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Religious and Literary Entelligence.

HIBERNIAN SCHOOL SOCIETY. THIS Society have recently issued their ninth Annual Report; and it is accompanied with copious Extracts of Correspondence from some of the Society's Agents in Ireland. We are pleased to find, from a note at the bottom of p. 17, that they have given these Extracts literally, to enable their readers to enter into the spirit and feelings of the writers." It is impossible to express the gratifica tion we have received from the perusal of this Report, which, in point of interest, far surpasses every other Report that we have met with from any quarter whatever; and we should think it impossible for any Christian to read it without being sensibly affected by the details, and having his heart made glad at seeing the grace of God so signally displayed in the work that is going forwards in that lately benighted country. To such as can procure the Report, we earnestly recommend it to them to do so; but for the sake of those who have not access to it, we shall subjoin

a few extracts.

From an Agent of the Society, July 26, 1814.

I am happy to open my present communication with being able to assure the Committee, that, at no period since the commencement of their labours, has the prospect been so pleasing and animating as it is at present. The Schools are not only extending, and in general doing well; but their effects on the inhabitants in their respective neighbourhoods, are most visible and cheering. Situated as I now am, in the principal town to which the people resort from the different parts of the County, many find it practicable to call on me; and did the growing business of the Society afford me leisure, I enjoy a fine opening for usefulness in directing the minds of many, who have had their attention excited to divine things by the word of God, which sounds out from all our Schools. If my time admits, I may communicate some pleasing instances of this before I close.

The Society, if not already provided with a very active friend in the south of this kingdom, is now likely to be providentially provided with a very suitable one, the Rev. L. B.- whom I have frequently mentioned, and who offers to devote his time to the Society's service.

Pleasing accounts from many of the Masters respecting the attention of adults to learn to read, and the eagernes with which those, who from their age often give VOL. I.

this up as hopeless, listen to the reading of the Irish Testament by their children, or the masters, on Sundays or holidays. One Master, a Catholic, assured me that there and old in his neighbourhood, and that is a general reformation in both young many, at the age of sixty years and upJesus Christ but his name, nor ever underwards, who never knew any thing about stood that he rose from the dead, now the wonders which they learn from the listen with pleasure and astonishment to Tetament. He also mentioned, with earnestness and deep emotion, that from what school, he is fully convinced, that if the he had seen in the neighbourhood of his Priests would countenance the schools, drunkenness, riot, thievery, murder, and all insubordination, would be nearly banished from the island.

Respecting the effect of the word read by the children on the minds of the parents, take the following instance, which only May such happy instances abound! One came to my knowledge a few days ago. of our Inspectors, in his routs, called at a

cabin between C- and K, and on perceiving one of the children, a well grown boy, have the Irish Testament, he enquired, in Irish, of the boy's mother, how she liked what her son read? She replied, that she never heard the like, and that she paid such attention to it, that though she could not read, she could now explain many passages to her son, in answer to his enquiries. In relation to those questions, she mentioned that her son, when reading, "Let the dead bury their dead," enquired of her how people, after their death, could bury other dead people? She replied, that she learned from that book, that all in their natural state are dead, until Christ made them alive by quickening them; aud that it was that state of death the Lord alluded to. "Then (said my informant) you believe that you are by nature in a state of condemnation and death?" She replied with great earnestness, "Most assuredly I do; and when I learned this from the book, I was very unhappy, until I got the invitation." He enquired,“ What do you mean by the invitation ?" She replied,"Hearing from the book Christ's word, 'Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest:' ever since ĺ understood that (she continued), 1 have rest and peace." "How do you settle this matter with the Priest? what does he say to all this?" Answer-" I never trouble him now; I have no more confidence in his work since I heard and

2 K

understood what the Apostle says, "Say | not in your heart, who shall ascend into heaven, &c. But what saith it? That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Could I enlarge, the whole of this conversation was most interesting; and considering the ignorance in which she was brought up, the gross darkness that reigns around, the absolute impossibility of her becoming acquainted with a single idea by any other means than by hearing the book without note or comment read by her child, it would be evident, to the most sceptical, that the finger of God was here, that the Schools are of the Lord, and that the Scripture is still able to make wise to salvation.

From the same. Sept. 24, 1814. After narrating the effects of one of Our Schools, and having, from many similar

ception (but where our persecutors are still permitted to trouble us) doing well, never so well. They are multiplying, and their friends increasing.

From the same. October 25, 1814.

Having no opportunity to judge of the correctness of the accounts 1 frequently had of the influence of the gospel on the wife, married daughter, and son-in-law of B. H-~, I desired S- on his return from the county of M- to come by the part where that family resided, in order to converse with them, for the purpose of giving me his opinion on his return. When he arrived at H's cabin, he found part of the family in bed with a fever, and the rest busily employed in attending them. Fearing the contagion, and sensible of the unsuitableness of the time, he remained but for a few minutes, and was accompanied from the house by J. B

B. H

brother to the son-in-law of accounts I have received from time to who was one of those confined time, reason to conclude that these effects with the fever. This young man had no are pretty general, and having mentioned opportunity of knowing who S― was, some of the many instances wherein the or what his religious sentiments were. Gospel, through their instrumentality, has After they had proceeded together for been made the power of God unto salva- some time, from what passed in conversation, I cannot help contrasting the cheer- tion, Sunderstood that the young man ing scene it presents, with the dismal one had spent much time with H- -'s family, which the country exhibited before the and seemed to approve of them. He recommencement of the labours of the So- solved to try how he was affected in point ciety. Darkness then reigned in all those of religion, and with that view, without regions. Thousands of the inhabitants any disclosure of his own sentiments, never heard that God had given a revela- carried on the following conversation. tion of his will, or had ever promulgated S. How far from this is the Mass-house? the glad tidings of mercy to guilty men. B. Not far; it lies in the valley below All were left to wander in delusion, those hills. S. It is a great convenience without God, and without hope; hateful to you to have it so near. B. I have not and hating one another; and their dwell- been very troublesome to it for some time. ings were the habitations of darkness, S. Why should you be so negligent; is it wretchedness, cruelty, and vice. Yet on not a work of great importance to attend these hath the light shined; the precursor, the sacrifice of the Mass, and to be found I trust, of the life-giving and healing ap- doing all we can in the great work of proach of the Sun of Righteousness. saving our souls? B. I have no expectaSurely, all who are concerned in this tion from the Priest or the Mass; and as blessed work have reason to rejoice; for the work of saving my soul, that inthose who have devised, who support and deed would, by any work of mine, be a carry it on; and those who, as their humble vain and hopeless attempt: wretched instruments, minister the blessings of their should I be, if I had no other refuge, or bounty: all have reason to bless God for better hope! S. What! not have exwhat he has already wrought; and to go pectation from your own exertions; are on, cheered with these tokens of the ap- not good works the procuring cause of probation of God, and confident of his salvation? B. I once vainly thought so support. The Institution has been signally in my ignorance; but, I bless God, I see favoured. We were not allowed even to things very differently now. S. This is sow in tears. The rough wind was stayed, strange indeed! I should be glad to know, and the dew of heaven, in early first fruits, if we cannot expect salvation by our good gave the pledge of an abundant harvest. works, how else are we to obtain it? Nor will the hopes thus excited be dis- B. Blessed be God, there is not only anappointed. Our faith may yet indeed be other but a sure foundation for hope toput to the trial; but eventually the sheaves wards God. "God so loved the world, will be gathered with joyful shouts of that he gave his only-begotten Son, that triumph and gratitude: for God is our whosoever believeth in him should not help. I have indulged myself in these perish, but have everlasting life." S. How observations, as all I have to say with does that declaration apply to you? B. respect to the present state of our Schools, God has set him forth as the propitiation, may be shortly summed up in this. They through faith in his blood, to declare his are in general, I may say, without ex-righteeusness in the remission of sins.

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S. So then you are sure of salvation | pened to be at his aunt's, at a time when through believing? B. Yes; for by the the Priest was anointing a poor dying works of the law, none can be justified in beggar-man, that had found shelterithere his sight; for by the law is the knowledge in his last illness. A profuse sprinkl ng of of sin. S. O then! if you are sure of holy water, it seems, takes place on those salvation on believing, you may do all occasions, and the by-standers rece ve it evil imaginable: good works are not ne- from the Priest in their right hands, with cessary on your plan. B. A good work all religious veneration. While the Priest was indeed necessary, even all the obe- was liberally dispensing this favour, he dience of Him who was made under the perceived young H- standing aloof at law, and who is the Lord our righteous- as great a distance as the extreme corner ness: but if I drew the conclusion that of the house would permit; and, being you do, and sinned that grace might somewhat surprised, called to him to come abound, my damnation would be just. I forward and receive the holy water. But was indeed the servant of sin, but have H- without alledging any reason, rebeen called through the knowledge of mained where he had taken his station. Christ, to be the servant of righteousness. The Priest, in a rage, commanded him to S. How came you to be acquainted with be brought to him, and poor H, -on his these strange notions? B. By hearing approach, lodged both his hands, for want the word of God, the gospel of my salva of other shelter, in the waist-band of his tion. S. How? for I suppose you do not small-clothes. The Priest directed him understand the Euglish well. (It should to hold out his right hand, but H―, though be remarked, that they conversed from trembling, refused to draw it out; and the beginning in Irish.) B. It was when asked by the Priest, the cause of by hearing the Irish Testament read, his unaccountable conduct, young HS. If these things are true, it is well that replied, with great simplicity, "Why, Sir, you paid such attention: many, I pre- I have read the Testament through and sume, have heard the Irish Testament through, and I have not met in the whole read, who understand little about it. book, in the words of Christ or his apostles, B. Alas! I am sure it was not my at- one word about holy water! and if it was tention, but the goodness of God, for I any good, Sir, would not they have comdesired not to hear it; and when I first manded it?" The Priest, though a turheard it, I hated both it and those who bulent man, kept his hands off the poor read it. S. If you thus hated it, how boy, but resolved to inflict exemplary came you to believe it? B. 1 know not; punishment on the mother. The next Sunin hearing it frequently, it got into my day, he proceeded, before a full congregamind, and I became persuaded that it tion, to excommunicate her, with all the must be true. I found myself a sinner, awful appendages of ringing the bell, exand that what it declared answered my tinguishing the great candle on the altar, case. In this way I was brought to believe and closing his book; pronouncing her and love that which I before hated. separated from the church of God on earth and in heaven, and confirming the sentence with a fervent prayer and hearty Amen. The poor woman, unintimidated by all this, still continues her son at the school.

After much conversation of this sort, and many questions put to him by Sall of which he answered with great quickness and earnestness, and almost entirely in Scripture language; S-thought proper to let him know, that he was of the same mind with him, a debtor to the same rich and sovereign grace, and encouraged him to persevere in the good way, trusting in the Lord. On asking him if he could read English or Irish, he answered in the negative; and added with great emotion, that had he gold to cover the ground about him, he would give it to be able to read the Testament.

From the same. Nov. 25, 1814. A child, about the age of ten or twelve years, the son of a poor woman who lived in a wretched hut, had been long in C-'s school, and had been secretly continued there by his mother, notwithstanding the general orders of the Priest to all his parishioners to take their children from that school, and his threats of punishment and excommunication in case of disobedience. Young H was in the English Testament class, and had committed much to memory. Some time since, he hap.

I may add, before I close my religious intelligence for this time, that the poor young man (J. B.) mentioned in my last, caught the fever from H.'s family, and was at the point of death. During the whole of his dangerous illness, he manifested great resignation, and was very happy in his mind. His mother, who had heard of his situation, came to attend him; and, as he seemingly drew near his end, she became very importunate to get the priest to anoint him. He was, for some time, lying with very little signs of life; but, on hearing her, and the subject of her importunity, he revived, and, to the astonishment of all present, though he had not spoken for some time before, he addressed his mother, and told her he would have no priest, nor any of his rites; but if she would insist on bringing him, he would speak to him as the Lord should enable him; and, perhaps, added he, the Lord may make use of my dying words to rescue him from the wretched situation he is in.

4. A Selection of the best ideas found among Hindoo writers relating to the duties of life. The Apostle Paul plainly shews us what use may be made of the writings of Heathens themselves, in exposing the folly and sin of idolatry, when in addressing the Athenians he quotes Aratus to prove that we are the offspring of God. As far as such Selections accorded

BAPTIST MISSIONARY SOCIETY. THE Periodical Accounts, No. XXVIII. has made its appearance since our last; but on glancing it over we do not find in it much of interest that has not already met the public eye, through the medium of our own and other Journals. We, however, find an article relating to the esta blishment of Schools among the Hindoos, which we perused with considerable plea-with the law of righteousness they would sure; and after the striking proofs of their utility in another quarter, which have been given in the last article, we think it of importance to lay the substance of it before our readers.

SCHOOLS.

"We now come to a part of our work which becomes increasingly important, that of supporting and superintending Native Schools. To this object we have long turned our attention as to one of the most probable means of spreading the knowledge of God in India; and the number of Schools in the various parts of the Mission amounts to nearly twenty. Hitherto we have supported the whole of the expence ourselves; but as the experiment has now been fully made, it seems desirable to extend this means of doing good beyond what the funds of the Mission alone are able to meet; and indeed so much does the utility of Schools seem to have commended them to the minds of men in general, that many who do not warmly support Missions, would gladly encourage Schools. The importance of the object has therefore made us turn our thoughts to the business of Schools as a system.

To extend Schools in any considerable degree so as to render them efficient, three things are required: Suitable Books; Due Superintendance; and Funds. To each of these we have turned our attention, and submit to you the following ideas respecting them,

The Books.-The books which shall form the means of conveying knowledge to a nation at present immersed in worse than Egyptian darkness, become an object of serious consideration. While the importance of imparting to them the words of everlasting life is fully acknowledged; it is still proper to keep in view the state of the people, and the probable effect of Schools. Even in Britain, where Christianity is professed by all, no one thinks of confining children at School wholly to the Scriptures. On the contrary, certain other books are necessary, not only for the purposes of life, but even to make them enter thoroughly into the beauty and glory of the Sacred Oracles. In a country therefore where all is darkness, this applies with still greater force. This has led us to think the following books necessary:

1. A simple and concise Introduction to Arithmetic.

2. A concise System of Geography.. 3. A Chronological Epitome of General History.

prove a valuable auxiliary; and their deficiency might be improved to the highest advantage, by shewing the necessity of a better guide.

5. Selections from the Sacred Oracles, We do not recommend Selections from the Sacred Oracles because we forbode any evil consequences from the introduction of the whole, but because we think that to children so little accustomed to reading as are the children of this country, five thick oetavo volumes could not be profitable, as a small part only could be read while at School. And as some acquaintance with the Old Testament is requisite for the right understanding of many parts of the New, we propose making Selections from the whole, still retaining the language of inspiration.

The Funds.-The sum wanted for the support of these Schools would be trifling compared with their importance. If gratuitous superintendance could be obtained in some instances, and in others superintendance at a small expence, each school on an average would scarcely exceed the expence of ten rupees monthly, including the teacher's salary, the rent of a place, books, and rewards for diligence. If each school contained forty boys, (and in a village they would not often contain more,) these forty boys would be insructed for three rupees each annually. Thus twelve thousand rupees (£1,500.) annually would support a hundred schools, containing four thousand children: and whoever considers that these four thousand youths will probably impart to their connections the knowledge they have received, and the degree of influence the knowledge of history and geography (to say nothing of the gospel of Christ) will give them in society, -must be convinced that such a sum could scarcely be expended in a more profitable manner.

We will not, however, attempt to conceal circumstances which may appear discouraging. It is possible that in some instances groundless fears, and in others a spirit of opposition may so operate as to prevent or at least to retard the establishment or the progress of such Schools. These difficulties, however, would be surmounted by patient continuance in well-doing. But these instances will be comparatively few: and the disadvantages of the children thus debarred from the privileges enjoyed by their enlightened neighbours will be so severely felt as to overcome every prejudice, to disarm the most bigotted opposi

tion. At all events, we cannot conceive of any plan of generally diffusing knowledge which promises to be equally effectual. To the serious consideration and liberality of our friends, under the blessing of God, we cheerfully submit the whole."

It is with much pleasure we learn that Mr. HALL of Leicester is on a Missionary tour through Wales,supplying the place of the late lamented Secretary, and we hope the important services which he is able to render to the undertaking, will in future be liberally offered.

LONDON MISSIONARY SOCIETY. WE have just been put in possession of the Twenty-first Report of this Society, prefixed to the four Sermons which were preached at the last Annual Meeting. Of the Sermons we hope to give some account in our Number for September, and therefore shall at present confine ourselves to the information contained in the Report. Here our attention is first directed to the

SOCIETY ISLANDS, SOUTH SEA.

!

By a letter dated Eimeo, April 23, 1814, the directors are informed that "the good work of conversion appeared to be going forward; and that the number of those who had renounced their idols and desired to be considered as the worshippers of Jehovah, amounted to FIFTY. They report that these persons are, in general, regular in their attendance on the means of instruction; that they are in the habit of retiremeut for secret prayer; that many of them pray in theis families, and ask a blessing on their food; that they carefully observe the Sabbath, associate to hold meetings for prayer, and that their moral conduct is greatly improved. Some of them appear to have experienced an inward change, evinced by their loving what once they hated, and hating the evil ways which once they loved; that they are desirous of having their sins pardoned, and their hearts renewed; and that they seem to be sensible of the need of divine influence to effect this. They add, that in consequence of this profession, their neighbours deride them, and distinguish them by the name of Buree Atua-" the praying people." In this pleasing intelligence every member of the Society will doubtless rejoice, and give glory to God. Hereafter, let no Missionary, in any age or country, however long his patience may be tried, despair of final success. The word of God shall not return unto him void."

There is to us something so utterly inexplicable in this statement, that we cannot pass it over without remark. Here are ⚫ fifty persons said to be "desirous of having their sins pardoned, and their hearts renewed," &c. and, of course, are waiting for "divine influence to effect this," a

case which, if there be any truth in the Bible,never existed since the world began nor ever will! Are the members of the Missionary Society all turned Arminians? These fifty persons must either be in a converted or an unconverted state: If in the latter, their minds must be enmity against God; and so far from entertaining any desire of having" their sins pardoned and their hearts renewed," the genuine breathings os their souls must be," Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways." Thus Paul stated the matter, Rom. x. 20. when describing the blessed God as manifesting his mercy to the heathen of his day, "I was found of them that sought me not, I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me." If on ihe contrary, we consider them to be in a converted state, then, from the very nature of the thing, their sins must already be pardoned, and their hearts renewed, for these blessings are the never failing effects of faith in Christ, without which there can be no conversion! The directors of the Missionary Society appear to us not to understand their own creed-or if they do they are imposing upon the ignorance of their readers.

JAVA.

Messrs. Kam, Supper, and Bruckner, who embarked for Java at the close of the year 1813, arrived at Battavia on the 26th of May, 1814. They were kindly received by Rev. Dr. Ross, the venerable Dutch minister of the city, and introdued by him to his Excellency Governor Raffles, who treated them in the most polite and condescending manner, and they had the pleature of witnessing soon after their arrival, in the Governor's house, the establishment of an Auxiliary Bible Society, of which Mr. Supper was appointed Foreign Se cretary.

Mr. Supper was earnestly requested by Dr. Ross to be become his colleague in the church, there being far more ministerial duty than one minister is able to perform.

-Mr. Supper's appointment, as well as that of the other brethren, was cordially approved by the Governor, who shewed himself perfectly ready to forward the views of the Society. Mr. Robinson, a Baptist Missionary, of whom our brethren speak very respectfully, preaches every Sunday afternoon, in ine same church, in the Malay language.

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