Countries. Religious Denominations, g'c. Pop. in mill. a limited toleration to all other sects ; but being now brought under the same government as Holland, will probably much increase the Protestant interest. 7 DENMARK and Lutherans, Calvinists, and Catholics; the its Islands. latter with Mennonites (or Baptists) exist under some restraints and disabilities. 3 SWEDEN, Nor- Lutherans, Calvinists, Catholics, and Swe- pectable. The Catholics are under some re- 4 Lutherans, Calvinists, and Catholics, with a 1 Present State of Religion, 8C. · also many pious christians, who have not only contributed freely of their property to the cause of religion; but several of the most useful missionaries in Africa have been from that country, as Vanderkemp, Kicherer, &c. DENMARK. The Danes have formerly taken an active part in missions to the heathen, and have particularly countenanced the United Brethren in Greenland,* and in their West India islands. They had also the honour to patronize and foster the Baptist Mission at Serampore, when discountenanced by our East India Company. The king, it is said, has expressed a great desire for the instruction of his subjects, and the British system of education is intended to be introduced. The scriptures have been printed at Copenhagen in the Icelandic dialect, for the use of Iceland. SWEDEN. A Bible Society has been formed at Stockholm, which has co-operated with that in London, in printing the scriptures in the Swedish language and that of Lapland.f The Stockholm Society is also active in the circulation of religious tracts in those languages. A Bible Society has been also formed at Abo in Finland, by the aid of the London Society, for the printing of the Finnish scriptures, to which the present emperor of Rus sia has contributed 5000 rix dollars. PRUSSIA. Berlin is famous for an excellent seminary for the education of Protestant ministers; and several missionaries to the heathen have been furnished from that quarter to different societies in England. A Bible Society was formed at Ber* The Danish missionaries have made two different translations of the new testament, both of which have been printed in the Greenland language. † In 1811, the British and Foreign Bible Society published a large edition of the new testainent in the Laponese language. Countries. Pop. in mill. eric the Great, and partly to the influence of Protestant principles in the country. 8 SAXONY Is to be divided, which will give nearly a million of subjects to Prussia (included above) 1 POLAND. Catholics, with toleration to Protestants un der certain disabilities. The Lutherans are 6 AUSTRIA, The established religion of this great emHungary, and pire was the Catholic, but from the interBohemia. mixture of Protestant states, contains a con siderable number of Lutherans, Calvinists, 20 SWITZERLAND, Switzerland is divided into cantons : those Schweitz, &c. Catholic ; some are composed SAXONY. Present State of Religion, &c. lin in 1806, to which the king himself was both a contributor and patron. Little is known of the religious state of Saxony, which has been wholly occupied with political events; but we should hope to find in the native country of Luther a considerable number of true Protestants. The plan of a Bible Society for this country is just formed under the auspices of the Emperor Alexander. POLAND. AUSTRIA. The establishment of Bible and Missionary Soci eties in various parts of Germany must greatly subserve the cause of christianity. On its being represented to the British and Foreign Bible Society in London, that there were upwards of a million of Protestants in Hungary, who were in great want of bibles, and too poor to purchase them, 500l. was given for the formation of a society in that country, for printing and circulating the scriptures in the Hungarian and Sclavonian dialects, which has been effected. Bible Societies have also been lately formed at Dresden and Hanover, The United Brethren have spread a sweet savour of evangelical religion throughout Bohemia, Moravia, and various other parts of Germany, from whence also they have sent mis sionaries to the remotest parts of the earth. SWITZERLAND. The Canton of Basle has of late been remarka ble for activity in promoting the circulation of the scriptures, and the cause of missions, so long Countries. Religionis Denominations, &c. Pop. in mill. of both religions, and the French introduced a considerable portion of infidelity. The Vallais, or inhabitants of the vallies of Piedmont, were formerly called Waldenses, of which there are still some remains ; but a great part of the people were driven, by a long and cruel persecution, within the pale of the Roman church, in which they still continue. 4 FRANCE. The Roman Catholic religion is declared to be that of the majority of the French people, 24 SPAIN and Catholics, without toleration to any other de- position to enlighten the people, and tolerate its, and the Inquisition ;* and liberal men * The pope, however, has endeavoured to effect a reform in the inquisition. He has ordered, that the proceedings in ecclesiastical tribunals shall be regulated by the same principles as those which govern in civil and criminal cases. Every individual, of whatever religious persuasion he may be, will be admitted as a witness, if cited by the accused. Relations, domestics, and persons of infamous characters are to be excluded. The proceedings shall be public; and no witness shall ever be admitted to give hearsay evidence. In the Brief containing these orders, the pope says, “ The way to render religion powerful, is to show that she is divine, and that she brings to mankind only consolation and blessings. The precept of our divine Master, love one another, ought to be the universal law.” See Christian Observer, May 1816. |