TO THE REFORMED DUTCH CHURCHES. We would beg leave to remind the Pastors and Consistories, that agreeably to a resolution of General Synod, a collection is to be taken up in all our Churches on the approaching thanksgiving day, observed agreeably to the call of the governors of the states where we live. We urgently entreat the attention of the Churches to this collection. These collections are appropriated to Missionary purposes; and we have numerous calls at present, and a low treasury. We beg leave also to remind you, that the collection directed by the General Synod, to be made for the Theological College, is to be taken up on November, Sabbath first. That for the Contingent Fund, on January, Sabbath first. For the Permanent fund, May, Sabbath first. And the twentyfive cent collection, is requested to be made on December, Sabbath last. The Office of the Dutch Magazine, and Agency of the Missionary Society of our Church, is at the corner of Nassau and Ann Streets NewYork. Our agent will attend daily there from 10 A. M. to 1 o'clock, and from 3 to 5 P. M. to receive monies, and transact business. Sketch of Public Affairs. EUROPE.--It seems that war between Russia and Persia is now inevitable. It has probably commenced already between the advanced parties of the two armies. It does not yet distinctly appear what the true cause is. Some provinces of Russia, which are inhabited by Mohammedans, had revolted; probably in consequence of the machinations of Persia. Some dark insinuations are thrown out about the Emperor Nicholas having no aversion to see the Grand Duke Constantine, his brother, on the throne of Constantinople. Indeed, it has been said that he received his name in anticipation of this no improbable event, in the progress of princely ambition. GREECE.-Things begin to look favourable in this unhappy land. We wait with anxiety to hear of some decisive stroke by Lord Cochran, who is now on the spot. The Pacha of Egypt has offered $20,000 for him alive; but nothing for him dead. We would not be surprised to hear of Cochran actually offering the same reward for the Pacha.Another attempt against Samos by the Pacha has utterly failed; the Greeks triumphed. GREAT BRITAIN.-Last advices report a little more favourably of things in Britain and Ireland. But the condition of that country is truly afflicting.-The enterprising Capt. Parry is projecting an expedition to the North pole. He proposes to advance as far as he can with his ships, and then to have his party drawn over the ice in sleighs, by rein deer, with 90 days' provision. His aim is to explore the inmost point of the ice-bound arctic circle. The reward offered in Britain to effect this is $22,000, besides the fame of the achievement. UNITED STATES.-It is now a time of general health in the country, as well as in our cities; and we have peace and plenty within all our borders. It is worthy of no tice, that our happy land has never been afflicted with a famine. Even the poorest classes in our suburbs, and in our roughest mountains, have never known, from actual experience, what the horrid calamities of famine are. What a contrast between this great and highly-favoured land, and those of Europe or Asia, whose crowded and vicious population are often visited with sore want and famine! Our elections have been going on peaceably to their close, throughout the Union; without any thing bearing a resemblance to the tumultuous scenes of a French or English election, where bribery and corruption buy and sell public offices; and the minister hires his votes for the carrying of a question. As the people of the United States put their public servants into places of power and trust, in a manner so superior to the style of going to work in France and England; we do hope that our representatives and senators whom we have placed on the floor of Congress, will, by talking less, and by acting with the dignity befitting their representative character, strive also far to excel their compeers in the European deliberative bodies! We trust the scenes of last winter will not be enacted again before the eyes of the country. We also beg leave to give a hint to those of our fellow citizens FRANCE. Nothing of importance is learnwho complained of last winter's scenes of ed from this country by the late arrivals. folly and wickedness among our public The country was in a state of quietness and men, that if they did not, at the late elec-growing prosperity. The venerable friend tions, present themselves at the poll, and of liberty and the rights of man, La Fayette, give a conscientious vote to correct abuses, was in Paris, in the enjoyment of fine health. as far as they could, by their influence and An American gentleman states, that when vote, they have no right to utter complaints he appeared in public he was dunned by begabout the men in power this season.-The gars from America. He asks in a humorous public attention has been long and justly oc- manner, if this is not some plan of Mr. Gezcupied with the controversy about the Greek lay of Ohio, who opposed the donation of Frigates. We would say with the judicious the Republic to La Fayette, to get it dunned Editor of the Commercial Advertiser, "We back again from the generous patriot! regard this whole controversy as one of the most unfortunate for our country, at home and abroad, that could have happened. But had no discussion arisen in this country, at the time it did; or had all the parties here agreed to hush the matter up, disclosures would have been provoked from abroad; for the last number of the London Westminster Review contains an elaborate, extensive, and severe article on the conduct of the Greek Committee formed in London in 1823, and refers, in the following terms, to the New York agency in the equipment of vessels for Greece: "Among the largest items by which the expenditure of the received loan is accounted for, is the NETHERLANDS.-A very distressing kind of disease, assuming the type of an epidemic, had prevailed in some places to an alarming degree. Several eminent physicians had arrived from different places and countries, to investigate and prescribe. Latest accounts state a gradual abatement. In Groningen, upwards of 7000 persons are still sick. PORTUGAL.-This country has received a Constitution from the governing powers in Brazil. If its wisdom and sound policy be in any proportion to its bulk, it will be for the salvation of this kingdom. Time will reveal and try it. Good order prevails throughout the country, and desertions are being made continually from Spain. Spain. Things are in as unfavourable a conSPAIN. Nothing has been received from dition as formerly. According to the offi cial lists sent to the minister of Justice lately, there were in Spain 800,000 beggars.Of this number, Andalu ia furnished one third. And it is one to every third family. The king of Spain still talks about regaining his South American possessions, favours the scheme of Inquisitions, heaps favours on maintains war against free masons. The priests, oppresses his beggared people, and Algerines still carry war even into some of the ports of Spain. So completely is this enslaved country crippled, that it cannot defend itself against this petty power. sum of 155,000l. employed in America for the building of frigates. Nothing but infatuation, gross ignorance, or dishonesty, will serve to account for this strange misappropriation of the Greek money at a moment when instant assistance to Greece is all-important-a moment, too, when it is within our knowledge that many ships of war, cheap, and ready for sea, were to be found in European ports, a cavalry officer is engaged at an enormous salary, and is despatched to the U. States, with vague instructions-inconsistent, too with the orders of the Greck Government; and, after spending 155,000 pounds in the erection of two frigates, it is discovered that a large sum, not less than 50,000/ more is wanting to complete them; the results is, that both of them get confiscated as security for the debt, for which they are said to be responsible. The most fovourable TURKEY.-The affairs of Turkey, say our results that can now be anticipated is, that one latest advice, are such as every enemy of should be sacrificed to save the other; and the the Turks could wish. Insubordination preGreeks will posses a frigate at a price for which all vails every where. Anarchy prevails at the the annals of official jobbing present no parallel." gates of Constantinople, and desolation It having been announced in some of the within its walls. The Sultan has lost his papers, that there would be a diminution of spirits in spite of all his efforts to go forward the revenue from the estimates of last year, with his projected plan of things in his army. the Editor of the National Journal has in- He appears no more at the exercise of his quired into the matter, and says the actual new troops. A plot had been formed to assasreceipts will amount to the full sum estima-sinate him. The plague rages in the Jewish ted by the Secretary of the Treasury, at the and Armenian quarters. opening of the last session of Congress, viz. 25,500,000 dollars. And the returns already received, justify the opinion that the actual receipts into the Treasury, during the year 1827, will be amply sufficient for all the various branches of the public expenditure, including the annual application of 10,000,000 to the principal and interest of the public debt of the United States. SOUTH AMERICA.-Bolivar, the liberator, has had some serious difficulties with the Congress of Peru. The late minister of state and war to the Patriots, has been executed for high treason. From the incense of praise offered to Bolivar, and the request made by some of the Southern states to him, to take them under his care, and model them, and rule them as he pleases, some begin to suspect the purity of his zeal and patriotism. His temptations, we confess, are about as much as any man, except such a on as Washington, could sustain and re sist. Time will reveal secrets. A gentle. I man at present, in the South, thinks these people too ignorant and too degraded to be independent republicans; that they are fit only to be the subjects of hereditary governnent and a perpetual Dictator. Poetry. A PASSAGE FROM ST. AUGUSTINE. He look'd, and saw the child a hole had scoop'd The saint address'd the child in accents bland: "Fair boy," quoth he, "I pray, what toil is thine? Let me its end and purpose understand." The boy replied,-"An easy task is mine. To sweep into this hole all the wide occean's brine." "Oh, foolish boy!" the saint exclaim'd, "to hope Than finite minds conceive God's nature infinite." Oh! there is a dream of early youth, DREAMS. And love is the theme of that early dream; That in all our after years I seem, Oh! there is a dream of maturer years, "Tis a vision of blood, and of woman's tears, Oh! there is a dream of hoary age, Is there nought in that long career to save yes, there's a dream so pure, so bright, That the being to whom it was given, Hath bathed in a sea of living light, And the theme of that dream is Heaven. OBITUARY. DIED, at Jerusalem, Jan. 25th, Rich. Dalton, M. D. after an illness of 21 days from fever. He was under the patronage of the London Jews' Society, and sailed from England with his wife in June 1823. He resided some time at Jerusalem early in 1825; and at the time of his decease was about to make that city a permanent station. Mr Goodell, writing to Mr. Evarts, says, "He was skilful as a Physician, ardent and devoted as a missionary, and exemplary, conscientious, and devout as a Christian; and we doubt not but our loss is his eternal gain." ERRATUM.-Page 278, eighth line from the top, for Presbyterianism, read Presbyterians. Same page, eleventh line from the top, for which, read whom. A NEW YEAR'S DAY SERMON, Preached in the Scotch Presbyterian Church in Cedar-street, New-York, by the Rev. MR. J. MCELROY, pastor of that Church. PRACTICAL SERMONS. No. X. "We spend our years as a tale that is told."— PSALM XC. 9. make of them, we are answerable to Him, whose creatures and whose gifts they are. This is a most solemn thought; but be assured, it is no less true than solemn. The day is rapid committed to our trust the bounties of his hand, will call us up, and reckon with us for their application. And wo to the man concerning whom it shall appear, on this investigation, that he has used the smallest, the most insignificant of the gifts of God as though it were in every sense his own. And if this be so, where, I pray you, shall he appear, who, with respect to gifts highly important, devotes them to the purposes of his own caprice or depravity, and neglects to accomplish with them the objects for which they were given. In the present world, we hold eve-ly approaching, when He who has ry blessing, both of providence and grace, subject to that grand precept, "Occupy till I come." We are, here, only stewards of Jehovah's bounty. We have nothing that we did not receive. The Most High God challenges, as his own, every article which we possess, and he does so in strict accordance with the principles of eternal righteousness. Your silver, and your gold, says he, are mine. Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. Yea, the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. The food we eat-the raiment which we wear-our worldly Time, my friends, is among the substance the very air we breathe principal of Heaven's gifts. It far and the light by which we see, are all transcends, in importance and value, the gifts of the Father of mercies.- most of the bounties we possess.And, in our possession and use of From this, indeed, they all derive them, we are tenants under the Most their excellence and worth. EterniHigh. The tenure by which we hold ty, with all its mighty interests, hangs them is that of a loan, a trust. And upon it. How unutterably important for the purposes to which we apply is it then, that this jewel should be them, and the improvement which we correctly appreciated, and properly VOL. I.-38. improved? How momentous is it, | number which we can, in any sense, that we should have enlightened views of the nature and worth of this precious trust? How frequently should we be engaged in recalling to our view the moments that are gone, and subjecting to the most close examination, the use which we have made of them? And especially will the propriety of such a course be evident on occasions similar to the one on which we have now assembled. Another of those grand periods into which our life is divided, with all its actions and events, has passed away; and just as it now stands, is sealed up for exhibition at the great day of accounts.Another has been deducted forever from those three-score years and ten, in which all our work is to be accomplished, and all our interests are to be secured. Awful then, indeed, must be that delusion-dreadful must be that insensibility-which, at such a season, is not stirred up to mark the flight of time, and to inquire how much of our work has already been done, and how much yet remains to be performed. With a view to this solemn but necessary exercise, the passage just read has been selected as the subject of our meditation for a few moments.Let us attend to it, under a realizing sense, that even whilst we do so, time speeds away. In these words the inspired author has given us a lively exhibition of the fleeting and transitory nature of our existence. "We spend our years," says he, "as a tale that is told." Let us take a view of some of the great principles contained in this passage, and then inquire what improvement we are called to make of them. And, the FIRST grand truth here taught us is, that time will come to an end; that the sum of our years is fixed to a limited and definite number. Thus, the Psalmist speaks of them-We spend our years. The phraseology implies, that there is only a finite call our own. And the idea of an eternal narrative-of a tale continued through eternal ages-is absurd. It shocks common sense, and violates every fact with which we are acquainted. If we spend our years as a tale that is told, we may rest assured that they shall one day come to a perpetual end. It would be entirely un necessary to adduce any proof in support of this position, were it not that the practice of so many gives the lie to their professed belief. With regard to this truth, there are no scepticks in speculation; but our world abounds with those who deny it in practice. Tell men that time is limited-that they are to live here only for a definite period—and they acknowledge it at once: but mark their conduct, and you must conclude that they believe not a word of what they say, that they expect to exist here forever. Such is the inconsistent contradictory manner in which thousands of our race pass the whole time of their sojourning here. And may I not appeal to this assembly for instances of the truth of what I say? Is there no individual now before me, who is spending his life in the very manner described? On all such I would affectionately urge an immediate and most solemn attention to the declaration of the Psalmist in the text, and to that account of the nature of our existence here, which is given us in the Scriptures generally. Oh! be assured, that if there is one atom of truth in the affirmation before us, or in those parallel ones with which the sacred page abounds, you are acting a part which you shall one day find was unspeakably foolish. Whilst you are proclaiming, by your conduct, that the course of your years shall never run out-that their number will never be exhausted--the proclamation of the inspired Psalmist is, We spend our years as a tale that is told. And this declaration is abundantly sanctioned by every one of the inspi |