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than two years given proofs of their sincerity, and manifested the requisite qualifications, the Berlin Society have determined to prepare and send them forth as missionaries. Professor Tholuck carries on his periodical publication, "The Friend of Israel," which, it appears, is read by a considerable number of Jews as well as Christians. He is engaged in preparing a work on the prophecies which relate to the Messiah.

Poland. The accounts received from this station have been, it is stated, of an encouraging nature. The German services, which the missionaries are permitted to hold in the Lutheran church, have been attended by many Jews; and several have been publicly baptized. Public sanction has been given to the missionaries by the government.

Mr. Moritz, a converted Jew, hitherto employed as a missionary in Russian Poland, testifies that the younger Jews have begun generally to lay aside the fables and traditions of the rabbies in the Talmud, and diligently to search and study the Scriptures of the Old Testa

ment.

Various interesting discussions have been carried on between the Society's missionary, the Rev. C. Neat, and the Jews at Gibraltar. Mr. Neat is pursuing the object of the Society on the shores of the Mediterranean.

The Society at Malta has been engaged in the dissemination of the holy Scriptures and tracts. The translation and printing of many tracts of the Society are in progress.

Palestine.-At the last annual meeting, the Committee presented an abstract of Mr. Wolf's interesting journal, up to the date of November, 1823. He was then at Damascus, with the Rev. Mr. Lewis, diligently labouring to impart instruction and consolation to his afflicted brethren, who were, at that time, suffering unusually from the tyranny of their Turkish oppressors. He left Damascus for Aleppo. His visit to that place in the autumn of the preceding year, and his providential escape from the ruin which he witnessed, are already known to our readers. Of the population whom he found on his former arrival, and amongst whom he had preached the Gospel, five sixths had been overwhelmed in the earthquake, and left either dead or maimed. "When I entered Aleppo the first time," says Mr. Wolf, "the Franks lived in houses like palaces, richly furnished with all the luxuries of the East. We heard the exclamation of the

Turkish watchman from the tower of the mosque,-God is very great; there is God, and nothing but God, and Mohammed is his prophet. Prayer is better than sleeping.' But it is a truth that, 'except the Lord keep the city the watchman waketh but in vain.' An earthquake ruined their palaces, and happy those fathers who counted the number of their families and found them safe. Seven hundred Jews now go about deprived of their eye-sight, no longer able to read Moses and the Prophets! The Sultan's first care was to send a company to Aleppo to take the money of the slain families. Happy England! under the wings of the Gospel and the laws of thy land." Mr. Wolf had afterwards an opportunity of preaching to several respectable Jews in the house of the British Consul. "The Jewish Consuls," says Mr. Wolf, "thanked me after the sermon was over;" and then he adds, "I am the first Protestant preacher who has preached at Aleppo for thirty-four years. I have daily conversations with Jews, often till after midnight."

More recent letters had been received from Mr. Wolf, dated at the British residency, at Bushire, in the Persian Gulf, where he arrived, after having visited Bagdad and Bassora. He speaks with much thankfulness of the blessing which has invariably attended all his recent labours near the Persian Gulf. A request has been made by the British and Armenian inhabitants at Bushire, that a person may be sent them from England to superintend the establishment of schools for the Armenian, Persian, and Jewish children, upon the plan of mutual instruction. A subscription had been raised amongst the more opulent inhabitants towards the expense of this object. The British residents are also anxious to have a missionary, to instruct the children in the principles of the Gospel, and to undertake a regular ministry there on the Sunday.

Mr. Lewis, the Society's missionary in Palestine, after leaving Mr. Wolf at Damascus, returned to Jerusalem. The account which he gives of the state of the Jews in that city is most distressing. That class of Jews who first began to assemble in Jerusalem, about eighteen years ago, and who have come to die in the land of their fathers, he represents as being shamefully and inhumanly oppressed. Their firmans are disregarded, and they know not where to apply for relief or protection. Mr. Lewis sold forty Bibles, five of which were bound with New

Testaments, besides twelve copies of the Prophets and Testaments, ninety of the Prophets alone, and 1065 Psalters. "I endea vour," he says, "to put the Prophets as much as possible into the hands of the Jews, though they are not so acceptable to them." Events however had occurred, during the year, to check that free circulation of the Word of God in Palestine which had been so happily begun. The opposition of the public authorities had been very strongly manifested; and accounts had been received of attempts, both on the part of the Turkish and RomanCatholic power, to prevent the circulation of the Scriptures. Bulls from Rome, as our readers are aware, and firmans from Constantinople, had been simultaneously issued for that purpose; which directed, amongst other things, the seizure and burning of all the books of Scripture which had arrived, or which might arrive, within the Ottoman dominions. Mr. Lewis, in consequence of the violent measures adopted by these opposers of missionary efforts, had been under the necessity of surrendering the premises at Antoura, originally taken by Mr. Way, and afterwards made over to the Society, by Bishop Hannah Marone, the Vicar Patriarchal.

The Society's schools in India are conducted by Mr. Michael Sargon, a converted Jew, under the superintendence of the Madras Committee. He has 109 scholars under his care.

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In conclusion, the Committee more call upon their friends to unite with them in humble thanksgivings to God, for the success which he has already vouchsafed to the exertions of this Society; and in fervent prayer that he will finally render them effectual by the abundant effusion of his Holy Spirit on the house of Israel.

THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN

OHIO.

We have received the journal of the proceedings of the Episcopal Convention of Ohio held last June, from which we copy the following portions of Bishop Chase's highly interesting address relative to the theological seminary.

"The cause of our seminary, set forth in the appeal in behalf of the diocese of Ohio,' has continued to gain ground in the best affections of our English friends. Considerable accessions to the fund have been made, and the spirit of good will and Christian fellowship, which it was our object always to promote, was

daily increasing. Scarcely a post has past without bringing some good tidings of great joy to our infant seminary. The most encouraging words and deeds have been recited to me in letters from persons most eminent for private virtue and public station. Would that their loved and respected names could be here recited! But you know them, and will embalm their kindness in your memories,"

"To determine the great question where our seminary is to be established, I always considered as a right belonging to the Convention: for by that body I understand an assembly of men acting in the fear of God for the diocese in general, free from prejudice, partial views, and local interests-in short, an assemblage of the wisdom of the whole diocese-of the bishop-of the clergy-and of the laity. As an integral part, therefore, of this body, I have thought it my duty to give this subject all the investigation and deliberation in my power; the result of which the same sense of duty now compels me to lay before you.

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"Before we enter on the consideration of any particular place, the proposals for the seminary divide themselves into two classes: namely, those for town, and those for country places." "1. In the country we can have the choice of a site most eligible for health, which is not always the case in our towns, as experience abundantly proves. 2. Wherever in the country our seminary is placed, the lands for many miles around will greatly increase in value; and if they should be in a state of nature, that increase, in the opinion of good judges, would be more than doubled." "3. By placing our seminary on lands of which itself is the owner for some distance round, we might possess, and, if we chose, we might exercise, a power as effectual as salutary-a power, by right of soil, to prevent the evils which otherwise often the best of collegiate laws cannot cure. Such is the nature of our civil government, that it must be employed rather in punishing than in preventing vice. Thus, of necessity, the woe falls more on the seduced than on the seducer. The tempted is punished, while the tempter often, too often, escapes unhurt. In schools and colleges placed in cities, and receiving students from abroad, these evils are most alarmingly apparent. Young men often disgraced by punishment, and sometimes ruined by expulsion; whilst, when compared with their seducers, they are innocent-and those who enticed them

are

from the paths of rectitude chiefly ought to suffer.

"There is a time in youth when the body, not the mind, has attained maturity -a time when, amid the storms of passion, reason's feeble voice is scarcely heard-a time when inexperience blinds the eye, and pleasure like an opiate lulls the conscience fatally to sleep-a time when the paths of sin, though they end in death, are by the arts of Satan strewed with flowers a time when all restraint, though imposed by Mercy's self, seems hard and galling;-there is in youth a time like this, and this is that which is commonly spent atcollege, when, for the want of means to prevent temptation, they are most exposed to the seducements of wicked and designing persons. This is so true and so frequent, that through a life of half a century, and for the greater part of this spent in being taught or in teaching others, there has been no one subject on which my mind has dwelt with deeper and more melancholy regret than this, namely, that there were not in our seminaries of learning some way invented, or some power reserved, by which temptation might be suppressed; and thus vice prevented, or at least the tempter, for example's sake, more severely punished; some way, I say, by which our youth, when removed from the guardian

eye

of their parents, might contend with vice on more equal terms-might be taught, at least, the use of weapons of self-defence, before they are brought as in our city colleges, to contend unarmed with the worst enemies of their happiness -those who find it their interest or malicious pleasure, to seduce them from their studies into vice and dissipation. And here may God be praised both for the suggestion and the way to accomplish it-this much-desired means of preventing evils, which no collegiate laws can cure (till that cure come too late), is now before you. Put your seminary on your own domain; be owners of the soil on which you dwell, and let the tenure of every lease and deed depend on the expressed condition, that nothing detrimental to the morals and studies of youth be allowed on the premises. This condition, whiles it secures good men for the first settlers, will ensure them such for ever; and in so doing, will close up the greatest, widest, and most fatal avenues to vice."

"With regard to our affairs in England, it becomes my duty to state, that besides the permanent fund, now upwards of 5000

guineas, there remained at the last advices, a large collection of books still in London, given by different most benevolent individuals; also the stereotype plates for our Prayer-book, and a separate fund for a most complete set of printing types to carry into effect an essential part of our plan."

We have already stated, in our last Number, the incipient operations of the college, held for the present at Bishop Chase's residence at Worthington. The Bishop concludes bis address in the following language of earnest devotion and dependence upon the blessing of God.

"I have been, through necessity, speaking solely of outward things; let us now speak of those things which concern the heart and the spirit: I mean, our prayers to God for his blessing on all we do. Pray ye then for the good of our loved Zion. Till very lately, a cloud dark and heavy hung over her infant head; and even now, the light which, by God's mercy, has broken in upon us from the east, serves but to discover how weak we are; and though on the bosom of the tempest which surrounds us, British benevolence has painted the rainbow of hope, yet that hope must be cherished with faith, and that faith must live by the breath of prayer. O pray we, then, to Him who ordereth the storm for our trial, and sendeth the rain for our comfort. Though in ruins, cast us not off for ever, O God of mercy. Raise up thy power and come amongst us: lift up the light of thy countenance upon us, and give us peace, both now and evermore. Amen."

SCOTTISH MISSIONARY BISHOP.

During a residence of five years in France, the attention of Dr. Luscombe (Chaplain to his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge) was directed to the state of religion among his countrymen settled in that country, the number of whom actually resident is calculated at no less than 50,000: and he observed with regret the great inconvenience and danger to which this large body of British subjects were exposed, from the absence both of teachers episcopally licensed and visited, and of the regular administration of the holy sacraments.

He was advised to lay the case before the bishops of Scotland, and to seek that assistance from them which circumstances rendered it improbable he could obtain in England. After a long correspondence, they determined to consecrate him as their missionary bishop to his British fellow

subjects abroad. He was accordingly consecrated at Stirling, last March, for the purpose of representing the Scotch Episcopal Church on the continent of Europe. He is stated to have met with a cordial cooperation among all ranks of British residents at Paris. On the 23d of June, he confirmed 120 young persons in the French capital: eight clergymen attended on the occasion, and the sermon was preached by the chaplain to the embassy.

PRAYER-BOOK AND HOMILY
SOCIETY.

We lay before our readers, with great pleasure, the substance of the last Report of this highly useful Church-of-England institution.

The most prominent feature in the Society's proceedings among our own countrymen at home, during the year, has been, a series of endeavours to supply the crews of trading vessels in the port of London with the formularies of our church, Not less than 100,000 men, upon a moderate calculation, are annually employed in these ships, besides 16,000 lightermen and watermen, and very many others engaged in the fishing trade. In prosecuting this object, the Society's agent met with many difficulties; but he has, on several occasions, witnessed a very strong desire on the part of the young to embrace the advantages so unexpectedly offered them. Among the seamen, there has been marked at times the appearance of strong compunction and desires of amendment. One seemed particularly thankful for the book of Select Homilies, regretting the idle manner in which he had spent the last Sabbath, and expressing a hope that, by the blessing of God, a good use would be made of the book presented to him. And, upon another occasion, the mate of a vessel said, "I seldom hear a sermon: but when I do, it makes me shudder. I shall read the Homilies; and I hope they will make me a better man." In some cases the uninstructed have shewn a wish to learn. Upon some occasions, very pleasing instances have occurred of piety and candour. The Homilies have been universally well received. Among 8,560 men visited, only forty had before seen them; but, when read, they have always appearcd to give great satisfaction. One captain said, "I find them plain, excellent, and very good matter." The mate of a ship, on board which a copy had been left, addressed the agent, on a subsequent occasion, in these words; "Sir, I have read the Homilies which you left in the summer:

they are truly excellent sermons; very plain, but very good."-In one case, also, they seem to have been greatly blessed in alarming the conscience of a careless individual, and bringing him to a better mind.

The number of ships visited by the Society's agent in the course of eight months, as opportunities have occurred, is 853. The crews of these ships amounted to about 8,560 persons: of whom 1,474 were previously provided with Prayer-books, and 7,086 were unsupplied. Among these, 766 Prayer-books, and fifteen copies of the whole Book of Homilies in duodecimo, have been sold at reduced prices. One or more of the little books of Select Homilies having been left for the use of the ship's company, on board each vessel which has been visited, it not unfrequently happens that the Bible Prayer-book, and select Homilies are now given out to seamen, on the morning of the Sabbath, for their religious instruction in the course of the day.

Application has been made to the Society, also, by zealous individuals at other ports, for assistance in pursuing a similar

course.

A new edition of the Prayer-book has been completed in Irish, consisting of 1,500 copies. A correspondent writes: "The demand seems to increase: the people certainly like the book, and, after their manner of expressing themselves, consider it to be fine Irish." He farther says, that he knows of a Roman-Catholic priest who possesses a copy of the Prayerbook, has kept it by him for several years, and values it highly.

From the foregoing account of the operations of this society at home, the Committee pass on to a brief statement of their efforts abroad.

Prayer-books and Homilies have been sent, in the course of last year, to a colony of English residing in Normandy, who assemble on the Sabbath to worship God according to the customs observed in the land of their fathers. Upon similar principles, as well as with a general view to the spiritual advantage of those who should receive the books, the chaplain of a ship stationed off the coast of Africa; the chaplain of the Blonde, going to the Sandwich Islands; and other clergymen, filling similar offices, or going to minister in foreign stations, have been supplied with copies of the church formularies. The writer of a letter lately received expresses himself to the following effect:

"I have taken every opportunity of supplying with your books both soldiers

and sailors who have visited this colony. I have frequently sent Prayer-books and Homilies to Barbadoes, and other islands, as well as to British America. То а Roman Catholic, who called upon me, I have given a Common-Prayer Book and some Homilies, particularly recommending the Articles of the Church of England to his notice. To a fellow-overseer I gave a Prayer-book and some Homilies; and two Prayer-books and some Homilies to the mate of a ship, who was teaching two boys to read. Some have also been given to prisoners in the jail. A friend of your society having furnished me with four copies of the Book of Homilies, I presented two, in a respectful manner, to clergymen, and a third to the missionary. I keep one copy to lend. Some time back I lent this to the soldiers of the fort. "Many of your books have been put into the hands of Negroes, whom we have taught to read. I have presented about thirty to Crown Negroes; and have distributed Homilies wherever I could. Having given notice that I would sell Prayerbooks at a guilder each, I sold nine the next day. Upon another occasion, I sold three Prayer-books to a young man of colour from Barbadoes, the steward of a schooner: he said, he wished to read good books only. He then had no Bible, but shortly afterwards he bought one for himself, and another for his sister, and I gave him some Homilies. An elderly woman bought a Bible, and also a Prayer-book, to send by this person to her daughter in Barbadoes.

"A coloured man bought of me four Prayer-books, to send to some relations, two or three of whom are slaves. I gave him some Homilies. I have sent a Prayerbook and some Homilies to a young woman, who had formerly been in our school, and who, having removed to Demerara, refused to live with a White gentleman, and married a person of her own colour.

"Some weeks since, I was much pleased with an old Mulatto, a slave to the Crown, named Gabriel. I heard him, in prayer, use the confession at the beginning of your service. In conversation with him afterwards, I found he had learned perfectly all the sentences of Scripture preceding morning and evening prayer: he repeated correctly some of the prayers; and spoke of some of the collects, and parts of the communion service, as passages from which he thought he had derived benefit. He told me that he reads part of the evening service every evening,

and on Sunday afternoons, in his house
I encouraged him to learn as many of the
collects as he could, and pointed out to
him some of the excellencies of the Litany,
and of the prayer for the King. The
religious Negroes in general have a great
veneration for the King. They often
pray heartily for him; and many of
them have an idea that through him they
have the Gospel. Gabriel is a very old
man, blind of one eye, but has learnt to
read easy parts of the Bible.”

The Committee next proceed to the
These we
Society's foreign operations.
purpose to notice in a future Number.

SUNDAY-SCHOOL SOCIETY FOR

IRELAND.

The conductors of this Society state, that under the circumstances of Ireland, during the last year, it could not be expect ed that they should be enabled to report unvaried prosperity: some schools have been discontinued, and there has been a reduction in the attendance on others; but several new schools have been added to their list, and the conductors and teachers in all parts of the country express the strongest assurances of unabated zeal and unchanged resolution to persevere. The Society's total receipts for the last year amounted to 2,6531.: of this sum 3941. were the produce of books and quarterly extracts sold at the depository. Gratuitous assistance has been afforded to 534 schools, of which 352 had received A similar assistance in former years. considerable increase has taken place in the sale of books at reduced prices, and principally of Bibles, the sale of which has been trebled, as compared with that of the preceding year.

In Ulster, there has been a decrease of scholars, which the Committee attribute chiefly to the general establishment, in the past year, of schools held on Sundays in the Roman-Catholic chapels, which measure has withdrawn from the neighbouring Sunday Schools many of the children of that communion. In Leinster, there has been a small increase; in Connaught, a decrease. In Munster, in two counties, there has been some decrease; but in four others an increase.

The Committee have received information that in their schools there are 22,256 adults, above the age of fifteen years, in attendance-62,993 scholars reading the Scriptures-and that the number of males and females in the schools is nearly equal. A large proportion of the adults consists of those who have been for some time at

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