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Religion! what a glorious theme to dwell upon! what an opportunity to celebrate! thou hast been trampled upon and despised, but retainest still thy loveliness and perfection! Gigantic have been the efforts to root thee out of the land, but the gates of hell have not prevailed, and shall never prevail against thee! Thy ministers have been reviled, insulted, and oppressed, but they have been supported by their gracious master, and have proved themselves to be the truest friends of those whom they are appointed to instruct. Look at bleeding France, and ask (the inhabitants) how they have succeeded;-without a revealed God-without the ack

Bigotry, if I understand it, is a blind and inordinate attachment to one's opinion's. If we be attached to principles on account of their being ours, or because we have adopted them, rather than because they appear to us to be taught in the holy scriptures; if we be attached to some peculiar principles to the neglect of others, or so as to give them a greater proportion in the system than they require; if we consider things as being of greater importance than the scriptures represent them; if we obstinately adhere to our opinions so as to be averse to free inquiry, and not open to conviction; if we make so much of principles as to be inattentive to holy practice; or if a differ-nowledgement of a Saviour-with ence in religious sentiment destroy or damp our benevolence to the persons of those from whom we differin any of these cases we are subject to the charge of bigotry.

the declaration of an eternal sleep after death! Have they been happy? Have they received the promised rewards from their reforms and alterations? I will not attempt to describe the miseries which they have endur

But we may consider a belief of certain doctrines as necessary to sal-ed-they are sufficiently known.vation, without coming under any part of the above description. We may be attached to these doctrines, not because we have already embraced them, but on account of their appearing to us to be revealed in the scriptures; we may give them only that degree of importance in our views of things, which they occupy there; we may be so far friends to free enquiry, as impartially to search the scriptures, to see whether these things be true; and so open to conviction, as to relinquish our sentiments when they are proved to be unscriptural. We may be equally attached to practical goodness, as to the principles on which it is founded; and, notwithstanding our ill opinion of the religious sentiments of men, and our apprehensions of the danger of their condition, we may yet bear good will to their persons, and wish for nothing more than an opportunity of promoting their welfare, both for this life and that which is to come.

But see how joyfully they return to the God of Christians! how eagerly they fill his opened temples! In vain did the all destroying sword cut down the ranks of mankind-it could not murder religion! In vain they sought for obligations to bind man one to another, to unite their jarring interests! they could not do it without religion! From her they trace the strongest cement of society--its advantages and comforts; and rejoice at her return. May she return to that lately suffering people more free from error, and find them more disposed to embrace the truth.-[Adkin.

APOSTACY.

A son of Lord Spencer, a Clergyman of the Church of England, has resigned his living in the establishment, and is about to be ordained a Roman Catholic Priest.

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Lutheran Magazine.||ligious liberty? Have we all entered into the liberty of children of WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1830. God? Do we enjoy the spiritual Evangelical Christianity. We liberty of real evangelical christians?

Has the Son made us free? We

vocates of the truth, who rendered every sacrifice for the salvation of their souls; but what sacrifices have we ever rendered? Have we faced

cannot too highly appreciate our privileges and blessings, as Evangeli-venerate the names of those devoted cal Christians. We enjoy religious servants of God, who have labored liberty. We are not compelled to diligently and suffered faithfully in believe or do any thing against the the cause of true Christianity. But how do we follow their example? word of God, or the dictates of our consciences. No man, or set of men, Do we know what true christianity have the power of imposing upon us is? Have we ever experienced it? Have we ever seriously enquired intheir religious creeds, without our approbation and consent. to it? Do we possess that faith, for In this which our forefathers so earnestly country, we owe no allegiance to an established church. In no ecclesiand zealously contended? We honor the character of those fearless adastical authority, do we acknowledge the right of dictating to us, what we shall believe or do, in order to be saved. The word of God is our only rule of faith and practice. To this danger, and encountered temptations, infallible standard we, as Lutherans, and overcome obstacles, and surhold the Augsburgh Confession, and mounted difficulties, so as to exhibit every other symbol of our church, our moral courage, and display our subservient. And although we ven- christian devotion? What have we erate the names of Luther and his co-done to deserve the approbation of the adjutors, in the glorious work of the reformation, and establishment of age in which we live, and establish our claims to the gratitude of postecur church; we venerate them as rity? These questions we solemnly men merely, who deserve our respect urge upon the consciences of all Eand confidence, but not our blind vangelical Lutherans, and we humadherence to whatever they may bly trust, they may be seriously and have proposed. We consider ourdevoutly considered. selves subject to no authority, in religious matters, but the authority of the gospel. In all our spiritual concerns, we are to exercise our judgment and satisfy our consciences.This we believe to be the will God, and the unalienable right of every protestant christian.

We enjoy the privilege of reading the word of God, and exercising our own judgment in religious matters. This, indeed, is a great privilege.— There was a time, when the circulaoftion of the Bible was prohibited by

But how are these privileges and blessings improved? How have we, Evangelical Lutherans, used our re

an order of the Supreme Head of the church; when the reading of the Scriptures was considered a pernicious encroachment on the authority, and a flagrant offence against the dig

nity of Christ's vice-gerent on earth.||with the word of God. We are diBut blessed be God; that period of rected to worship God in spirit and delusion and darkness has passed-in truth-to dedicate our hearts to the pride of the beast has been hum-his service, and glorify his name in bled, and Babylon has fallen. We our daily walk and conversation.— live at a time, when the bible may This is what the Lord requires of not only be generally read, but when every one who would worship him, it is universally distributed. Wellin an acceptable manner. Have we inhabit a country, and belong to a rendered this reasonable service ?church, in which the treasures of the Have we ever presented our bodies Gospel are richly unfolded to us.—a living sacrifice, holy and acceptaWe enjoy every opportunity of be-ble, unto God? We profess to be coming enlightened in the principles free from the dominion of Romish and duties of Evangelical Christians. ignorance and superstition-but is But are we thus truly enlightened?not the very ignorance which we so Do we diligently read the word of readily condemn in the adherents of God? Have we ever experienced its enlightening influence on the mind? Do we faithfully attend the preaching of the gospel? And if so, have we ever felt its renovating power? For it is a fact, which by many is not sufficiently realized, that we may search the scriptures, and yet remain ignorant of the true pel? Are there not hundreds and knowledge of God. We may attend thousands of professors of religion to the preaching of the Gospel, and in our church, who posses none of yet place all our hopes of salvation the characteristics of true christians? upon forms and ceremonies, which|| Are there not many protestants who, have been handed down from one like the Roman Catholics, cherish generation to another, and are of mistaken notions of christianity?themselves wholly insufficient for the salvation of the soul.

In our church, we are permitted to worship God according to the directions of his word, and the dictates of our consciences. In our devotional exercises, we are not bound to observe a tedious succession of rules and ceremonies, which dazzle the eye, and please the imagination, without enlightening the understanding, improving the heart, and benefitting the soul. Our system of doctrine and forms of worship are consistent

the Pope, the foundation, on which too many of the professed disciples of Luther build their religious hopes and prospects? Do not many who call themselves evangelical christians evince, by their daily walk and conversation, that they are entirely ignorant of the principles of the gos

Are there not too many Lutherans who dishonor the name and disgrace the profession of evangelical religion? On this subject, it must be confessed, we have too much reason to indulge in humiliating and painful reflections. But we feel no inclination at present, to pursue this subject, and indulge in these reflections. We would, however, exhort our readers to humble themselves in the dust, in view of the state of religion in our church, and earnestly pray to God, that he might pour out his holy spirit upon

Editorial.-Population of China.

187

us, and revive his work in our midst. || The General Synod has adopted a Let us all endeavor, with the help of form of Discipline which will, in all God, to live more consistent with the probability, be generally introduced profession of evangelical christian-among the churches in its connexity. Let us act more worthy of our ion. Several of our District Synods illustrious descent, and our high and have also taken the subject into conglorious calling. While we vener-sideration. We regard these meaate the names, let us follow the ex-sures as favorable indications of the amples of Luther and the founders future prosperity of our Zion-and of our church. And while we thank we believe, that the day is not far God for the establishment and pre-distant, when the Lutheran Church servation of our Evangelical Luther-in the United States, will have a an Zion, let us labor and pray, that||regular and uniform system of Church she may arise and shine in the splen- Discipline, which shall be univerdor of her former glory. sally approved and generally introduced.

as their Agent, to visit vacant congregations and destitute districts within their bounds, for the purpose of forming new congregations, encour

Church Discipline. We invite the attention of our readers to an article Synodical Agent.-In a notice of on this subject, which we have se- the proceedings of the West Pennlected from the Evangelical Luther-sylvania Synod, published in the an Intelligencer. It is a subject of Evangelical Magazine of the Lugreat importance, in which every theran Church in the United States, christian congregation should feel awe perceive that the Rev. BENJAdeep interest. Christians may differ MIN KURTZ has offered his services, in their views of the forms of Church for a short period, to the Synods of Discipline, and the manner in which Maryland and West Pennsylvania it should be carried into effect; but we believe, that all who are desirous of preserving order in religious societies, will readily acknowledge its necessity and importance. For our-aging the people to hold regular selves, we can sincerely say, with the writer of the article to which we have referred, "it appears to us to be absolutely impossible for a reli-our church. The offer was readily gious association to flourish for any and gratefully accepted; and from length of time, in an eminent de- what we know of the character and gree, without the enforcement of a qualifications of the Rev. Mr. Kurtz, discipline"; and we have often re-we are led to anticipate the most fagretted, that in some of our church-vorable result from his disinterested es, this duty is not more regularly labors in this undertaking.

and faithfully observed. We are glad, however, to perceive, that this subject is beginning to excite more general attention in our own church.

meetings for public worship on the Lord's day, and collecting subscribers for the periodical publications of

POPULATION OF CHINA.

The follo ing article, extracted from the Canton Reg ster of Oct. 3, 1829, and believ

ed to have been written by Dr. Morrison,||Lord Macartney arrived at the cour has been transmitted by Mr. Bridgman. of Pekin.

"In 1793, Lord Macartney carri- "The increase is so enormous ir ed to Europe the report given him a period of about 82 years, that som by a Chinese officer, that China con-error in the figures might be suppotained 333,000,000 "of mouths," sed. However the emperor makes that is, of human beings. It was, a remark, that the increase had been however, thought by many that the about fifteen fold, which shows there amount thus stated originated in the was no mistake; for 15 fold would pride or the carelessness of the indi- make the amount 345,000,000. Anc vidual who presented it, and of late if the statement be correct, it show: in Europe, it has been generally dis-that China has doubled its populatior believed. "A foreign gentleman of every twenty years since the Ta-tsing great talent and research, in an arti- dynasty! If this be the fact, i cle on the population of the globe in seems to speak a great deal in favo the Oriental Herald of April last, says: of the Tartar government in China 'The numerous estimates respecting After the war of the conquest, the the population of China, vary from work we have quoted from says 50,000,000 to the mystical number "that there was large tracts of un of 333. The great imperial map of occupied lands, the owners of whicl the Celestial Empire, published in had been destroyed or dispersed.1790, fixes, he says, the population Their lands were given as a perpetof China proper at 143,000,000 of ual inheritance to any one who would taxable persons, to whom may be ad-undertake to cultivate them. Govded 7,000,000 of untaxable inhabi-ernment even gave cattle and impletants. They will make altogether ments of husbandry to the poor and 150,000,000 of persons." destitute. And subsequently to that "A few days ago, however, we period, every encouragement has stumbled on a passage, in the Ta-been given to carry cultivation to the tsing-hwuy-teen, which was never in- utmost possible extent. tended for the eye of a European, "The emperor Kein-lung said, he that fully establishes the report given looked with great anxiety to the futo the English ambassador; and it ture, for the land did not increase, shows, moreover, that his Imperial although the mouths to be fed by the Majesty Kien-lung preceded Mr. increase did. He then calls upon all Malthus in his fears of the human his numerous subjects to use with "mouths" exceeding the means of great economy the gifts of nature. subsistence. The passage may be It is strange that with these facts befound on the 38th page of the 141st fore its eyes, the Chinese governsection or book of the work above ment should punish emigration as a named. crime."

conquest,

"Kein-lung remarks, that in the Mr. Bridgman says it is the pre49th year of the reign of Keing-hevailing opinion of the residents at (A. D. 1710) soon after the Canton, that the statement of 333,which had terribly thinned the pop- is substantially correct. 000,000 for the population of China, ulation, the number of inhabitants in China was only 23,312,200; but last year, he adds, the amount made out from the returns sent in from all the provinces, was 307,467,200.The emperor wrote in the 58th year of his reign, (A. D. 1793,) so that the census was taken the year before

MISSION OF THE CHURCH MISSION-
ARY SOCIETY IN LOWER EGYPT.

The labors and journies of the Missionaries of this mission, for the purpose of distributing the Scriptures

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