ry dignity, its central position, its signal deliverance from the enemy, and its restoration to more than its pristine elegance and grandeur, to become the centre of the common operations for disseminating the word of the living God. "The importance of this station" (observes the Prince) has not escaped the penetrating eye of our most pious Monarch; ever watchful over the spiritual interests of his subjects, and sincerely desirous that all men may drink of that living water which springeth up into everlasting life. His Imperial Majesty, in consideration of the vast number of Bibles sent from this place, and of the hourly augmentation of the Committee's labors, which also renders an increase of means for transacting its business absolutely necessary, has been most graciously pleased to present this society with a large stone house. Thus the good will of the King of kings towards the cause of the Bible Society, is conspicuously revealed in the liberal aid which this cause receives from our most gracious Sovereign, who, having resolved to rule, live, and act, according to the doctrines of Christ the Saviour, and having bound himself to this in the most solemn manner, before the face of all nations, invites to this celestial light those nations also whom Divine Providence has intrusted to his care. And thus is fulfilled that which was foretold by the prophet, 'The Gentile shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising" " Your Committee cannot take leave of Russia without bearing their testimony to the energy and harmony which characterize all the proceedings of the Committee of the Russian Bible Society. Of the former quality, a fair specimen will be seen in one of the monthly papers of business, which will appear in the Appendix. Traces of the latter are to be found in the whole system of their operations throughout the Empire. Indeed, your Committee cannot but attribute a large proportion of the success on which they have had occasion to expatiate, to that spirit of unanimity and concord which has animated all orders of the Russian people. The Clergy and the Laity, through their different gradations, appear to have emulated each other in copying the example of their beloved Emperor, and in endeavouring to give effect to his designs for the spiritual welfare of his dominions. "I consider" (said the Emperor, in his Address to the Moscow Bible Society,)"the establishment of Bible Societies in Russia, in most parts of Europe, and in other quarters of the globe, and the very great progress these Institutions have made in disseminating the word of God, not merely among Christians, but also among Heathens and Mahomedans, as a peculiar display of the mercy and grace of God to the human race. On this account, I have taken upon myself the denomination of a mem→ ber of the Russian Bible Society, and will render it every possible assistance, in order that the beneficent light of revelation may be shed among all nations subject to my sceptre." With this declaration, so worthy of the sovereign of a great empire, and so consonant with the spirit of the British and Foreign Bible Society, your Committee will conclude the European division of their Report. Some further extracts may be given in a future Number from this interesting Report. CONVERTED BUDHU PRIESTS. From the Christian Herald. Extract of a letter from Liverpool, dated Jan. 7, 1818. A circumstance occurred during the last month relative to the Missionaries, of a very serious nature. "Sir Alexander Johnson, Lord Chief Justice of the island of Ceylon, (who is a very warm friend of the Missionaries on that island,) is just arrived in England, and has brought with him two of the principal priests of Budhu, (the name of the god which the natives worship,) they had read the gospels which are translated into their language, and their belief in the religion of Budhu was considerably shaken. They read the gospels, over again, and came to the resolution of renouncing the worship of Budhu and embracing Christianity. They had read, that except a man give up houses and lands, &c. for the sake of Christ, he cannot be his disciple; and understanding this in a literal sense, they immediately parted with the lands which had been appropriated for their support; and understanding the Chief Justice was coming to England, they waited upon him to request he would bring them with him to England, the land of Christians. They told him they read that Jesus Christ chose fishermen for bis apostles; they said that they were of the caste of fishermen, and that perhaps Jesus Christ would send them to preach his gospel. Sir A. Johnstone did not encourage their going to England, told them he had no authority to take them; that they would be a great expense to the Committee who manage the Missions, and that there was no room in the vessel. They repeatedly waited upon him, and said they would go in the steerage if he would but allow them. Still he discouraged them, and when he was on board, and the vessel actually under weigh, they took a boat from the shore, and went along side the vessel, and begged in the most importunate manner he would take them along with him; he then consented, and they came in the steerage. They are placed under the care of Dr. Clark, at Millbrook, about 10 miles from Liverpool, and discover the greatest genius. They are learning the English language, and seem most anxious to be made Christians. Dr. Clark labours to impress upon their minds, that they must be made Christians at the heart. They anxiously inquire how Jong it will be before they are Christians at the heart. One is about 23 years of age, and the other about 25. They still wear their robes, which are yellow, and are worn thrown over one shoulder, the other left bare. If they should become acquainted with true religion, and ultimately preachers of it, they promise to be of considerable service in instructing other Missionaries in their languages, &c. and in preaching the Gospel to their idolatrous countrymen. I feel a very strong desire to see them, but they have not appeared in public, and very few persons have access to them." OBITUARY. Died-In Tennesee, Mr. Daniel Anderson, aged 111. In England John Williams aged 100, leaving 17 brothers whose ages amount to 1379. In Pennsylvania, Gen. Jacob Brown-61. In Boston, Mr. EBENEZER RHOADES, late Editor of the Independent Chronicle, aged 43.-Frankin Tukey, of Portland, by a stone thrown by a lad of the name of Wy man. In Hanover, N. H. Hon. Wm. W, Woodward, Treasurer and Trustee of Dartmouth University, and late Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, for the Western District. At Lynn, Albert Curtin, a member of the Society of Friends, and son of the late James Curtin, aged 18. In Hingham, Mr. Nathaniel Gill, aged 75. In Johnston, R. I. Job Smith, Esq. aged 32. In Keene, N. H. Captain John Houghton, aged 72. In Baltimore, Mrs. Elizabeth Champney, aged 74, formerly of Roxbury. In Arundel, Capt. Thomas Perkins, jr. aged 66. In Hampton Falls, Mrs. Mary, relict of the late Deacon Jeremiah Lane, aged 82; Mr. Joseph Tilton, aged 35. In Danvers, Capt. Clark Wilson, aged 46. In Salem, widow Sarah Leach, ag ed 76. THE Roman Catholics have heaped up a mass of falsehood to obscure the fame and obstruct the influence of Luther. No regard has been had in this, says Bayle, either to probabil ity or to the rules of the art of slandering: and the authors of the calumnies have assumed all the confidence of those who fully believe that the public will blindly adopt all their stories, be they ever so absurd. Many of the charges which were once currently propagated have been with drawn ; but still there is scarcely a single defence of the Romish Church, published in protestant countries and modern times, which does not make use of the character of Luther as an argument against the Reformation. It is not difficult to vindicate the Reformer from most of the serious charges alleged against him; but were it impossible to clear his memory from any one of them, the Reformation would stand upon the same solid principles, which are independent of individuals and parties. The children of corruption have always sought to brighten themselves by blackening others. Vol. VI. No. 10. 37 If Luther's violence and ar rogance be objected to Protestants, we reply in the words of our great Chillingworth to his antagonist-" And what if Luther, having a pope in his belly, as he was wont to say that most men had, and desiring perhaps to have his own interpretations pass without examining, spoke such words in the heat of argument; Do you think it reasonable that we should subscribe to Luther's divinations and angry speeches? Will you oblige yourself to answer for all the assertions of your private doctors? If not, why do you trouble us with what Luther says and what Calvin says?" And if the Roman Catholics further object as Chillingworth's opponent did, "That when Luther began, he being but one opposed himself to all, as well subjects as superiors,"-we reply again with our renowned Protestant champion-" If he did so in the cause of God, it was heroically done of him. It is not impossible that the whole world should so far lie in wick edness, as St. John speaks, that it may be lawful and noble for one man to oppose the world." Having quoted Chilling worth, we will transcribe two other passages of his on the character of Luther, which appear to us to be at once just, candid and spirited : e from them to us; but withat we say there are many bad; neither do we think ourselves bound in prudence to resist the good with the bad, or to retain the bad with the good, but rather conceive it a high point of wisdom to separate between the precious and the vile, to sever the good from the bad, and to put the good into vessels to be kept, and to cast the bad away; to try all things and to hold that which is good." "And then for Luther's opposing your church upon mere passion, it is a thing I will not deny because I know not his heart, and for the same reason you should not have affirmed it. Sure I am whether he opposed your church upon reason or no, he had reason nough to oppose it. And Luther, confident in his abil therefore if he did it upon pas-ities and his cause, styled himsion we will follow him only self Ecclesiastes, or the in his action, and not in his Preacher; for, says he, "it passion; in his opposition, is not fitting that I should be not in the manner of it: And without a title, having receivthen I presume you will have ed the work of the ministry no reason to condemn us, un- not from man or by man, but less you will say that a good the gift of God and the reveaction cannot be done with lation of Jesus Christ" In reason, because somebody be- another place he calls himself fore us hath done it upon pas"Luther the second Elias, and sion " the Chariot of Israel." "As for Luther's speeches I told you not long since, that we follow no private man, and regard not much what he says either against the church of Rome or for it; but what he proves. He was a man of a vehement spirit, and very of ten what he took in hand, he did not do it, but overdo it He that will justify all his speeches, especially such as he wrote in the heat of opposition, I believe will have work enough, Yet in these sentences, though he overreach in the particulars, yet what he says in general we confess true; and confess with himThat in the Papacy are many good things, which have come This extravagant self-estimation which cannot be justi fred, was perhaps necessary to enable him to stand almost singly against the world. His strong passions operated to his disadvantage in private as well as in public life. We have disgusting pictures of them in anecdotes and conversations indiscreetly published by his friends. Much however, as the Catholics have exclaimed against Luther's imperfections, they would have readily pardoned these if he had spared them the mortification of his virtues, it is not the indiscreet and intemperate man, but the Reformer that they hate. The enmity of the Roman Catholics was not extinguish ed in Luther's grave; they invented and propagated a thousand fables concerning his death. Some said that he died suddenly as by a judgment of God; others that he perished in a debauch; others that the devil strangled him; and others that the stench of his corpse was so intolerable that the bearers were obliged to run from it, and to leave it on the road, as they were carrying it to interment. All those are known to be gross falsehoods. They are worthy of recital, however, as an example of the spirit of orthodoxy, which is always the same; it never suffers a heretic to go out of the world without pursuing him with some invention to the discredit of his dying the Reformer's tomb; whilst the troops of Charles V. were quartered at Wittemberg in 1547, a soldier gave his effigy in the church of the castle two stabs with a dagger; and the Spaniards, encouraged by their priests and commanders, earnestly solicited the emperor to demolish his tomb and to permit his bones to be dug up and burnt. The emperor magnanimously refused compliance, and even forbade any violation of the sanctuary of the grave on pain of deathHis answer is said to have been" I have nothing fur ther to do with Luther; he has henceforth another judge, whose jurisdiction it is not lawful for me to usurp know that I make war not with the dead, but with the living, who still make war against me." "Christian Reformer." A LETTER FROM ONE CLERGYMAN TO ANOTHER. To the Editor of the Christian Disciple. DEAR SIR, I send you a copy of a let ter from a much respected Clergyman, formerly of this vicinity, to his friend in this town, which was found among his papers after his decease. The importance of the subject treated, and the opinions contained in it, induced several gentlemen here to think it would be a useful article if published in the Christian Disciple. If your opinion is the same, after perusal, it would be gratifying to have it inserted. Reverend & Dear Sir, THE questions you have proposed to me, and to which you desire an answer, pierit particular attention as they bear a direct aspect on the honour of religion and the prosperity of the church of Christ. In matters of such importance every friend of true religion must feel himself bound to proceed on the best information he can obtain, and a clear conviction of what is right and agreeable to the will of God, lest he should through an erroneous judge. |