The christians may be thus subdivided: The Greek and eastern churches, thirty millions; Roman Catholics, eighty, do.; Protestants, sixty-five and half, do.

Humboldt, the celebrated Prussian traveller, estimates the population of Europe at one hundred and ninety eight millions, of whom-Catholics, one hundred and three millions; Protestants, fifty-two, do; Greek church, thirty-eight, do. Mahometans, five, do.

We

And what is now the spiritual condition of our race? Five hundred millions [nearly,] it is notorious, remain to this hour, Pagan idolaters, and one hundred millions more [and upwards] are the followers of the imposter Mahummud [Mahomet.] Two hundred millions only are left wearing the christian name, and in order to make the calculations respecting the real state of this remnant as favorable as possible, we will suppose Princeton, [United States] to be a fair epitome of the whole Christian world. Is there one person in four there who appears to be brought decidedly under the influence of christian principles? I fear not. have, then, less than fifty millions of real christians on earth at any given time, and all the rest, seven hundred and fifty millions, are living and dying without God in the world! and this is not the picture of the worst, but of the best period of time, next to the days of the Apostles. Perhaps there never existed more good men on earth at one time, than there are at present, and yet this leaves more than fifteen out of sixteen of the human race unacquainted with the salvation which is in Christ Jesus; and this havock made by sin and death has continued without interruption, day by day, and hour by hour, through all the ages since the fall.

There is something so fearful, so tremendous in this retrospect, that I do not wonder that men who have never known "the terrors of the Lord," and "the exceeding sinfulness of sin," should reject the theory altogether. While looking down into this abyss, my dear friend, I am seized with a shivering horror, I tremble exceedingly; and yet the truth, which is here so deeply impressed on my mind, is the same as that which I learn from the history of the fallen angels, left without a Saviour; as that which I received in Gethsemane and at Calvary; and which is irresistibly confirmed, while I look at the civil, mental, and moral condition of these seven hundred and fifty millions of Pagans, &c. all proclaim the fearful truth, that there is a criminality, a turpitude, a desert of sin which we cannot comprehend.

The situation of the countries, which all these beings inhabit; the degree of civilization to which they have attained; their languages, their literature, their manners and customs; the climate, soil, and productions, of each of these countries, and a great variety of other circumstances con nected with the present existence of these millions, have been, to a certain extent, ascertained. No want of talent and zeal in those who have enriched our libraries on these subjects; they deserve well of mankind. It is in the Christian church only that cowardice and indifference to the state of the world have been placed among the virtues. DELTA.

ART. X. Extracts from the Memoir of Dr. Payson.

Prudential advice on the preservation of health, addressed to a student in divinity. "My dear brother, I am very sorry to hear that your health is not better, but rather worse. I beg you will attend to it without delay. 'A merciful man is merciful to his beast,' and you must be merciful to your beast, or, as Mr. M. would say, 'to your animal.' Remember that it is your master's property, and he will no more thank you for driving it to death, than an earthly master would thank a servant for riding a valuable

horse to death, under pretence of zeal for his interest. The truth is, I am afraid Satan has jumped into the saddle; and when he is there in the guise of an angel of light, he whips and spurs at a most unmerciful rate, as every joint in my poor, broken winded animal can testify, from woful experience. Many a poor creature has he ridden to death by using his conscience as a spur, and you must not be ignorant, nor act as if you were ignorant of his devices."

The early part of the memoir affords an illustration of the preceding

letter.

Though his letters are chiefly grave and serious, they occasionally display much humour. One instance may be given, in which he gives an account of his bodily ailments, which were heavy enough.

"Since I wrote last, I have been called to sing of mercy and of judgment. My old friend, the sick headache, has favored me with an unusual share of his company, and has seemed particularly fond of visiting me on the Sabbath. Then came cholera morbus, and in a few hours reduced me so low that I could have died as easily as not. Rheumatism next arrived, eager to pay his respects, and embraced my right shoulder with such an ardor of affection, that he had well nigh torn it from its socket. I had not thought much of this gentleman's powers before, but he has convinced me that I shall think and speak of them with respect, as long as I live. Not content with giving me his company all day, for a fortnight together, he has insisted on setting up with me every night, and what is worse, made me sit up too. During this time, my poor shoulder, neck and back, seemed to be a place in which the various pains and aches had assembled to keep holiday; and the delectable sensations of stinging, pricking, cutting, lacerating, wrenching, burning, gnawing, &c. succeeded each other, or all mingled together in a confusion that was far from being pleasing. The cross old gentleman, though his zeal is somewhat abated by the fomentations, blisters, &c. with which we welcomed him, still stands at my back, threatening that he will not allow me to finish my letter. But enough of him and his companions. Let me leave them for a more pleasing theme.

"God has mercifully stayed his rough wind in the day of his east wind. No horrible, hell-born temptations, no rheumatism of the mind has been allowed to visit me in my sufferings; but such consolations, such heavenly visits, as turned agony into pleasure, and constrained me to sing aloud whenever I could catch my breath long enough to utter a stanza. Indeed, I have been ready to doubt whether pain be really an evil, for though more pain was crowded into last week than any other week of my life, yet it was one of the happiest weeks I ever spent. And now I am ready to say, come what will, come sickness, pain, agony, poverty, loss of friends, only let God come with them, and they shall be welcome. Praised, blessed for ever be his name, for all my trials and afflictions. There has not been one too many; all were necessary, and good and kind."

"By religious romance," he once said in conversation, "I mean the indulgence of unwarranted expectations; expectations that our sins are to be subdued at once, in some uncommon way or by uncommon means, just as a man would expect to become rich by drawing a prize in a lottery, or some other hap-hazard way. We cannot expect too much, if we regulate our expectations by the word of God: but we may expect more than he warrants us to expect, and when our unwarranted expectations are disappointed, we are apt to sink into despondency. Christians whose natural feelings are strong are most liable to run into this error. But I know of no way to make progress in holiness, but the steady, humble, persevering practice of meditation, prayer, watchfulness, self-denial, and good works. If we use these means in a proper manner, our progress is certain."

As his life was eminently glorifying to God, so his death was most comfortable. Much might be quoted in illustration of this, but I shall only adduce a part of a letter to his sister, written a short time previous.

"Were I to adopt the figurative language of Bunyan, I might date this letter from the land of Beulah, of which I have been for some weeks a happy inhabitant. The celestial city is full in my view. Its glories beam upon me, its breezes fan me, its odours are wafted to me, its sounds strike upon my ears, and its spirit is breathed into my heart. Nothing separates me from it but the river of death, which now appears but as an insignificant rill, that may be crossed at a single step, whenever God shall. give permission. The Sun of Righteousness has been gradually drawing nearer and nearer, appearing larger and brighter as he approached; and now he fills the whole hemisphere, pouring forth a flood of glory, while I gaze on this excessive brightness, and wonder why God should deign thus to shine upon a sinful worm. A single heart and a single tongue seem altogether inadequate to my wants. I want a whole heart for every separate emotion, and a whole tongue to express that emotion, &c. &c. These extracts are sufficient as a specimen, and will induce many, I trust, to provide themselves with the work, than which few are more worthy of almost daily perusal. CONSOLATOR.

ART. XI. Remarkable Providences.

It is a comfortable and a blessed truth, that all the concerns of God's people are under his special providence; and that He who is styled the Ömnipotent, is able, by the simplest means, at once to defeat all the machinations of his enimies, and to rescue his own children from the jaws of the lion. The following are striking instances of the truth of this remark.

When war was levied and persecution raised against the Protestants in France, they were beseiged by the royal army in Beziers, a city of Lower Languedoc, and after defending themselves with great fortitude and bravery, the besiegers resolved to make a violent attack on the city by night. Of this the Protestants had no apprehension. A drunken drummer, reeling home to his quarters at midnight, not knowing what he did, rang with vehemence the alarm bell of the town. At that very moment the enemy wese making the assault. In a very short time the Protestants were all in arms, and made a bold and successful defence.

In the bloody massacre of St. Bartholomew, M. Du Moulin, an eminent and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, hid himself from the murderers in an oven; but having nothing wherewith to close the oven's mouth, and knowing that the strictest search would be made for him, he was apprehensive every moment of falling a victim to the bloody rage of his enemies. No sooner, however, had he taken refuge there, than spiders, by weaving their webs over the mouth of the oven, effectually concealed Du Moulin. Well might these exclaim, "blessed be the Lord God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and deliverered his servants that trusted in him."

Edinburgh, April 7, 1834..

C. J.

F-PLANATION.-Some time ago an article of mine appeared in the Monitor, in which Iered some remarks on the terms made use of by good and sound men in speaking of Christ's purchase, which I am sorry to learn has given some offence. I have not been fully understood, and the reason of this probably was a want of sufficient clearness in my article. For I cannot believe that there is any difference between the doctrinal

views contained in the standards of our Church, and those which I hold, and intended to convey in the article referred to, on that subject. I can honestly use the language of our Standards respecting both the object and the extent of Christ's purchase. View-. ing the matter, therefore, that has caused the uneasiness, as I do, only as relating to a form of expression, and not to any thing of sufficient importance to contend about, I withdraw my form of expression, and shall endeavor to avoid giving this offence, when speaking on that subject hereafter. EGO.

Synod of Relief.-The annual meeting of the Synod of Relief was held on Monday evening, in the Rev. Mr. Brodie's chapel, Campbell Street, Glasgow. On Wednesday the Synod proceeded to consider the overture laid on the table at their last meeting, respecting the proposed union with the Secession Church. The overture was, in elfect, that such steps should be taken, as would lead to a friendly intercourse with the Secession Church, as a sister Church, with a view ultimately to a union. After some discussion, a resolution was unanimously agreed to, to the effect that the Relief Synod cordially responded to the kind communication from the United Associate Synod; and hail with delight the prospect of a union with them; renew their resolution of 1821, approving of such a measure, suggested by the union at that time of the two Synods of Seceders; and recommend to presbyteries, sessions and congregations, to take the matter into serious consideration, and report to next meeting of the Synod. At the same time recommending christian intercourse between the two bodies, so far as was practicable.

Extract from a letter addressed to the editer by an original Seceder, dated

EDINBURGH, 31st March, 1835.

I observe Mr. Manson of Perth, one of our ministers, has announced a pamphlet, to shew that it is not our duty to return as yet to the church of Scotland, and against Latitudinarian unions in Britain and America. From the movement made by the old Burghers, the opinion was pretty general that our small body too would soon make advances for a union with the establishment. The publicatinn of the Vindication has laid that rumor.

*

Since I wrote you, we have lost Mr. Aitken of Kerrymuir, the father of our little Synod, a most excellent man. There is a memoir of him in the Presbyterian Magazine, I believe, by Mr. Gray, of Brechin. Mr. Sandison has been ordained at Arbroath, Mr. Wright, late of Cupar Angus, settled as colleague and successor to Professor Paxton in this town. Mr. Whyte would have been settled as colleague and successor to Mr. Chalmers at Haddington, but for a call which has lately been given him by the congregation of Auchinlech, (late Mr. McDerment's.) There was an application to the Synod, in May, from a number of people inhabiting some of the small islands to the north of Scotland, called the Hebrides, who only understand the Gaelic language, for sermon and other christian privileges. They discover wonderful acquaintance with, and attachment to, reformation principles. A Mr. McBean, who is well acquainted with them, is about to be licensed by our Presbytery, and his ordination in that distant corner, is contemplated in the course of the summer.

In the dozen of congregations in Edinburgh and Leith, attached to the United Secession church, they have the sacrament four times a year, twice along with the rest of the town, at which time the old practice is kept up, though I believe it is confined to one discourse on the Saturday and another on Monday, and twice without the accompanying days, except a sermon on the evening of some day towards the end of the week, when the tokens are distributed. With few exceptions, I believe this is also the practice in other places. I heard that Dr. had commenced, or was about

to commence, to dispense the sacrament every six weeks. He and some others can interchange pulpits with Independants, but I believe the most of his brethren have not come that length yet. There is a considerable stir in different parts of the country, toward a union betwist that body and the Relief Synod, whom they used to regard as a very lax-body. Our established church party are so infatuated as to make an attempt at present to get a number of new churches endowed and new parishes erected. Not to say the proposal is unjust in itself, after they have driven so many away from the church, who have been compelled to provide and pay for churches and ministers, it seems particularly impolitic and unreasonable at present. If the present ministry are able to keep their places, it is probable this object will be obtained; but I fear it will only hasten the crisis.

DIED.

At Edinburgh, on the 5th of August, in the 64th year of his age, and 40th of his ministry, the Rev. Dr. M'CKIE, minister of the Fifth Associate Congregation of Original Seceders, and author of the life of John Knox, &c.

* We shall probably insert this memoir hereafter.

THE

RELIGIOUS MONITOR,

AND

EVANGELICAL REPOSITORY.

NOVEMBER, 1835.

MINUTES

Of the Associate Synod of North America, at their Meeting in the Theological Seminary at Canonsburg, October 7, 1835, and continued by adjournment, being their Thirty-Fourth Annual Meeting.

The Synod met and was constituted with prayer by the Rev. Thomas Hanna, Moderator. MEMBERS PRESENT.