Church and State. I opened the meeting with an Address, in which I explained the object, principles, and progress, of Bible Societies. Afterwards I read the Regulations proposed, of a Bible Society for the whole Prussian Dominions, which were unanimously adopted. No sooner was the sign of unanimous approbation given, than the first Clergyman in the city, Probst Hanstein, rose with a Bible in his right hand, and pronounced one of the most eloquent and appropriate speeches which I have ever heard on any similar occasion. Emphatically pointing at the Bible, he represented, in colours most striking and awful, the floods of infidelity and wickedness, the ravages of war, and the accumu. lated miseries, under which the Prus sians and the other nations of Germany had suffered for so many years; and pointed out, as the sourse of all these iniquities and sorrows, the disrespect, yea, contempt, which had been poured upon the religious and moral principles contained in that best of all books-the Bible. After this eloquent and animating speech, His Excellency Lieutenant General Von Diericke, Tu tor to the Crown Prince of Prussia, was chosen President. Four of the Ministers of State were chosen VicePresidents, and afterwards a Committee of twelve Directors, and three Secretaries, and a Treasurer. The whole business was conducted truly in the spirit of the cause; and, I humbly trust, that the Prussian Bible Society, so instituted, at such an auspicious pe riod, and in the capital of the kingdom, will ultimately be the means of dispelling the mists of error and infi. delity, which have for many years enveloped every order of society in this country, and produced an awfully diversified scene of public and private misery, From the same. Oct. 1, 1814. THE first Annual Meeting of the Russian Bible Society was held on the 28th ult. in the Taurian Palace, one of the most beautiful in St. Petersburg. The Committee met about ten o'clock, in a chamber adjoining the large and richly-decorated hall, in which the Members and Friends of the Institution assembled about eleven. When the Committee was over, our President, Prince Alexander Galitzin, with the honorable the Vice-Presidents and Directors, entered the hall. It was particularly pleasing to see on the right, the first dignitaries of the Greek, Catholic, Armenian, aud Georgian Churches, sitting in their sacer. dotal garments in amity and peace, and met on such a glorious occasion, On the left were seated ladies and noblemen of the first rank in the Empire; and the other parts of the hall were filled with the other Members and Promoters of the Society of every rank and denomination. Our universally respected and beloved President opened the Meeting with a most able and pious speech of considerable length, which rejoiced the hearts, and enliven. ed the countenances of all present, His Excellency Mr. Papof, one of the Secretaries, then read the Report of the Transactions of the Society, and its seven Branches, which he had drawn up in a masterly manner, and which is filled with most interesting matter. The reading of it occupied about an hour and a half; the time was apparently spent in a high degree of mental pleasure. The universal silence, which prevailed while the Re. port was reading, then burst in mutual expressions of astonishment, grati. tude, and joy, over the gloriously sim. ple principles, and blessed effects of this beneficent Institution. An extract of your Tenth Report was then read to the Meeting by Mr. Turgeneff, the other Secretary; and the particu lars were of such a nature as to rejoice the hearts, and strengthen the hands of all present to continue, yea, to redouble their exertions in the great cause, until the nations of the earth shall each be enriched with the Word of God in its own language, The King of Persia's letter was also read and heard with astonishment. Who in the Assembly could ever have expected to hear a letter read from a Mahomedan King, of the most encour. aging nature, for the Russian Bible Society, in particular, at her first An . niversary, whose sphere of operation includes so many nations that are the votaries of Islamism? This is, indeed, the Lord's doing, and marvellous in our eyes! From a German Sailor, to a Cor respondent in Hull. Bornholm, May, 18, 1814. You may perhaps recollect, that in the night of February 16, three Sailors called on you, to return you thanks for all the kindness you had shewn them, and more especially for the Bible you gave us, as we were unable to pay any thing for it. After having gone to sea, our vessel was taken by a Danish Privateer, and we were confined to a prison, in which my two companions died. One of them, Richard Duede. man, thus addressed me the day previous to his death: "I am convinced that I must soon die, and am, I trust, prepared for my departure; but I should like, once more, to write a few lines to my Minister, and thank him for the Bible, that blessed book which points out the way to heaven. Had I not obtained possession of it, I do not think I should have been saved. When, in the 15th chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, I read the Parable of the Prodigal Son, I was led to consider was Thomas Rode, who expired in the midst of thanksgivings to God, for having favored him with an opportunity of receiving a Bible; and, whilst he fervently implored an especial blessing on those kind benefactors of their poor fellow-creatures, who thus were en gaged in dispensing among them the Bread of Life, some of his last expres sions were: "I feel most comfortable and happy in my mind. O, Lord my Jesus! receive and take me to thyself. Thou hast prepared me for death; preserve my faith unshaken, till it shall please thee to receive me to thy king. dom. Blessed be God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh! that all men might get a Bible: to me it proved a cheering companion in the solitary hours of my confinement; it was a refreshment and consolation to my mind.” Thus my companions died. But what do I say?-they are not dead, they live infinitely happier than my self. I cannot but thank God a thou. sand times, that you have given us a Bible. Convey my sincerest thanks to those who sent you so many copies of this Holy Book to distribute among the poor: we cannot reward them, but God will. myself completely in the light of that From the St. Petersburg Bible son; but, blessed be God, I found consolation in applying those words to myself "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.' I should wish my wife to have my Bible, and diligently to read in it; for in this world I shall never see her face again, nor those of my children: yet, notwithstanding all this, I may confidently exclaim with the Apostle: 'I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ.' Blessed be God, for having conducted me to England; and may his richest benediction 'rest on all those who so kindly supply the poor with Bibles!" In this affecting manner he expressed himself, even in the last moments of his earthly existence, whilst tears of gratitude, both towards God and man, streamed down his eyes. He died on the 13th of May, at four o'clock in the morning. My other companion followed him the next day. His name Society. June 17, 1814. THE new donation of 1,000%, which the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society has been pleased to offer to the Bible Society of St. Petersburg, and of which you make mention in your letter, is a new proof of that zeal which always distinguished the Members of the London Committee in promoting the knowledge of the Word of God over all the world. The Bible Society of St. Petersburg is so much indebted to the encouragement they have received from the British Society, that they cannot but accept with gratitude this additional supply: especially as they engaged themselves in the very first year of their Institution, to undertake considerable enterprises, which can bear no delay, and to the executing of which, proportionable means are requisite, The Committee of St. Petersburg have charged us, therefore, to desire you, Gentlemen, to present their most sincere thanks to the London Committee for their gift. The value of it is much enhanced, when we reflect upon the multifarious benefits you have already conferred on several of our infant Societies. As every letter and communication that our society receives from yours, breathes the most friendly concurrence in forwarding our common end, so your last letter, gentlemen, has caused the greatest satisfaction to our Committee; and all the Members of it were particularly affected by the expressions of that christian charity, which influences your actions, and induces you to propagate the Word of God in a country so far distant from Great Britain. We can do no less than imitate your humane and Christian undertakings; and therefore we exert ourselves to procure a sufficient supply of copies of the Sacred Scriptures, in order to distribute them, at the lowest rate, to our fellow-countrymen in the vast Empire of Russia. To this end, the Committee of the St. Petersburg Society has already ordered the printing of the Scriptures in seven different languages, and the Committees of the smaller Associations are likewise advancing the printing of it in three other languages. We only desire that the success of these our undertakings, as well as the means to accomplish them, may answer the ardent zeal of our Commit tee. What you are pleased to say, Gentlemen, about the fundamental principles of the Bible Society, that "the circulation of the Scriptures, without note or comment, is the very life of the Institution, which proposes to unite, in one harmonious confederation, those who differ from each other in their modes of intepreting the Word of God," is such an undoubted truth, that it requires no enforcement among those who venerate the Holy Books. We can have no other guide in supporting our Institution than your example; and we shall be attentive to profit by your concurrence in every improve. ment. The St. Petersburg Committee has been informed that the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society are desirous of having 1,000 copies of the Armenian New Testament, now printing by our Society; they have therefore unanimously resolved to present them with the same, which they hope will be received as a small token of acknowledgment for the many gifts for which we are indebted to your Society, and of our readiness to co-oper ate most cordially with you, in promoting the great work of salvation. Our Committee have also resolved to proceed to print the whole Bible in the Armenian language, to which they have been induced by letters from the Armenian inhabitants of Russia, who have subscribed liberally to this Society, and are earnestly desirous of obtaining the Scriptures in their verna. cular tongue The increasing demand for the copies of the Holy Scriptures makes it necessary for our Committee to request the Committee of the British and Foreign Bible Society to send us, on ac count, 3,000. copies of the (Modern) Greek New Testament. Books in other languages, the Committee have already given a commission to the Rev. John Paterson, and they will write to him again about them. As for the The blessing of the Lord, which you are pleased, Gentlemen, to invoke on the endeavors of our Committee, has largely and visibly manifested it self upon your Society, by manifold successes in all your undertakings; and we heartily wish and pray, that the same grace of our Lord may con tinue to rest upon the Patrons and Di. rectors of your Committee, and upun you, their fellow-laborers in this holy work, to make you all more and more the happy instruments of his goodness and wisdom, by circulating his Blessed Word throughout the whole world, and imparting it to all mankind. We are, Gentlemen, with due regard, most respectfully, your humble servants and fellow-laborers, BASILE PAPOF, Secreta. ALEX. TURGENEFF, ries. To the Secretaries of the British and Foreign Bible Societies. From the Rev. William Milne. Batavia, Java, March 23, 1814. I left China in the ship James Drummond, on the 14th of February, with a Teacher, Type-cutter, and Servants. We had on board 456 Chinese emigrants, among whom I distributed 25 complete copies of the Chinese New Testament; and had the pleasure to see those Pagans reading in their own tongue the wonderful works of God! Perhaps these were the first twentyfive complete Chinese Testaments that ever were distributed. We touched at the Island of Banca, where the Chinese were landed. This Island is of considerable size; was formerly under the Sultan of Palembang; is now in the hands of the English, as one of the dependencies of Java, and at present chiefly valuable for its tin mines, in which the Chinese are mostly employ. ed. The Chinese population in Banca, and at Palembang, may be upwards of 5,000. The English have a settlement at Palembang. Captain Court, (whose name you are at liberty to mention,) Sub-Lieutenant Governor, received me with much kindness, and cheerfully offered to aid me in the distribution of the Sacred Scriptures among the Chinese. I left with him 23 copies of the Chinese New Testament. Three articles from the London Evangelical Magazine. "Jamaica. "By a letter from a gentleman at Spanishtown Jamaica, dated Feb. 21, 1815, we are informed that a proclamation has lately been issued by the House of Assembly, whereby any preacher or teacher (not a clergyman of the establishment) is made liable to a fine of 50%. for admitting any Negro to be present at his meeting house; and for a second offence, 100%; and any Negro so offending, is to be punished with whipping for the first of fence, and for the second, six months imprisonment." No. 284. p. 211. "Captured Slaves. "According to law, all slaves taken in slave ships by our cruisers, are carried into the free settlement of Sierra Leone; where those who do not join the army or the navy, are placed in villages and have lands alloted them, Eight such villages have already been formed, containing about 2000 Negroes, including children. All these we trust will receive religious instruction." p. 212. "War, Horrid War! "In a German publication, the loss of men, during the late war, from 1802 to 1813-in St. Domingo, Calabria, Russia, Poland, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, &c, including the mari. time war, contagious diseases, famine, &c.; is stated to amount to the dreadful sum of five millions eight hundred thousand!!!-O when, when will the time come that the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, and men shall learn war no more! Hasten, O Lord, this golden age." No. 282. For the above articles we are indebted to a friend of humanity, who has assured us that they were correct. ly transcribed The first must excite the pity of every christian reader. But it may be a question, whether the poor negroes who are treated as brutes, are more to be pitied than their tyrannical masters; for there will be a day in which the oppressor, must stand at the tribunal of that God, who hears the cries of the oppressed, and in which those will have judgment without mercy, who have showed no mercy. In the second article we find much to commend, But with respect to those Africans who are persuaded to "join the army or the navy," we sin cerely doubt, whether their being captured and placed in such situations, to spend their days in killing their fellow beings, is really preferable to being sold as slaves. The third article fills the mind with borror. Admitting the correctness of the German calculation of the sacrifices made by war, in eleven years-the average daily sacrifice was 1444 human beings; the average weekly sac rifice was more than 10,000;-the average annual sacrifice was 527,272. At this horrible rate human victims are sacrificed by war, in those nations which are called Christian! The average yearly sacrifice, exceeds the last census of the whole population of New-Hampshire and Vermont and Rhode Island by 17,986. The amount of sacrifice for the eleven years, exceeds the whole population of the United States in 1800, by 494,334. Yet these Christian nations can reproach the Pagans for offering human sacrifices! In view of such blindness on the part of christians, intelligent de. ists must either smile or weep. For it may be doubted, whether the whole habitable globe can furnish an instance of more palpable, or more deplorable delusion. Norfolk Musical Society. Ox Monday, 2October, “The Norfolk Musical Society" held its first annual meeting at Kandolph, and chose officers. Rev. John Pierce, of Brookline, Pres. Rev. Samuel Gile, of Milton, V. Pres. Rev. Ralph Sanger, of Dover, Sec. Rev. Josh. Bates, of Dedham, Chorister. Rev. John White, of Dedham, ViceMaj. Asa Gowen, of Franklin, 》ChorMr. Eben. Hunt, of Braintree, Sisters. At two o'clock, P. M. the Society met in the house of public worship, where, after a prayer and discourse by the Rev. John Pierce, of Brookline, a number of tunes and anthems of standard excellence in sacred music were performed to the gratification of a large and respectable assembly. The object of the Society is to correct and improve their own and the public taste in psalmody. Their plan is to have a meeting for recitation at Dedham, the shire town of the county, annually. At this meeting they agree, where the annual meeting shall be holden, which is to be in rotation in the several parishes connected with the Society according to the number of members from these respective parishes. The more effectually to carry their purposes into effect, they recommend Ed. to separate the Society into divisions of two, three, or more parishes, as shall be most convenient, who may meet at stated intervals between the annual meetings to attend to the objects of the Society. The Rev. Thaddeus M. Harris, D.D. of Dorchester is chosen to deliver the discourse, the next year. It is confidently believed, that by a more general formation of similar societies, the public taste in sacred music might be greatly corrected, and essentially improved; this delightful part of divine service might be performed to incalculably greater effect; and some hopeful progress might be made toward banishing from our religious assemblies those light, unmeaning, irreverent airs, which have been too long both tolerated and encouraged among us, and substituting others more favorable to piety and less offensive to lovers of correct psamody. Ordination. IN Gloucester, Rev. Levi Harts. horn. Sermon by the Rev. Dr. Dana of Newburyport: other services by Rev. Messrs. Abbot of Beverly, Barnard of Amherst, N. H. Parish of Byfield, Jewett of Gloucester, and Thurston of Manchester.-Centinel. Candidates for the ministry in Cambridge and its vicinity. Mr. Francis Jackson, Cambridge. Mr. Thomas Prentiss, Cambridge, Mr. David Reed, Mr. Joseph Allen, do. do. Mr. Jonathan P. Dabney, do, Mr. Samuel Gilman, do. Mr. Samuel Clarke, do. |