ception of Geneva, they are all united with the state. In one feature they have, however, until very recently, been uniform ; viz. in their opposition to all those who named the name of Jesus. This is the condition of the Protestant Cantons.

There are three distinct languages spoken in Switzerland: in the * western the French, in the south-eastern the Italian, and in the rest of the country German. The states which are under Catholic rule are plunged in the deepest ignorance and misery. The Virgin there receives more worship than Christ. The Bible is not known even by name to many; and but few can read. Yet even there, it is hoped, there are a few whose eyes the Lord hath opened to discern the Lord's body. Some still, struggling with conscience, cling to the religion of their forefathers, who, we trust, will yet be sent forth to liberty and triumph. The Protestant Cantons offer a much more cheering aspect to the Christian's eye. There the Bible is known,-the people are able to peruse its contents; books containing good and judicious instruction have been disseminated. Here, therefore, not only is the good seed sown, but the soil is much better prepared for its reception. In the towns and villages of these more favored districts, many may be found who are Christians indeed, taught by energetic and devoted pastors. These faithful but poor followers of Christ have exemplified the true spirit of the gospel: they have not forgotten their duty to spread the gospel either at home or abroad. This disposition displayed itself about twenty years ago in the institution of a Mission College at Basle, from which the Mission field has been supplied with many of its most efficient laborers. This is connected with the German part of Switzerland.

At the period to which we have just referred, but few of the pious were to be found in the French Cantons: yet it pleased the Lord to kindle a fire there, which nothing should be able to suppress. The Church at Geneva had, by treachery in the camp, become sterilized with Unitarian doctrines, and the religion of Jesus appeared to be almost banished from that city, which had been a city of refuge to those who suffered for his name's sake, the English Episcopalian, and Scotch Presbyterian. Though things were reduced to so low an ebb, there were not wanting a few good persons who had not bowed the knee to Baal: these were a small band of pious Moravians, who met often together. The first remarkable era connected with the history of the revival stands connected with the visit of an Englishman named Haldane, who, during his stay in Geneva, convened the divinity students, and addressed them pointedly on the subject of true piety; and not without success. Some of them were convinced of the errors they had been taught, and refused to subscribe to the articles by which alone they could obtain admittance into the bosom of the church. In 1832 these formed themselves into a small dissident church, together with the Moravians, to which we have just referred. They preached with considerable success, not unattended with much opposition. In 1818 was the second era-it was the conversion of a man distinguished for his natural abilities and grace,-the Rev. Cæsar Malan; a name which will ever be dear to the Church of Jesus. At the time of his conversion he was a tutor in the academy at Geneva; his conversion and avowal of his sentiments secured his ejection from that post. This did not deter him from teaching and writing, for both which offices he was well qualified. His works have obtained a just celebrity, wherever the doctrines of the Reformation are known and loved. His labors were very great and successful. He travelled into the different parts of his native land, preaching the word, the Lord working with him and giving him the souls of the people. As might naturally be anticipated, his success raised the ire of the constituted authorities. Two of the Cantons, Vaud and Berne, prohibited him from travelling within

The

their jurisdiction, but they could not stem the torrent which he had turned upon their lands, which, like a mountain stream, bore all before it. It was under these circumstances that the small dissident church at Geneva still continued to increase ;-many true disciples were added to it daily, who were an ornament to their profession. One of its pastors, a man of eminent ability, Mr. Bolst, wrote and published several most excellent works, which obtained a wide circulation. In one of these he described the irreligious state of Geneva in such colors as could not be mistaken. This excited the indignation of the pastors. They cited him before the judges. He pleaded his cause in person, and with such zeal and wisdom that the judge said of him, as another said of his Master-" I find no fault in this man.' The people, excited by what they deemed a libel upon their religious state, attacked him on his return home, when the authorities were obliged to take him under their protection, and close the gates of the city. church of the Dissidents has, like the little leaven, begun to leaven the whole lump-in the Canton of Vaud especially, where these persecutions had raged most violently in the years 1819 to 1827 inclusive. During this time of trial, one of the ministers was imprisoned, and died from the cruelties he experienced; others were banished, and religious meetings prohibited in private houses under heavy penalties. These vigorous measures did but excite a more general spirit of enquiry. Within the bosom of the church itself many began to say, What shall I do to be saved? Nor was it confined to laymen. Ministers caught the flame, and preached a crucified Redeemer. The students were also influenced :-in fact, life appeared to pervade the whole mass both of laity and priesthood. The heat of the persecution after a time subsided, and left those who had been faithful to God, in the possession of peace and triumph.

In the year 1832 this feeling embodied itself into a more tangible form, by calling into existence a Society at Geneva, called "The Evangelical Society." Its object was the diffusion of the gospel by every legitimate means-by schools, bibles, tracts, visitations, the education of young men for the ministry, and sending them forth as colporteurs or Bible missionaries into the neighbouring Cantons and France. Their labors have been attended with considerable success, and similar societies have been established at Lausanne and Berne.

The next step of importance was the establishment of an evangelical college or academy, in which the pious young men of the revived churches might take refuge, and be instructed in the true faith of the gospel. In this seminary about 15 or 20 young men are usually studying. Its constitution is very liberal;-it is not connected with any party, but most gladly receives all those who profess Christ within its walls; and having educated them, considers them not as its own, but the property of the whole Church. Another pleasing feature which has come to our notice, is the banding together of some of the infant churches for the spread of the gospel;this has been the case with the churches of Vaud, Berne, and Neufchatel. They have sent, as the result of their union, several young men to France to preach the word of life, who have generally met with a favorable reception. These churches, being in an infant state, are generally poor, and unable to give splendid donatives to the treasury of God: but they have what is of more value,-men well adapted to the Mission work; and, what is more delightful, they are willing to give those men to any section of the church who will frugally support them. This is not an idle boast. We have some of us had the privilege of associating with two just arrived from the institution at Geneva, who are to be supported at Sonámukhí by the generous liberality of one pious civilian. In the year 1830 the whole country became subject to political revolution. The change was highly beneficial to the interests of religion. The new

government being based upon liberal principles, were desirous of shewing their liberality by adopting a directly opposite line of conduct to that pursued by the old administrations. Notwithstanding this, the condition of some of the brethren in the eastern Cantons demands our sympathies and prayers, as they are yet the subjects of prohibitory laws and unjust restrictions. On those eastern parts of the country the religious movement is increasing, and in fact over the whole land there are very many, who pursue their course unmoved by the threatenings of the wicked, or the favors and smiles of the powerful.

I know not that I have made the most judicious use of my materials, but I think we may infer from what has been advanced, that the result of the visit of ONE MAN, determined in purpose and holy in life, has tended, by God's blessing, to give life to the dead, and excite such a flame in Switzerland as not all the fiends in hell or enemies on earth shall be able to extin guish. By his means many pulpits have been filled with faithful teachers; the churches have been crowded with listening auditors; the Bible is read; impiety crushed; unbelievers checked; and many souls prepared for labor on earth, and for glory in heaven. May we not say, in the language of our good friend who supplied me with the principal part of this infor mation-"Blessed be the Lord who blesses in such a manner this little land, not only with happiness, freedom, and peace, but also with the infinitely more valuable gift of heavenly and eternal happiness?"

What is the practical influence of this information upon us?-for every address is deficient which does not excite in us practical dispositions. The first is gratitude. That God has been pleased to restore the smile of his countenance to this once favored part of his vineyard. That his love has returned.

The second feeling should be prayer and sympathy;-sympathy with the suffering; prayer, that the Lord Jesus may strengthen and confirm the disciples to withstand the wiles of Unitarianism and the malignity of Popery; that they may be preserved from a bitter and exclusive spirit; that their piety may have its legitimate influence upon the active and daring infidelity of France, and the not less active but much more silent irreligion of Germany. O let us pray that its valleys may break forth into singing; that its hills may catch the feeling, and the whole country be a pattern of religious stedfastness and excellence, as it was once of invincible physical courage and love of civil freedom. O let us pray that future generations may not only have to point to that spot on which Tell placed the fate of his country on the life of his child, and his own dexterity; but where many have sacrificed their all for the sake of Jesus and the spiritual welfare of their fellows.

But lastly, the information we have heard should stimulate and encourage. We see in the history of this revival how much individual instrumentality can effect. One man becomes the means of raising the drooping vine throughout a whole land. But he was not unmindful to stir up the gift that was in him he used the right weapons, and he used them well. He addressed men as sinners, and commended the truth to every man's conscience in the sight of God. This good man has been censured by many of the professors as wild; but O that we all had his wildness, if we had but his success. We live in a country where there is much to discourage, both within and without the church; but let us live upon the promise of a faithful and unchanging God, who has declared that in conjunction with the labors of his people he will grant his blessing. We live in a land, too, where we must feel that we are surrounded by infirmity. We soon, very soon, must be no more, and that field we now occupy shall be filled by others. Let this stir us up to work, to watch, to pray; sowing the seed, and resting at last in hope that the harvest shall be sure and universal.

φλος.

V-Notices regarding Hindu Festivals occurring in different Months.-No. 8, August.

AUGUST 12th-26th.-Jhulan Játrá.

From the new until the full moon of August, the Jhulan Játrá is celebrated, to commemorate the frolics of Krishna and Rádhá. Many Hindus keep this feast only for five nights, beginning on the eleventh day of the moon; and others for three nights, commencing on the thirteenth.

The ceremonies gone through are much the same as those of the Dola Játrá, described in the notices for March; only that no phág (red powder) is used as on that occasion, and that the god and his mistress have daily a new change of raiment given them as long as the festival lasts. Krishna and Rádhá are placed in a chair suspended from the ceiling, and swung first by the proprietor of the house, and afterwards by the brahman guests at pleasure. About 10 o'clock the images are worshipped in the usual way, and offerings of fruits, sweetmeats, cloth, &c. presented. At this time a great number of persons attend outside, and make a horrid discord with barbarous instruments of music, connecting the whole with every kind of indecency.

At noon, the person at whose house the festival is held, generally gives a grand entertainment to bráhmans and others. After eating, dances and dramatic exhibitions of the most indelicate and obscene kind take place, and love-songs in honor of Krishna and Rádhá are sung. The festivities are thus continued till the crowd retire at day-light.

The last day of the Jhulan Játrá, being full moon (26th August), is observed in public offices.

L.

VI.-The Connection between Geology and the Mosaic History of the Creation. By Edward Hitchcock, Professor of Chemistry and Nat. Hist. in Amherst College.

[At the request of an esteemed correspondent, we again revert to the connection between Geology and the Mosaic History. We have before inserted two interesting communications on the subject by Professor Hitchcock, and shall now proceed, in this and in a subsequent No. to present the greater part of the third and last paper which he has given to the world. We reserve our own remarks on this momentous controversy for a future number.-ED.]

Having prepared the way, by pointing out several unexpected coincidences between the two subjects, we are now prepared, as the second part of the discussion, to inquire into the nature and means of reconciling the supposed discrepancy between geology and revelation.

This alleged disagreement is chiefly chronological. Moses represents the work of creation as completed in the space of six days; whereas the geologist asserts that the formation of the crust of the globe, with its numerous groups of extinct animals and plants, after the original pro. duction of the matter of the globe, must have occupied immense periods of time, whose duration we cannot estimate. Other minor discrepancies between the two records are supposed to exist. But we can conveniently notice them all, in examining the chronological difficulty.

It is important to ascertain whether this demand of the geologist for such indefinite periods of time, be really called for by the established facts of his science. These facts are principally derived from the fossiliferous rocks that is, such rocks as contain organic remains, and appear to have been formed, in part at least, by mechanical agencies.

1. More than two-thirds of existing continents are covered with these rocks; which contain numerous remains of marine animals, so preserved as to prove incontestibly that they died on the spot where they are now found, and became gradually enveloped in the sand, or other stony matter, which accumulated around them, their most delicate spines and processes being preserved. In fine, these rocks present every appearance of having been formed, just as sand, clay, gravel, and limestone are now accumulating in the bottom of the ocean, by a very slow process. Except in extraordina ry cases, indeed, it requires a century to produce accumulations of this kind even a few inches in thickness.

2. But geologists think they have ascertained that the fossiliferous strata in Europe are not less than eight or ten miles in thickness: How immense the period requisite for the production of such vast masses!

3. This mass is divided into hundreds of distinct strata, or groups of strata; each group containing peculiar organic remains, and arranged in as much order, one above another, as the drawers of a well regulated cabinet. Such changes, not only of mineral composition but of organic remains, show that there must have been more or less of change of circum. stances in the waters from which the successive strata and groups were deposited. And such changes must have demanded periods of time of long duration, for they appear to have been for the most part extremely slow. We hence derive confirmatory evidence of the views that have been presented concerning the vast periods that have been employed in the production of the fossiliferous strata.

4. Another circumstance still further confirms these views. In very many instances, each successive group of the strata above referred to, contains rounded pebbles derived from some of the preceding groups. Those strata then, from which such pebbles were derived, must not only have been deposited, but consolidated and eroded by water, so as to produce these pebbles, before the rocks now containing them could have been formed. It is impossible that such changes, numerous as they must have been, could have taken place in short periods of time. There must certainly have been long intervals between the formation of the successive groups.

5. The history of the repeated elevations which the strata have undergone conducts us to the same conclusion. Different unstratified rocks have been intruded among the stratified ones of various epochs, and the strata have been elevated at each epoch. But the oldest strata were partially elevated before the newer ones were deposited: for the latter rest in an unconformable position upon the former. Indeed, we often find numerous groups of strata resting unconformably upon one another, the lowest being most tilted up, the next higher less so, and the third still less, until the latest is frequently horizontal; having never been disturbed by any internal protruding agency. It is obvious, then, that