasper County, on the 30 th
! and 31 st days of May, 1823.
Pursuaot to the request of the Ministers,!
D-acon* and Members of the Baptist,
Churches, who convened at this place on j
the 26th of March last: Delegates from a
number of the Churches of the Oakmulgee
Association met, and took iDto considera
tion the important subjects to which their
attention had been invited, to wit: The
necessity of a revival of practical religion
in our Families and Churches, and the im
portance of uniformity of Family and
Church Discipline in our religious con
nexion.
Ard after bestowing all the consideration
the time allotted would admit of, it was
unanimously resolved; to present the follow
ing address to our Baptist Brethren in gen
eral, and especially to the Churches we re
present in this convention or meeting.
And first.— fVe would call your attention
1 to your duties in your families.
2nd. Your duties in relation lo the Sabbath
day,
1 3rd Your duties as members of the
1 Church of Christ , as you stand related to your
brethren.
The first object proposed in the foregoing
plan of address, forcibly presents itself at
once, as the. primary’ foundation of all Chris
tian dnty and usefulness, it is vain to think
of usefulness in the good cause of the bler
; sed Redeemer, beyond the threshold of our
i own habitations, unless we habitually ap
| pear in the garments of righteousness be
| fore our own families; and to appear in this
| light, we deem it necessary to be ever
watching, a9 well as praying. But watch
-1 ing and praying is not all that is required
in family religion: heads of families have
daily opportunities to communicate relig
ious instruction to those placed under their
care; such teaching and instruction as caD
: be received from no other source.
In the faithful and regular performance
of morning and evening service, (upon
which we would earnestly insist) the read
ing of a suitable portion of the word of God
should not be omitted; it was given by in
spiration, and is profitable for instruction.
If we are faithful to our children; if we
bring them tip in the fear, nurture and ad
monition of the Lord, thq field of our fami
ly duties and performances will be enlarged,
and oar usefulness at home and abroad
greatly extended; but time would fail us
to dwell upon all the points contemplated.
We will therefore advance to the second
thing proposed, which is intimately connect
i ed with the first.
Your duties in regard to the Sabbath day.
, Pious Christians of every name, denomina
i tion and clime, readily adroit, that the sev-
I enth day is a Sabbath of the Lord God ;
j that in it we should cease from all worldly
! employment, and keep it holy unto the
; Lord. And yet, our dearly beloved breth
ren, is it not a lamentable (futh, that too
■ many of our families are suffered to spend
this blessed day iu idle siofuluess, or in pay
ing nnd receiving formal visits from friends
and neighbours, and thereby imposing unu
sual labour on our servants and children
when they should be sitting under the sanc
tuary of gospel instruction. Brethren, is
it not a humiliating truth, that many of one
children and servants are suffered to roam
at large on the Sabbath day, employing
their time in sports and amusements, abso
lutely forbidden by the civil authority of the
government in which we live? These
‘hings ought not to be so. And for remedy
whereof, we tvould in the bonds of the gos
pel, humbly recommend to the Churches
wherever it is practicable, to meet with
their families every Sabbath at the house of
God, and there let the Deacon and other
brethren admonish, instruct and pray for
one another. And when your scattered
and dispersed situation renders this incon
venient, let the brethren in their different
neighbourhoods agree upon the best ar
rangemert which their prudence can sug
gest, to enable them to unite for the wor
ship of God every Sabbath. But if wq
cannot go up to the house of God, or any
other place appointed for his worship ori
ihe Sabbath day, let os conscientiously ded
icate the day to the Lord iu our own fam
ilies; let parents read and explain the
scriptures and other writings to their chil
dren and servants; let us catechise them
in the things of religion. We shall bs
learners with them. Let us evince by
our works and deeds our real faith iu
regard to the Lord’s day ; let us wipe
off” the reproach which our neglect of
duty has so justly brought upon us; lei
us convince the world, as well as our
Christian friends of other denominations,
that we duly and highly appreciate
value of this blessed day.
Tbe third and last thing proposed, Is to
consider your duties as members of the Church
of Christ, as you stand related to your breth
ren.— It i* the duty of gospel ministers “to
give themselves wholly to the ministry.'’
Acts 6th ch. 4th v. “To study to shew
themselves approved unto God, workmen,
that need not be ashamed,” according to
Raul’s direction to Timothy. h They are
not to be greedy of filthy lucre, nor entunglc
themselves with the things of this world , but
having food and raiment, they are therewith
to be content ” The Ministers of the gospel
are “to feed the flock of God;” they are
to *• reprove , rebuke, exhort with all long
suffering and doctrine —and l in a word,
41 declare the whole, counsel of God,” and in*
sist on all the Christian duties.
And now, dear Brethren, in order to en
able the minister thus to discharge his du
ties, “as he ministers unto the Church spirit
ual things,'’’ it is bis privilege, and your rea
sonable duty, that 14 he should reap yout
carnal things ,” 2 Cor. 9th ch. 11th
44 The labourer is worthy of his hire,” 1 Tim.
5 ch. 18th v. From whence we may ob
serve, that the church is bound to support
their preacher; that it is a debt due to the
Lord, and tin's support, as well as all other
Church expences, such as the table of tbe
Lord, the table of the poor, &c. is a charge
on the Church, and binds on every member*
in proportion to what he hath. The
Church should, as far as providence ha* af
forded the ability, afford the means of im
provement and education to their ministers,
and to the furtherance of the gospel of
Christ in general.
Dear Brethreu, in conclusion, permit us
to remark, that we are duly sensible of tbe
defects of the foregoing summary. We
know that the subject is not presented to
your consideration in a manner and form,
which equal* its intrinsick merit and impor
tance. But we rely upon the force
power of Almighty truth. We are addres
sing Christians, whose heart* desire the
advancement of tbe kingdom of Christ,
Come ministers —come Deacons—come
Brethren all, and Sisters too —let us unite
at a Throne of Grace, and constantly bear
in mind, that all our plans and recommenda
tions will effect nothing in reducing theory to
practice .Then let us individually commence
the good works recommended, according
to the measuce of grace and gifts afforded.
When individually organized and harness
ed for the good work of the Lord, we
shall then have surmounted the greatest
obstacle to the desired progress in the
Christian life. We shall then be prepared
to unite as brethren, churches and neigh
bours, to devote the whole of our Sab
baths to God’s service, and to carry into
effect all the special duties herein recom
mended. But again we repeat, let us
constantly bear in mind, to effect any thing
valuable it is absolutely necessary to intro
duce both rule and practice into each indi
vidual Church.
JOHN ROBERTSON, Moderator.
CYRUS WHITE, Clerk. <
TURKEY.
Extract of a letter from Constantinople, dated
March 10, 1833.
A curious paper is said to have been
lately presented to the Sultan. I will de
tail the circumstance, though the whole is
no doubt a political fudge, got up in this
city, for the purpose of keeping the refrac
tory in order, and an event which has since
occurred, has tended to give a degree of
weight and veracity to this ridiculous story.
But to the point: this paper ordocqment,
is nothing less than a writing which was
found by a guardian of the tomb at Mecca,
to whom Mahomet appeared at midnight,
whilst be was reading the Koran near the
tomb ; after the prophet had made him un
derstand the object of his appearance, tel
ling him how much the misconduct of his
people bad troubled him, he observed that
since the commotions, 70,000 of his people
had gone into the other world, out of which
number only seven individuals had been
found faithful; lliat the remainder, by their
neglect of prayer, giving themselves up
luxurious pleasures, want of care of the
poor, and iodiflference towards the Ulemas,