Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

No 7 Vol. VII.] THE BURNING OF JOHN HUSS. In “ The Lollard#—a Tale,” founded on persecutions which marked the early si'iri of the fifteeutb century—a work of considerable value and interest,—there are j-orne impressive descriptions of the cele Wnted Christian Reformer, John Huss. the account of his martyrdom cannot fail io arouse deep attention. The age of per iiecutioo by tire and faggot is passed, but here is an instauce of its destructive, sweep ’ heartless severity, while it lasted. The following extracts from the work, des criptive ot the burning of John Hus*, we think it is impossible for any one to read without the tnoet painful emotions V“ The procession moved on—Huss, ab -orbed in pious meditufious, was only awake ■o joyful hope; and the momentary weak ness which had come over him in the church has given place to the most settled i'orlitiide. Arriving at the gate of the Epis copal palace, he saw a pile of wood, and be lieved that he was already at the place of ‘execution. He wa soon undeceived, for the wood being tired, he saw his writings brought forward, and successively thrown ;ato the flames. A smile played on his fea tures, which he tried but in vain to smother [while be witnessed this vain experiment; ■old turning to the crowd with the utmost composure, he declared that his writings •vere consumed, not for the errours which hey contained, but to gratify the ignoble T age of his adversaries u The ?un shone bright, but a shower of rain had fallen, and within the circle to which Htiss was admitted to view the des truction of his books, he saw a large earth worn, in his path. He stepped a little aside to avoid treading on it. Oue of his guards, who observed this, placed his foot on the reptile with an air of bravado. “ ‘ I would call the worm my brother,’ said the martyr, ‘and truly we are brothers in mir-lortiioe, for we peri-h by the 9ame cruelty.’ “ He now approached a large area, which had been cleared from the crowd, who still anxiou-lv pre-sed forward wherever tin* vi gilance of the guards was relaxed. It was opposite the gate ot Gottlebian, and between the gates and gardens of the suburbs. In the centre he saw an accumulation of fag gots amidst which a strong post was erect ed. Several men were employed in carry ing more wood in the open space, and four large bundles of straw were placed beside ■the faggots. A man of ferocious aspect stood near the post about which the fag gots were being piled, lie was engaged in disentangling the coils of a rope, which had been recently immersed in water, and two or three chains were laid across a bench, will, an appearance of careful arrangement. Hnss had no difficulty in recognising in this mat. ni? executioner; and in the place to which he had now been conducted, the spot on which he was to die. u Though the unfortunate Hus? was sur rounded by beings who had wrought them selves up to suppose that the torture and death of a virtuous mm would be an accep table spectacle lo a God of merev, there were many among the crowd, whose piety fell far short ol that zeal which could con- template the meditated sacrifice without shuddering liorrour. These now made their voices heard, remarking, that in what ever way the sufferer had before offended, he prayed most devoutly, and some wished he ovght he indulged with a confessor. Bat a priest who had been present at Hit* council, anj wa now tiding within the cir cle, called out, on perceiving the impres sion which the martyr’s words bad made, that being a convicted hereiick, those en trusted wish ihe punishment his offences ought nni to sutler him lo be heard. At the same time, lie declared that no confessor could be allowed lo approach one so accnr sed—cut off from, and already dead to the Church. “ The executioner then took from bi j)er.-on a white coat, in honour of hi* anii -1 cipated deliverance. A frock, prepared with pitch and tar, was brought to hiin, and wearing this, he was conducted to the slake. His hands were bound, and two faggots, with straw intermixed, were placed beneath his feet. A wet rope was put round him, and this was tied to the stake, when a par tial murmur ran through those who had been admitted within the guarded space. Jluss started. An idea crossed his mind that possibly Sigimuod had relented; hut this was immediately dismissed, when the priest, who had before spoken to reprove the cries of the crowd, advanced to give ex presjnin to the feeling which bad just man ifested itself. “ Hass was first tied round the middle with r.ord. A chain was passed over these, nd chains were fastened to hi* left leg and Iris neck. Thus securely bound to the eta&e, the faggots provided for the occasion, were piled to thsmhio; straw was placed beneath and between them, where it was thought likely must effectually to contribute to the fierceuess of the blaze. “A moment of awful expectation follow ed. The executioner approached with a lighted torch; when the Duke of Bavaria rode up to Muss, and loudly called to him, demanding lb.#’ he should now renounce hi- - errours; at the same time reminding him THE MISSIONARY. that in a few moments it would be out of his power to do so. “ ‘ I thought the danger already passed he replied, ‘but happily, I am nothing tempted to gainsay what I have heretofore advanced. I have taught the truth, and am now ready to seal it with my blood. Ultimately it shall prevail, though I may not see it. This day you kindle the flame 9 of persecution about a poor and worthless sinner; but the spirit which animates me, ■'hall, phoenix like, ascend from my ashes, soar majestically on high through many suc ceeding ages, and prove to all the Christian world, how vain this persecution, how im potent your rage.’ “ The martyr turned as far ns hi bands would admit, and looked towards the exe cutioner, who now approached to kindle the tire. His movement caused some of the outer faggots to fall. Upon this the (lam ing torch was laid down, till the wood could be replaced. The Bohemian saw the torch resumed, and in the same instant he beard the crackling of the lighted straw The rapidly extending blaze spread round the pile; while, seizing the last moments that remained to him on earth, Huss prayed aloud. He was proceeding when the rising flame seized his beard, eves, and eyebrows, and an involuntary start threw the cap from hi* head His voice was again heard above the roaring of the volume of fire, which now burst from the top of the pile behind the stake. Utterance tailed him ; hut his uplifted eyes evinced, in (hat awful moment, that his heart was still awake to devotion, though his tongue is mute forever. His face became violently distorted, and bowing down his head he was seen to expire. Enough wood-had not been provided, and •he fire tailed before the mortal remains of the martyr were more than half consumed. His clothes had been thrown on tiie pile in aid ot the faggots; but all was insufficient, and new supply of wood was necessary. 1 he burning being at length complete, his ashes were carefully collected, carried away in a cart, and thrown into a neigh bouring river, that tile admirers of the Bo hemian might possess nothing to recall the memory ol their martyr.” From the Family Visitor. CHRISTIAN OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH Every Christ lan muwt Lnow how th* * Sabbath should be kept ; for the proper observance of this holy day is inculcated both in the Law and the Gospel. Tin frequent neglect of a divine command so “tiemnly enforced, cannot then arise from ignorance. It may therefore be useful to investigate the sources of this lamentable deficiency in Christian practice. Many persons are content with a slight adhrrane.e to those dinne precepts which enjoin re slraints upon their natural inclinations ; but it would seem that a permission to rest from the toils of Ide, could not fail to be acceptable to tbe weary and heavy la den. If we owed the institution of the Sab bath to some human benefactor, and could look back upon tlfe time when mankind were without this privilege, we should perhaps appreciate if properly. We should doubtless celebrate it as we now do our National festivals, with tributes ol prai9e to its author, and a thankful remem l brance ol other blessings derived from his hand But we owe this benefit to one from whose gooduess we have received so much, that we are apt in our cureless es timate of His mercies to oimt tume of Iran sceodent value to our souls. At leat it may fairly be inferred, that we think light ly of those things,that we may he accused of slighting the giver, when we reject the advantages of his gifis. But the general misuse of our appointed season of rest, may be attributed to a misconception of it 4 * du ties and privileges. The word “ res?,” in its wordly acceptation, means nothing more than a cessation from bodily labour. But the scripture sense is of far dearer signifi cation. The people of God are promised au “ entrance into his rest,” when they are released from the thraldom of the flesh; and tbe sabbmb on earth, may be consider e.d as a type of that emancipation from the bondage of sin, which is to be enjoyed in Heaveu. Some divines have been ofopin ion that the Angels themselves have their appointed seasons of more solemn devotion and greater rejoicing when accordmg to the beautiful expression of Job “ The morn ing stars sing together, and all the Sons of God shout for joy !” The injunction to re frain from bodily labour on the Sabbath, includes an obligation to release our minds from worldly thoughts and cares. If we pursue our temporal concerns in imagina tion, we are virtually guilty of a breach of the fourth commandment. The services which we are required to render to our Maker on His own holy day, must engage our thoughts and feelings to the exclusion of every other subject. His requisitions extend to the heart* of his people, and they mu9t lay aside the petty interests of this life while engaged with the awful consider ations ot Eternity. The Sabbath does not properly belong to this life—lt is the day on which tbu care shaken soul of man is in vited to renew its hold on heaven. It should be spent in unbroken holiness and nru a ■ j . *l° ye ‘. n . t 0 ? n the wor,d > nd preach the Gospel to every creature.- -Jetvt Christ all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperhy, iteligior and Morality are indispensable supports— Washington. MOUNT ZION, (HANCOCK COUNTY, GEORGIA,) MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1825. stillness of reflection, and the turmoil of other days should be remembered no more. If this portion of our time was scrupulous ly set apart for the exercises of religion, we thould find it easier to keep alive a de votional spirit during the tumults insepara ble from our weekly occupation*. It is difficult to maintain a pious frame es mind amidst the disturbance of worldly emotions; but this discipline of the heart is essential to our spiritual welfare, and a proper oh servance of the sabbath will aid us greatly in its attainment. Among many professing Christians, the habit of paying visits on the day of rest, is most perniciously indulged. They think themselves absolved from further duty, when they have joined in the exercises of the sanctuary. Their persons have been carefully decorated to assist in the cer emonial of religions worship, apd the same preparation will suffice for other observan ces of ceremony. They gtide with pliant spirits from the formal rile? of the temple, to the less irksome requisitions of the social circle. Some slight pretext i perhaps as signed for an apparent departure from cus tomary restrictions. It i* not, they say, the usual practice of any indtvidul, but cir cumstances sometimes make such little de viations necessary. A stranger has arrived in the neighbourhood and the luifiness of the week has prevented the attentions that hospitality dictates. It is one of our social duties to welcome the new comer, and what time is more proper for such good of fices, than the unappropriated fragment of a leisure day ? This familiar denomination is applied by many religions professors to that day’ which the almighty Being “ bles sed and hallowed,” and commanded hi 9 creatures to keep holy ! It is by no means uncommon to hear the head of a family declare, that he shall not have a leisure moment, until Sunday , when he will think over the subject in question and give his opinion ; this is perhaps said in the presence of his children, who of course infer, that thoughts cjn vvordly sub jects are not among the prohihted occopa tions ot the sabbath. It is not altogether unusual for members of the Christian Church to give the sanction of their exam pie to certain questionable modes of filling up their vacant hours on the days of rest. They rigorously enforce the observances <t |ilblick wnrahip, Stnß liorbapa u period for private devotion ; but when these essential duties have been regularly performed, there is still some heavy time to dispose of, which is generally made light by idle conversation, or frivolous reading. Sunday has been said by worldly people In be the longest day in the week, and Chris tians have found means to protract it, hv their languid and joyless appropriation of it privileged hours. The true reason why this alloted period of spiritual enjoyment is so little appreciated, is, that spiritual pleasures are little coveted in this world, even by thoe who have admission through faith to the fountain from whence they flow. The wjrdly man denies his belief in their existence ; the Christian asserts their pre eminence over all earthly pleasures, and yet willingly exchanges (hem for subordi nate gratifications. He repeats periodical ly, “ one day in thy courts is better than a thousand,” and yet’ that day passes more wearily with him, than a thousand spent in the “ tents of ungodliness.” Christians should be rigid in tbeir self-examinations on this head, and if they find no pleasure in spiritual communion with ‘he most High, on His own appointed season for such exercises, they must take heed lest their faith be insufficient for they- salvation. “If any man love ’me he will keep my com mandments,” and “ my father will love him, and we will come unto him, and abide with him.”—Surely thisgraciour pmmie should rouse us to a stricter observance of those commandments which eternal Wisdom has instituted as rules for our conduct. It might perhaps havea beneficial effect for the ministers of the Gospel to enforce frequently from the pulpit, a full and per feet adherence to the fourth command ment. It is true that the general tenor of sabbath discourses is calculated to awaken the heart to spiritual enjoyment; but the too frequent indulgence of bgbi thoughts and feelings after the sertrwn, disturbs the faint impression made by Divine truth. Os the numbers who throng the temple on the Lord’s day, there are few who carry from its sacred precincts the lasting fervours of devotion, or any abiding impression of the reality of holy things Many who are scru pulous in tbeir attendance on Divine wor ship, consider their religious obligations discharged by Ibis conformity to the ways of the righteous. They bold all farther exercises of the mind to be supeifluens, and wonder at the “ fanaticism” of those who seclude themselves with the Bible for a whole day. To such persons the duties of the sanctuary are irksome, because they are merely duties. Whei they are consid ered as blessed privilege*, confertpd by a merciful Father upon tb* children of His love, —adapted by his wiidom to the neces sities of His forlorn ones on earth, then in deed there can be do Wish to abridge one moment of the allotted season of spiritual enjoyment—of heavenly communion with Him, whom, not seeing we love ’ MR. WOLFF AT NINEVAH & BAGDAD. In a late number of our paper we gave a brief abstract of the Journal of this extra ordinary maD, while at Moossul. From this place he crossed the river Tigris which he says is the Hiddekel (Gen. ii. 14) to Nu nia, built, as is supposed, on the site of an cient Nineveh. Here he saw a mound, which is in possession of the. Turks, and visited by the Jews as the tomb oftbe pro phet Jonah. On his way to Bagdad Mr. Wolff parsed through Karkush, where there are neither Jews oor Mussulmans, but some hundred Syrian Catholicks. Two priests, to whom he had a letter ot introduction from the Syrian bishops at Moossul, desired Bi hies and Testaments. The language of the place is a corrupted Syriac. In three days he arrived at Arbel, the ancient Arbella, where Alexander defeated the army of Darius. The language is Persia’u. There are no Christians in this place, but a few Jews. The Rabbi listened attentively to Mr Wolff", and inquired, ■when shall tribuia tions pass from Israel, and when will our cap tivity end ?” There are also 10,000 Kurds here, hut very different from those iu Mes opotamia, being friendly and hospitable.— The name of Mr. Rich is well known here. At Karkuk, a place three days journey from Arbel, Mr. Wolff found 200 families of Jew, but was too much fatigued and indisposed to have any conversation with them. In the castle is shown the sepulchre of the prophet Dauiel. At Duzkhormat, where are 40 families of Jews, they informed Mr. W. that the Messiah had arrived at Calcut ta, two months ago. On the Bth April, 1C24, sixty four days after his departure from Aleppo, Mr. Wolff entered Bagdad the city of the Khaliffs, in the land of Babylon. This city is supposed to be built on the site of the aocienl Selucia. It was founded in the year 766, and <"or 300 yeais was the residence of the Khaliff* and the capital of the Moslem empire. In the 9th Century it is supposed to have con tained 2 million inhabitants. At present they are estimated at 80,000; Arabs, Turks, Jews and Christians. The city is built on both sides of the Tigris, 210 miles from Moussul, 300 from Bassora, and 1350 from Constantinople; in Lat. 32 deg. 20 min. N. Though meanly built, it is a place of great wealth and trade, and a noted emporium for the products of Arabia. India,'and Persia. it supplies all Asia Minor, Syria, and part of Europe, with Indian commodities, which are imported at Bassora, transported up the Ti gris in boats to Bagdad, thence in Caravans to Tocat, Constantinople, Aleppo, and Da mascus. On his arrival at Bagdad, Mr. Wolff was very hospitably received by the British agent, an Armenian, at whose house he met several English gentlemen, who, although they had never seen him, treated him with great cordiality, and revived his spirits. From them he first heard of the death of Mr. Ward—whom be (hu9 mentions in his Journal: “1 knew thee well,dear Ward; thou hast (ought the good fight ■ thou hast finished thy course ; thou hast kept the faith ; Ihou ba9t now obtained a crown of righteousness; thou art now at Jerusalem; thou art now upon Sion, aDd dost view all her palaces; the time of singing is now come to thee !” There are, say 9 Mr. Wolff, about 500 Christian houses at Bagdad, consisting of Armenians, Armenian Catholicks, Syrians, Syrian Catholicks, and Chaldean Catholicks. The Propaganda of Rome has a convent which is occupied by one Carmelite friar, and one French Bishop who is also French consul at Bagdad. Mr. W ‘lff was informed that there are about 1,500 families of Jews at Bagdad, and that the whole commerce and business of the Pacha is in their hands. They shewed him the burial place of the prophet Ezekiel , and that of Joshua the High priest, the son of Josedek, Hag. i. 1. Mr. W. had letters of introduction from two Jew consuls at Aleppo to Saul, the prince of the captivity at Bagdad, who received him kindly. The following dialogue between Mr. W. and the High priest took place in the presence of the Prince: W. I see that yon have here a worthy prince of the captivity. High Priest We must have some prince, for it is w ritten, “ The sceptre shall not de part from Judah, nor a lawgiver from be tween hi feet, until Shiloh come!” ’ As the prince of the was pres ent, delicacy on my part was necessary, I therefore confined myself to the three fol lowing questions: and after they had been answered nnsati-fariorily. I turned the con versation to another subject, 1. Has the prince of Ihe captivity, in whose company I have now the honour to be, royal power? 2. May he enact laws ? 3. Is be of the tribe of Judah ? High Priest. No, our prince has no roy al power, he is a prince of the captivity ; he has, however, a little, little, little power —be cannot enact laws, and we do not know our tribes. The prince of the captivity then gave orders that their synagogues should be shonD to me. They have four beautiful synagogues, they showed me their Sepher Torah, and desired me to read it; thev have two colleges. [We extract one other passage from the journal.] I found here among the Jews, to my great astonishment, books, bibles, testa ments and tracts, which I gave to the Jews at Jerusalem, with my name written in them ; my name and the object of my mis sion, were therefore already become known to them. Another Jew, who called on me, Morde cai by Dame, read the New Testament in my room, iu the British consulate, for a long time, and told me that be had read this hook before, in the house of the rich Jew Ezechiel, at Baora. A Jew named Obadiah, read the New Testament in my house, with two other Jews, and seemed struck with the Sung of the angels, and the praises oftbe heavenly host. “ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men I” I gave away among very respectable Jews, ten Hebrew New Testaments in one day ! On the 16th of this month, more (ban twenty Jews called on me at tbe residence of the British agent, and conversed with me more than nine hours ; they read upwards of ten chapters of the Gospel of Matthew. COLONY OF SIERRA LEONE. The followim; extract from the London Quarter ly Review will have the charm of novelty to those who have never seen any beneficial re sult from missions. IJy the official return? in August, 1822, it appears that the population of Sierra Le one, consisted of 16,671 souls, of whom more Ibau 11,000 were negroes, rescued by our cruisers from slavery. Perhaps so much happiness and unmingled good w-erc never before produced by the employment of a naval force. Eleven thousand human being® had then been rescued from the horrors of the mid-lie passage, (horrors, be it remembered, which have been aggra vated by the abolition of rhe slave-trade, such is the remorseless villainy of’those who still carry on that infamous traffiefc,) though the mortality among them when they are first landed, arising from their treatment on board the slave-ships, has been dreadful. They are serttlcd in villa ges, under the -superintendence of mission aries or schoolmasters, sent out from this country, and of native teachers and assis tants, whom the settlement now begins to supply. The effect of this training has been such, that though, when the popula tion of the colony was only 4000, there had been forty cases in Ibe calender for trial, ten years after, shea the population was upwards of 16,000, there were only six; and net a single case from any of (be villa ge? under the management of a missionary or schoolmaster. It is affirmed that the authority of the word ot Ged, in connexion with Christian discipline, supercedes among them almost all necessity for human laws.’ ‘ Most of those with whom I live,’ says a missionary, (whose life has since been sa crificed in this good cause,) * 1 have seen brought from the holds of slave-ships I have seen them rise from the chains of the slave*dealer to become industrious men and women, pious Christians, affectionate husbands and wives, lender fathers and mothers, and peaceful neighbours. Con sidering these thing?, I have always thought myself among the happiest of men, in serv ing in this way our Lord Jesus Christ.* Would this true servant of his heavenly Master have exchanged that feeling for alt the victories of Buonaparte and all his pow er, even if that power had been stable? Could any success in the pursuit of fame or fortune have given him a happiness equal in kind or in degree, to that which he thus deserved and obtained? Captain Sabine, of (he Engineers, has authorized the Com mittee to state his testimony (bat, ‘after spending six week? in the colony, aod close ly and repeatedly inspecting the state of the liberated Africans, under the care of Christian instructors, the representation of their improved condition was perfectly true; and that in reference to the largest assem blage of ihrtn, at Regent’s Town, their spir it and conduct are such, that he i? persoad ed there i? not to be seen upon earth a community of equal size so truly exempla ry. A naval officer, who bad een much of the negroes in slavery, was ?o struck with the state ot these, that he could hard ly believe they had been under instruction only since the end of the year 1816. In quiring what method bad been pursued to bring them from the deplorable condition in which ihey were received, to such a state in so short a lime, Sir Charles M‘Car tby replied, ‘no other than teaching them the truth? of Christianity, which these gen tlemen were sent lo propagate by the Church Missionary Society. By this atone they have ruled them, and have raised them to a common level wuh other civiliz ed people ; and believe me,’ he added,‘if you admit Christian teachers into your is land, yon will find your negroes soon be come affectionate and faithful servants to you. PRAYER. You may pray always, and yet not at* ways be at prayer. secker. FAITH. Faith is abb to swim upon those deep seas wilh delight, which the linejof reason treold neper fathom-