formerly lent a helping hand to the circulation of the New Testament, have been intimidated thereby: but the Professor remains firm; and, though unwearied labours, combined with a load of anxious cares, bave weakened his bodily constitution, his mind is as determined as ever to prosecute a work which the providence of God has assigned to him. Fresh opportunities for circulation present themselves: no sooner is one channel stopped than another opens. Applications now pour in from different quarters. Eisenach, Sept. 2, 1820. We had no intention to visit the Bible Society in Arolsen; but Leander Van Ess pleaded its cause so impressively, that we yielded. "The road is bad," said he," and the land poor; but the people are worthy, and the friends of the Bible Society active ;"-and so we found it. We did not arrive till after eight in the evening. I immediately went to the Rev. Mr. Steinmetz, chaplain to the court; and soon forgot all the fatigues of the day in the cordiality of my reception. The Committee met as early as seven next morning. I perceived so much of mind and heart in the members present, and witnessed such regularity, order, and energy in their proceedings, that I felt delighted and edified. They shewed me their printed Reports, and a written statement of the transactions of the past year. The principalities of Waldeck and Pyrmont contain a population of from 45,000 to 50,000 people; some parts are so noted for coldness and sterility as to be called the Siberia of Germany. The gentlemen present assured me, that in some of their poor parishes, hardly three or four families had possessed entire Bibles: allusion was made to a parish in which not a single copy was said to have existed previously to the establishment of the Bible Society. "But," adds the last printed Report," the desire after the word of life was so general, and from every part of the country applications were made to such an extent, that it was utterly out of the power of the Committee to satisfy the wishes of all: 1,459 Bibles and Testaments have been disposed of by the Society, but thousands are still wanting." Leander Van Ess bore his testimony to the poverty of the people, and also to the Christian simplicity and integrity of their character. The Prince of Waldeck is patron of the Society. The Committee of Arolsen have succeeded in the establishment of eight Branch Societies, all of which have contributed their mites. A free gift from one of the poorest congregations was reported while I attended the Committee. We left Cassel for this ancient town, and reached it in safety yesterday at noon. Near Eisenach lies the celebrated castle called the "Wartburg." Wartburg was the refuge of Luther: there, after his excommunication by the Diet at Worms, he found an asylum, prepared by the wisdom and generosity of the Elector of Saxony; where he was safe from his enraged enemies, and found leisure to complete the translation of the New Testament in German, and to commence the version of the old. There to see the room which had contained "Knight George" (as he was called) for ten months; there to behold the very table which he had used; there to reflect on the consequences of his sacred labours, on the numberless copies of his German version which have been circulated these three centuries, was to me something quite novel, and filled my mind with such a variety of thoughts, that for a time I was entirely absorbed in them. Blessed be God that our Bible Societies have followed the footsteps of that truly great man. Koethen, Sept. 11, 1820. At Halle we met with the most cordial reception on the part of the Rev. Dr. Knapp, and the chancel lor, Dr. Niemeyer, the two directors of the celebrated Orphan House. Nothing interested me more, in this remarkable building, than the Canstein Bible Institution. From May, 1712, till the end of 1815, upwards of two millions of entire Bibles, and nearly one million of New Testaments, have issued from its press, in different languages, chiefly in the German; and in the last five years the demands have been so great, that a supply of one hundred thousand copies could not satisfy them. With emotions of peculiar satisfaction and grateful joy, we entered the apartments consecrated to this benevolent work, and saw twelve presses in full operation. Berlin, Sept. 13, 1820. Looking into a newspaper at Dessau, we found the anniversary of the Prussian Bible Society announced for this day, which induced us to travel all Monday night. We arrived at Berlin at ten in the evening, and immediately received a visit from the Secretary, who invited us to attend on the following day. The meeting was held in a large church, filled with persons of every rank, sex, and age. The illustrious President, Baron Von Kircheisin, Minister of Justice, dis tributed with his own hand 150 Bibles to a number of boys and girls ; after which the Report was read, &c. The Prussian Bible Society has made considerable progress. The King and Royal Family still favour it with their patronage and support: three of the ministers of the erown, several other distinguished officers of state, and some of the principal clergymen, belong to its Committee. The number of AuxiJiaries has risen to thirty-eight, (not including smaller Associations): it has distributed in six years 30,823 Bibles and 13,284 New Testaments. All these have been issued from its own depository, and do not comprehend those distributed by its Auxiliaries, which last year alone amounted to 20,419 Bibles and 20,769 New Testaments. The income of the Prussian Parent Society, in 1820, was 5,367 dollars, and that of its Auxiliaries 27,388; making a total of 32,755 rix-dollars. The languages in which the Scriptures have hitherto been printed by their united exertions, are, the German, Bohemian, Polish, Wendish, and Lithuanian: provision is made for Protestants and Catholics. All prisons throughout the monarchy have received proportionate supplies. The good effects already produced by the operations of the Prussian Bible Society are by no means inconsiderable a check has been given to infidelity; the friends of revealed truth have rallied round its unerring standard; a spirit of piety and benevolence has been cherished; some of the profane and vicious have been reclaimed, the afflicted comforted, the wavering confirmed, and many thanksgivings to God called forth. Nurenberg, Sept. 29, 1820. A merchant told me the following anecdote:-"One of his friends lately passed the night in a Bohemian village. At the inn he was susprised to hear many voices singing the praises of the Most High: on inquiring, the innkeeper told him, that the New Testament had lately come to their village. Since that time, a flame of devotion had been kindled, and little assemblies of pious Christians had been held." "I have," said Pastor Fabricius, "at present, a store of 3,500 Testaments: about 1,500 I can get bound from our funds; but, for the binding of the remainder, I must apply to your Society." I could not hesitate a moment to comply with his wish. After expressing my unfeigned satisfaction at finding monarch and people so cordially united, I inmediately introduced the subject of the Bible Society. The King replied, "that he rejoiced to have so many good and religious people in his dominions, who were cordially attached to the religion of the Bible, and zealously exerted themselves for its propagation. It is true," he remarked, "some sects have lately arisen; but I consider it right and proper to exercise every possible indulgence, and to grant toleration to all classes of my subjects: for," added he, "the religion of Christ breathes the spirit of mildness, conciliation, and love: it cannot be forced, nor must it be propagated by the strong arm of power, but by the gentle voice of persuasion, and the prevailing force of truth." Stuttgardt, Oct. 24, 1820. I returned from Kirchheim at half past ten at night. At two in the morning, I was called to attend the daughter of a British nobleman, who was in a most alarming state of health. She was taken ill at Stuttgardt of a cold, which became a pleurisy; and she desired to see me. I cannot describe the impression which the conductofthis amiable and truly pious young lady produced on my mind. In the immediate prospect of death, she was calm, composed, and serene. Her hope was steadily fixed on Christ the Rock of Ages. She literally triumphed in the God of her salvation, and offered up prayers for all her relations, friends, and acquaintances. She seemed like a seraph ready to take her celestial flight. One expression left a very powerful impression on my mind: " Blessed," said she, "are the sincere friends and promoters of the Bible Society. Before the throne of God they will be met by thousands, who owe their salvation, next to the blessing of God, to the Bible, which they have so zealously spread abroad in all the languages of the world. There they will reap CHRIST. OBSERV. APP. what here they have sown, and receive an unfading crown of glory. Let them persevere in their sublime work: it will have its reward. I thank God that my lot has fallen in such a glorious period. What should I now do without the consolations of the word of God?" Carlsruhe, Nov. 7, 1820. On the 2d of November, I took a final leave of my dear family, not without many painful feelings in separating from a venerable father, who will soon conclude his 84th year, and whom, in all human probability, I shall see no more on this side of the grave. I had also to part with brothers, sisters, relations, and friends, whose tender affection and never-varying attentions exceedingly endear them to my heart.-I left Vayhingen for Ludwigsburg, the residence of the Dowager Queen of Würtemberg, formerly Princess Royal of Great Britain. At half past five I was introduced to her apartments: her Majesty received me in the most condescending manner, admired the various specimens of the Society's foreign versions, and noticed, with peculiar pleasure, a copy of the English and French Testament, printed for the benefit of King Christophe's subjects in Hayti, which I had taken the liberty to present in the name of the British and Foreign Bible Society. "This," said her Majesty, "I can read, and will read.", Krentznach, Nov. 12, 1820. The number of Jewish converts, and inquirers into the merits of Christianity, is increasing. Late in the evening, a number of pious people came in a body to the inn, to express their gratitude for the benevolent attention paid to their poor countrymen by the British and Foreign Bible Society, and pledging themselves to do their utmost for the advancement of this sacred cause. gratitude to God. I have been enabled to keep every appointment. Not one single part of the plan I had previously laid down, in humble dependence on the blessing of God, has been altered. Out of weakness, strength according to my day has been afforded. At Brussels a de lightful day of sacred rest refreshed my soul and body, and I am new anticipating my last movement, which, through the good Provi dence of God, will, I trust, restore me to my home and my regular oc◄ cupations. WESLEYAN MISSIONARY SOCIETY. FROM the last Report of the Wes leyan Missionary Society, we shall select a few interesting notices of the benevolent exertions of that indefatigable body of Christians, among the natives of Ceylon and the Black and Coloured population in the West Indies. The Wesleyan Methodists have missions in various other places; but these are by far the most important and extensive scenes of their labours. Ceylon. The first subject, in connexion with this Mission, is the progress of the Native Schools. The last Report of the state of these institutions, published at Ceylon, thus replies to some arguments urged against educating the children of the natives in India. ›"An objection has been raised by many respectable Europeans in this country to such exertions, on the ground that the nominal Christians of India are no better, if they are not worse, than the aboriginal heathen's of the same countries. This is not borne out by the general conduct of those Christians who are the fruits of modern missionary labours. It is an objection which has received its origin from the character of mere hereditary Christians, multitudes of whom are found in various parts of the Indian continent and its islands. The great majority of them are in a state of the most deplorable ignorance of Christianity, and generally without any suitable pastoral superintendance to call into action, in daily conduct, any salutary principles which they may have imbibed. These Christians, therefore, are not a proper criterion of the tendency, or otherwise, of a system of Christian instruction under the superintendance of missionaries. "If it be further objected, that even modern schools have some times been unfortunate in the subsequent conduct of their pupils, it may be observed, that it is but comparatively of recent date since native schools were supplied with Christian masters. The generality of the instructors of youth have been heathens, and in many cases heathen priests: and hence, being wholly actuated by a mercenary motive, they never exceeded the mere rules of outward discipline, to which they were bound by their superiors. "Our wish is to enable our pupils, in the first instance, to read and write their own language; in addition to this, the English language, where it is desired. In the schools they are also trained to habits of decency and propriety. We endeavour to impress their young minds with a sense of the fear of God, and their duty to their Maker. We exert ourselves, also, to teach them their duty to men; that they owe an affectionate esteem and obedience to their parents; that they are to reverence and obey their rulers; that they are commanded to love one another, and to delight in acts of kindness towards each other,—to love all men, and pray for all men.” The Missionaries add-" Only a few years back, there was hardly any thing to be seen like a church or place for Christian worship in the whole of these districts, except here and there a few old churches in ruius, covered with jungle, and almost hid from the eye of the tra veller. But now, a person making a journey, for instance, from Colombo to Galle, nearly 80 miles, has his attention continually at tracted by the appearance of our school-houses, or little native churches, which frequently present themselves in the most unexpected manner. Some of them are situated on little plains; some under majestic shades of the large cocoanuts topes; others in valleys, surFounded by the most beautiful scenery; others, still more aspiring, are raised upon the summits of bills, and lift their humble roofs just above the tops of the neighbouring trees, sufficiently high to tell the traveller, Hither, also, do the tribes repair to worship Him who governeth all things, and liveth and reigneth King for ever. And does not God approve of these little sanctuaries which are rising up, and are dedicated to his name?" The number of the schools amounts to 86, and the children instructed in them to 4908. The following may serve as a specimen of these establishments: - "The average attendance in our school (the Colpetty) is from 100 to 120; a calculation which we take from the daily return of numbers in the school. Out of this number 46 boys and 13 girls can read very well in the English Testament; 62 boys and 23 girls can read the new version of the Singbalese Testament: most of the boys write their own language on the Ola, or more properly the Talipot, Leaf; 52 of the boys and several of the girls write copies, in English, on paper. Their aptness in this respeet exceeds any thing we usually see in European children. "The little girls in the female Colpetty school would be a credit to any school, even in England: a stranger, first going into it, would hardly suppose them the children generally of the poor labouring natives. The few clothes they have on are always remarkably clean and neat. They have imbibed ideas of decency and female modesty which are not common to the native women. Several of them read very fluently both in the English and Singhalese Testaments. Such advancements in the female part of the population of this country promise the most happy results." In the account of the New Bazar School it is remarked "We have the children of six schools at the Mission-house every Sunday forenoon, at 10 o'clock; and it is pleasing to see the great regularity, both of the boys and girls of this school, in their attend. ance at the public worship of God. Many of their parents, and some of their neighbours, who, previously to the establishment of these schools, knew no more of Divine things than mere irrational animals, regularly attend with the children at the house of God, and begin to give pleasing hopes of their being soon brought to the knowledge of Christ and his salvation. The serious part of the scholars are much afraid of breaking the Sabbath, and are very desirous to keep it holy. "Out of this school we have baptized about thirty heathen children, the whole of whom had come to an age sufficient to be able to understand, in a considerable degree, the nature of the sacred covenant iuto which they entered with Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world. Previously to their baptism, the masters had taken great pains to instruct them in its nature, and the obligations it brought upon them; and so successful had they been in this, that in their public examination it must have interested every friend to missions, to have heard how rationally, sensibly, and, in several of them, with what a sense of the fear of God, they replied to the questions proposed to them." A considerable number of the children of Mohammedan parents are regular scholars in these schools, and are taught the principles of Christianity in the same manner as the other children, without the |