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RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

NATIONAL SCHOOL SOCIETY. THE plans of the National Society are so well known, that the last Report is confined to a brief detail of the most interesting events in the past year. A few schools established many years since, have ́been suspended, in consequence of the varying circumstances of parishes, the change of incumbents, and the death or removal of individuals on whom the schools mainly depended for support; but the decrease thus occasioned, is far more than compensated by the union of sixty additional schools during the past year. The society's resources have fallen off; but this defect, it is trusted, will be speedily supplied by renewed exertions on the part of its friends. The Report adds a testimony of deep regret for the loss of the society's late most reverend president, who powerfully promoted the important objects of the society from its first institution to the period of his de

cease.

Among the causes of thankfulness and encouragement which the committee acknowledge, may be numbered the general prosperity of the institution, a growing persuasion in the public mind of its usefulness and importance, the large addition made to the society's funds by the bequest of 20,000l. by Mr. Tillard; with the continuance and increase of the zealous efforts of the parochial clergy in promoting the religious education of the poor. In eight dioceses, societies have been formed or revived, under the sanction of the several bishops, with the valuable appendages of central or model schools. Returns made from two-thirds of the places having schools in union previously to the last Report gave the following numbers:Sunday and daily...Boys 100,477; Girls 74,136, making 174,613: Sunday only... Boys 51,089; Girls 51,547, making 102,636 total, 277,249; adding to which one-third for the places from which no accounts had been recently received, the total of children would be about 360,000. It has been determined that a general inquiry into the state of Sunday and other Church-of-England schools shall be made every fifth year. It appears from a recent inquiry, that of 400 parishes, each containing a population of 4000 souls or upwards, according to the census in 1821,

not more than one-half have any of their schools actually united with the National Society, though there is reason to believe none of them are altogether without Church-of-England schools. The committee are justly anxious that one wise and united system of co-operation should be carried into effect, "which, while it, tended to the good of the society and the honour of the church, would promote the welfare of all its members and the glory of God."

FRENCH BIBLE SOCIETY.

The last Report of the Bible Society of Nismes in France contains the following anecdote of one of the subscribers, who was formerly attached to Bonaparte's army. An officer of the society, struck with his modest zeal in support of the cause, asked him whether his attachment to the society did not proceed from a knowledge of the soul-enlivening contents of the Bible. "It is so," said he; " and I will inform you how it took place." "Under the late emperor, I was attached to the army; and being taken prisoner and carried to England, I was confined in one of the prisonships. There, huddled together one above the other, and deprived of every thing that could tend to soften the miseries of life, I abandoned myself to dark despair, and resolved to make away with myself. In this state of mind, an English clergyman visited us, and addressed us to the following effect: My heart bleeds for your losses and privations, nor is it in my power to remedy them: but I can offer consolation for your immortal souls; and this consolation is contained in the word of God. Read this book my friends; for I am willing to present every one with a copy of the Bible, who is desirous to possess it.'-The tone of kindness with which he spoke, and the candour of this pious man, made such an impression upon me, that I burst into tears. I gratefully accepted a Bible; and in it I found abundant consolation, amidst all my miseries and distresses. From that moment the Bible has become a book precious to my soul: out of it I have gathered motives for resignation and courage to bear up in adversity; and I feel happy in the idea that it may prove to others what it has been to me."

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1829.] United States Episcopal Church-American Sunday-schools.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE

UNITED STATES. Bishop Hobart, in one of his recent addresses to his Clergy, gives the following statement of the manner in which Episcopal Congregations are often gradually gathered in the remoter parts of his own, and other dioceses in the United States. "Increased public ministrations by the clergy, and pastoral instruction from house to house, with prudent zeal and fidelity explaining and enforcing the institutions of the church, and shewing their connexion with the great and distinguishing doctrines of the Gospel, and their tendency to excite a rational yet fervent devotion, will, through the Divine blessing, prevent the members of the church from wandering elsewhere in search of spiritual light and consolation; and will tend to satisfy others of the high excellence of her ordinances and liturgy, as the best security for sound doctrine, and for an enlightened and substantial piety. The increase of our church by any other means, by relinquishing any of her principles or institutions, is not to be desired. Numerical strength might thus prove absolute weakness, by bringing within her pale those who will seek to change her character, and to accommodate her to other religious views, and other modes of worship. Our church in this diocese has hitherto increased by a faithful adherence to her principles. In new settlements, a few churchmen, in some cases scarcely more than one zealous churchman, using the Liturgy for worship, and at last obtaining the aid of some missionary on Sunday, have often succeeded in establishing a respectable congregation, and in erecting a house for worship. At Moravia, Owasco-Flats, four or five years ago there was but one churchman-the service of the church was introduced ministerial aid occasionally procured-and a congregation has been gradually formed, who have erected a handsome edifice for worship. The above remarks may be applied to the little congregation at Trenton, and to the larger one at Ithaca, and to the still larger ones of Ogdensburgh, Batavia, and Rochester, where handsome brick or stone buildings are erected. The congregation at Rochester, itself but a new settlement, has been organized but six or eight years; and in that period they have erected two houses for worship, and the large stone edifice in which they now assemble, a beautiful specimen of Gothic architecture, is surpassed by none in the state. The small congregation at Waterloo deserve great credit for the singularly neat CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 333.

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and commodious church which they have erected; and that at New Hartford is principally indebted for their convenient structure to the liberality of one venerable individual, who at the first generously endowed the church, and has since continued his munificent benefactions. In the handsome brick edifice at Batavia, a large body of worshippers assemble, where, not many years since, I officiated in the Court-house to an assembly, scarcely any of whom were acquainted with our mode of worship. I might apply the same remark to Ithaca.

"For all this, for the increase of our congregations, which now amount to one hundred and fifty, and which, within twelve or fifteen years, have been nearly doubled in number, twelve being organized during the past year, we are very much indebted, under God, to missionary exertions. And I am thus led to entreat an increased attention to measures for augmenting the Missionary Fund. I would impress this particularly on the large and wealthy congregations in our cities and elsewhere." ...." The report which I shall lay before you from the Committee for propagating the Gospel, &c. will shew the number of Missionaries employed-who, it should be remembered, only receive each the small stipend of one hundred and twenty-five dollars. The remainder of their support comes from their congregations. Many are the new settlements where our church would be established, could they be supplied with missionaries. But the funds are wanting. I must entreat, therefore, a renewed attention to the missionary collections and to the missionary societies for raising funds."

AMERICAN SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. The first Sunday-school in the United States was commenced in Philadelphia, in 1791, by persons of different religious denominations. In the year 1803, two Sunday Schools were formed in the city of NewYork, by the late Mrs Graham. In 1806, the Rev. S. Wilmer commenced a Sunday School at Kent, in the state of Maryland: and in 1808, the same person began a school at Swedesborough, New-Jersey. In 1809, a Sunday-school Society was formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, by which a school was opened in September of that year, containing 240 scholars. Now the "American Sunday-school Union It also gives numbers 2600 schools, 24,307 teachers, and 174,191 scholars.

employment to fourteen printing presses, and prints on an average 432,000 18mo pages a day. Still there are at least 4 F2

2,500,000 children, between the ages of five and fourteen, in the United States, of whom not more than 250,000 are receiving the benefits of Sunday-school instruction, leaving a balance of 2,250,000 to be provided for.

SOUTH-SEA NATIVE MISSIONS.

The Society Islands are sending native teachers in considerable numbers to other groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean. A missionary writes, "Brother Williams's account of the spread of the Gospel among the Harvey Islands, the Sandwich Islands, and other groups, afforded us much interest, as well as the various communications received from the native teachers, testifying the progress of Divine truth in all these places. It was agreed at the meeting, to send native teachers, as soon as expedient, to the various groups of islands to the westward, as far as New Caledonia. They are to be sent in a vessel built by the king of Rorotoa, in which the king and brother Williams came to Raiatea. Each island is to furnish two missionaries or native teachers."

INDIANS IN UPPER CANADA. The following is an extract from a recent letter of a teacher in Upper Canada.

"I received your favour, in which you desire me to give an account of our Christian Indians with this request I comply with great pleasure, and shall be as brief as possible.

"Peter Jones, who now travels as a missionary among the different tribes, was the first convert at the Grand River in the year 1823. His labours among his countrymen have been blest in a peculiar manner; for since his conversion, many, in various parts, have turned to the Lord.' The number of adults who have embraced the Gospel amounts to more than five hundred, and many children are now receiving the benefit of education. There are at present ten schools among these native tribes, and about three hundred scholars, some of whom can now read, write, and cipher. I have just had the pleasure of hearing boys, who did not know their alphabet the middle of last November, read very distinctly in the New Testament. Their progress in writing is still more remarkable.

"It is well known in what state these poor people were before their conversion to Christianity. Ignorant and degraded,

These Testaments were a grant from the Hibernian Bible Society.

they abandoned themselves to every species of vice: destitute of all knowledge, living without God, and without hope, habitually drunkards, they had scarcely the appearance of humanity, and their only desire seemed to be to obtain spiritous liquor; their thirst for it was never to be satisfied, until the grace of God converting their hearts made them abhor this and every other sin. Yet I hear there are some who would rejoice to see these poor Indians reduced to their former state of poverty and wickedness, exposed to the inclemency of the weather, lying under the shelter of a fence, without a blanket to shield them from the stormy winds, the rain, frost, and snow; and this because they wish to have them wholly in their own power, and strip them of the furs they procure in hunting, without any remuneration; and this would be the case had they no friends to protect them. Previous to their conversion, these poor people used to say, they could not see any advantage it would be to them to become Christians: they observed White men could get drunk, and swear and fight, as well as Indians. They were then ignorant that there is much difference between the mere profession of Christianity, and the influence of Christian principles. When I now witness the fervour of their devotion, their humble deportment, and their godly example, I am ashamed of my own want of love to Him who gave me all I possess

When I see their contentment with a scanty meal, and hear their expressions of thankfulness to Almighty God for the blessings they enjoy, I am induced to think that here Christianity peculiarly flourishes, that in this place is to be found in an eminent degree the religion of the heart. When you recollect that drunkenness was the vice to which these people were most addicted, it will gratify you to hear, that since their profession of Christianity not more than six instances of intoxication have occurred among the whole body, consisting of fully a thousand individuals.

"The desire for learning is great among these poor people. The Indians at Lake Simco, when asking for a teacher, said, they would reserve part of the fur they had procured to pay him, and actually stripped themselves of their silver ornaments to purchase books for the school. I believe the amount of trinkets sold for this purpose was 15. This desire for instruction is universal among those who have embraced the Gospel; but their countrymen have an aversion to education,

nor will they be persuaded to let their children attend the schools. Surely the words of the Apostle are visibly verified in these people If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

MISSIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA. We always quote with pleasure the many concurring testimonies of impartial travellers to the temporal as well as spiritual utility of missionary labours. The following attestation is from Mr. Thomson's Travels in South Africa in 1824.

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Having now visited nearly the whole of the missionary stations in Southern Africa, it may not be improper to express in a few words the opinion I have formed regarding them. The usual objections against them are, that the generality of the missionaries are a fanatical class of men, more earnest to inculcate the peculiar dogmas of their different sects, than to instruct the barbarous tribes in the arts of civilization; that most of them are vulgar and uninformed, many of them injudicious, some of them immoral; and, finally, that their exertions, whether to civilize or christianize the natives, have not hitherto been followed by any commensurate results.

Now my observations have led me to form a very different conclusion. It is no doubt true, that the missionaries labouring among the tribes of the interior are generally persons of limited education, most of them having originally been mechanics : but it seems very doubtful whether men of more refined and cultivated minds would be better adapted to meet the plain capacities of unintellectual barbarians; and were such teachers ever so preferable, where could they be procured? On the whole, the missionaries I have been acquainted with in South Africa appear to me generally well adapted for such service. Most of them are men of good, plain understanding, and industrious habits, zealously interested in the success of their labours, cordially attached to the natives, and willing to encounter, for their improvement, toil, danger, and privation. A few instances, in a long course of years, of indiscreet, or indolent, or immoral persons having been found among the missionaries, proves nothing against the general respectability of their characters, or the utility of their exertions. Imperfection will be found wherever human agents are employed. But such unfavourable exceptions are rare; while, among them, many persons of superior ability, and even science, are to be found: and I may safely affirm,

that at every missionary station I have visited, instruction in the arts of civilized life, and in the knowledge of pure and practical religion, go hand in hand.

"It is true, that among the wilder tribes of Bushmen, Korannas, and Bechuanas, the progress of the missions has hitherto been exceedingly slow and circumscribed. But persons who have visited these tribes, and are best qualified to appreciate the difficulties to be surmounted in instructing and civilizing them, will, if they are not led away by prejudice, be far more disposed to admire the exemplary fortitude, patience, and perseverance of the Missionaries, than to speak of them with contempt and contumely. These devoted men are found in the remotest deserts, accompanying the wild and wandering savages from place to place, destitute of almost every comfort, and at times without even the necessaries of life. Some of them have, without murmuring, spent their whole lives in such a service. Let those who consider missions as idle, or unavailing, visit Gnadenthal, Bethelsdorp, Theopolis, the Caffer stations, Griqua-Town, Kamiesberg, &c.; let them view what has been effected at these institutions for tribes of the natives, oppressed, neglected, or despised by every other class of men of Christian name; and if they do not find all accomplished which the world had, perhaps, too sanguinely anticipated, let them fairly weigh the obstacles that have been encountered, before they venture to pronounce an unfavourable decision. For my own part, utterly unconnected as I am with missionaries, or missionary societies of any description, I cannot, in candour and justice, withhold from them my humble meed of applause for their labours in Southern Africa. They have, without question, been in this country, not only the devoted teachers of our holy religion to the heathen tribes, but also the indefatigable pioneers of discovery and civilization. Nor is their character unappreciated by the natives. Averse as they still are, in many places, to receive a religion, the doctrines of which are too pure and benevolent to be congenial to hearts depraved by selfish and vindictive passions, they are yet every where friendly to the missionaries, eagerly invite them to reside in their territories, and consult them in all their emergencies. Such is the impression which the disinterestedness, patience, and kindness of the missionaries have, after long years of labour and difficulty, decidedly made even upon the wildest and fiercest of the South-African tribes with

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The Dublin Christian Examiner vouches for the truth of the following description of an Irish Roman-Catholic pilgrimage, as illustrating but too forcibly the debasing and barbarous superstitions which enchain the ignorant populace of Ireland unchecked by the priests, nay, in many instances, encouraged by them for interested purposes.

Struel Wells are situated within a mile and a quarter of Downpatrick. They were originally four in number-each covered with a vault of stone. The water, which was endowed, it is said, by St. Patrick with a power of healing diseases, and purifying from sin, is conveyed to them by pipes from a stream in the neighbourhood. Precisely at twelve o'clock on each Midsummer-eve it was accustomed to rise and overflow in the large well, and all its miraculous powers had then attained their maximum. In the days of Harris, the author of the history of the county of Down (A.D. 1744), this object was cunningly effected by means of a sluice, which retained or transmitted the water at pleasure. Since the publication of his work, the sluice was withdrawn, and the knaves who made money by fraud, substituted in its place sods, which they removed with their feet at the usual time; and when the expecting devotees saw the water rising in the wells, they attributed the phenomenon to St. Patrick, and crying out, "A miracle! a miracle!" stripped themselves naked, and rushed promiscuously, men, women, and children, into the holy fluid. A few years ago, however, a respectable inhabitant of Belfast perforated a part of the embankment, and let the water escape in another direction, and thus disappointed the miracle-mongers. The wells, of course, remained dry; and in the succeeding year there were but few visitants, comparatively speaking, to those resorts of debauchery and superstition. This season, however, the pilgrims to Struel have again been numerous. The water has been permitted to reach the wells, but the penance-doers did not wait, as formerly, till midnight, for their miraculous rising; but, eager to wash off their crimes and their ailments, that they might be enabled to begin a new score of sin, rushed into the sacred fountain in continued succession. On this subject we have received the following communication from an eye-witness, on whose veracity the public may implicitly rely:

:

"On leaving Downpatrick, about ten o'clock at night, on my road to the farfamed Struel, I met several groups of welldressed people, both ladies and gentlemen, coming into town from the wells; and there

were many of the lower orders hurrying on to the grand scene of attraction. On arriving at the entrance to the valley, where the wells are situated, I perceived a light on the side of a hill, to the right, and an immense multitude kneeling around some object, which, on a nearer approach, I found to be a young clerical-looking man, dressed in dark-coloured clothes. He was reading from a book, whilst a man with a very forbidding aspect, gloomy as an inquisitor, held a lighted candle to him. The subject he was reading, while I remained near him, was a fabricated account of the crucifixion of our Saviour; an account too painful and disgusting to be copied. He also described the distance at which the two thieves were placed. I think he said one was four feet and an inch, and the other three feet two inches; but, while reading, his voice was occasionally drowned by a number of women, in various groups, singing hymns or sacred music. I could not correctly distinguish the words, but I think I heard several times, ⚫ Gloria in excelsis Deo.' Leaving this congregation, I proceeded to an old building, which I was informed is the ruins of a Romish chapel, in front of which was piled a parcel of loose stones in the form of a parallelogram, which they called an altar. Around the sides of that altar a great number of men, women, and children were kneeling, muttering prayers, counting their beads, and occasionally kissing the ground and beating their breasts.-Further from the old building, and ranged directly in front of it, were five or six cairns of stones, around which numbers were kneeling, employed in the same manner as those at the rude altar-and as each finished the routine of prayers, they respectively rose and walked barefoot seven times around each of the cairns, still muttering prayers, using their beads, and crossing their breasts and forehead. Some, indeed, appeared to have no beads, and as they performed each circuit around the cairn, they dropped one of the stones into the left hand until the seven rounds were completed. The next object to which they lent their attention was a well, enclosed with stonework, in a circular form. Each person descended into this well, and took three drinks or laps of the water, generally from the palms of their hands, and performed the same evolutions around it as around the cairns. They then proceeded to another well, enclosed like the former, but square, where the same forms were observed, with this addition, that the devotees generally washed their eyes in it. Two other cairns were honoured with the same observances, as were the two bathing-houses; after which they made seven circuits round the entire, and then crawled on their bare hands and knees, up the rugged face of a very steep hill, to a spot where a projection in the rock is formed, which is called St. Patrick's

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