figure, and motion; we perceive the time país away, and are, to all intents, as in our most wakeful hours. Since one half of our life is fpent in fleep, in which we have not really any idea of truth, (all, which paffeth within us, being mere illufion) who can tell, but that the other part of our life, in which we fancy ourfelves awake, is a fecond fleep, little different from the former ?* Some have thought, that the fupporting falfe opinions for the fake of argument, in public or private difputation, is one great fource of Skepticism and infidelity among literary men.t It is fuppofed, that the opinions of Deifts and Skeptics have fpread more, during a part of the last century, and in the prefent, than in any former era fince the refurrection of letters. • Pascal's Thoughts, p. 88. + Percival's Differtations, p. 122. A SHORT VIEW OF THE DIFFERENT RELIGIONS OF THE SEVERAL PEOPLE AND KINGDOMS OF THE HABITABLE WORLD. PRE RELIGIONS OF EUROPE. REVIOUS to an account of the religion of particu lar countries in this quarter of the world, it may, perhaps, be entertaining to take a general view of the whole. The religions of Europe are the Chriftian, Jewish, and Mahometan. The two firft are fpread all over Europe; the first and laft are the only eftablifhed ones, the Jewish being merely tolerated. The chief divifions of the Chriftian, are the Greek, the Roman Catholic, and the Proteftant. The Greek religion is eftablished only in Ruffia, and tolerated in fome parts of the Auftrian dominions, in Poland, and chiefly in Turkey. The Armenians and Neftorians are fubdivifions of the Greek Church. Of the Roman Catholic church, Janfenifm is a fubdivifion. The Proteftant religion is divided into the Lutheran and Calvinistic, or reformed religion. Of the former, the Epifcopal church of England and Ireland is a branch; of the latter, the Prefbyterian church of Scotland. There are, befides, many denominations, the principal of which are, Arminians, Mennonifts, Socinians, Unitarians, Moravian Brethren, Quakers, and Methodifts. The proportion of the furface of the countries, in which the Proteftant religion is established, to thofe, in which the Roman Catholic religion prevailed, before the French revolution, EAST AND WEST GREENLAND.. 343 revolution, was nearly as three to four. The number of Roman Catholics was then eftimated at ninety millions; the number of Proteftants, at twenty-four millions. Some few of the Laplanders, and others, who inhabit the extreme northern parts of Europe, are Pagans.* New and unprecedented efforts have been made, and are fast increasing in England, Scotland, and Germany, for the converfion of the heathen. It is faid, that the Mahometan religion is on the decline, and that the fenfible part of the Turks incline much to Deifm. The fituation of the Jews, of late, has been rendered more comfortable than it was formerly, in feveral parts of Europe.t EAST AND WEST GREENLAND. THE Greenlanders believe the immortality of the foul, and the existence of a variety of fuperior and inferior fpirits, among whom are a good and bad fpirit, of the first rank. They call the good fpirit, Thorngarfuk. The Angukuts, or priests, who are fuppofed to be his immediate fucceffors, form very different opinions, with regard to his nature, form, and place of refidence. They suppose all the elements are filled with fpirits, from which every Angukut is fupplied with a familiar fpirit, called Thorngak, who is always ready, when fummoned to their affiftance. They pretend to cure diseases by fpells and charms, to converse with their god Thorngarfuk, and to promulgate his commands. As the Greenlanders acquire the best of their fubfiftence from the fea, most of them place their elyfium in the abyffes of the ocean. There dwells their god Thorngarfuk. There a joyous fummer, and fhining fun, are perpetual. There is a fair limpid ftream, and an exuberance of their favourite food, caught without toil. It • Zimmerman's Political Survey of Europe, for 1787, p. 16, 17. + See Prefident Dwight's Discourse, 1798, and Encyclopedia, vol. viii. p. 690. See alfo the article Jews. Jones' Univerfal Grammar, vol. i. p. 134. It is even found boiling in a great kettle. But none must enter this blifsful abode, but thofe, who have been dexterous and diligent in business. Industry is, with them, the capital virtue. Under the protection of the Danish fettlements in Weft Greenland, the Moravian Brethren have Miffionaries, and very useful eftablishments. There are, at this time, three of the Brethren's congregations in Greenland, New-Hernhuth, and Litchterfels, and Litchtenan. The number of Greenlanders, whom the Miffionaries baptized from 1739 to 1762, at New-Hernhuth, amount to feven hundred, befides thofe baptized at Litchterfels. The congregation at New-Hernhuth confifts, at prefent, of four hundred and twenty-one baptized perfons, of whom one hundred and feventy-four are communicants.f LAPLAND. THE Laplanders believe in a good and evil principle, which they fuppofe to be at continual variance, and the prevalence of either productive of the happinefs or mifof mankind. ery They believe a metempsychosis, or tranfmigration of fouls, and pay their adoration to certain genii, who, they fuppofe, inhabit the air, mountains, lakes, &c. They alfo place an implicit faith in magic and their magicians, who are a peculiar fet of men, make use of what they call a drum, made of the hollowed trunk of a fir, pine, or birch tree, one end of which is covered with a fkin. On this they draw, with a kind of red colour, the figures of their own gods, as well as of Jefus Chrift, the apostles, the fun, moon, and stars, birds, and rivers *The Moravian Brethren have diftinguished themselves by their exertions to convert the heathen. Their fuccefs has been great among the Greenlanders, and in the Danish Weft-India iflands. They have alfo fent miffionaries among the American Indians, and the Efquimaux, on the coast of Labrador, who have met with great fuccefs. They have attempted to preach the gospel to the Tartars, and to the Hottentots. In the year 1788, they had, in their focieties, above fifteen thousand converted heathen. See La Trobe's History of the Miffion of the United Brethren in North America. + Crantz's Hiftory of Greenland, vol. i. p. 201. vol. ii. p. 397, 442, 443 rivers. On thefe they place one or two brafs rings, which, when the drum is beaten with a little hammer, dance over the figures; and, according to their progrefs, the forcerer prognofticates.* Many of the Laplanders, who are subject to Russia, are ftill Pagans. The natives of thofe diftricts, under the dominion of Sweden and Denmark, are Lutherans. Swedish Lapland contains about eight churches, which, in fome parts, lie at fo great a distance from each other, that a native is frequently obliged to travel three days, in order to attend divine fervice. The Laplanders have now a tranflation of the New-Teftament, in their language; and many of the natives are able to read and write.† DENMARK. THE eftablished religion in this kingdom, is the Lutheran, which was introduced in 1536. Miffions for the converfion of the Pagans, are established in the more remote poffeffions of the crown in Lapland, Greenland, and Tranquebar. The Danish clergy confift of bifhops, provofts, and minifters. In Denmark there are fix bifhops, four in Norway, and two in Iceland. Of these the bithops of Zealand have the precedence, and are the metropolitans, there being no archbishops. The bifhops are called in public acts, fuperintendants. All ecclefiaftical affairs are fubject to the regulations and the ju rifdiction Guthrie, p. 96. Encyclopedia, vol. ix. p. 572. The Moravians have Missionaries established in the Danish West-India islands. Two, Moravian Millionaries formed the project; and were exceed ingly defirous of felling themfelves as flaves, that they might have an opportunity of preaching Chrift to the negro flaves at St. Thomas's. They fuppofed, that a teacher, by becoming himself a flave, might be always among them, and hence able to inftruct them, without interruption. Upon being informed, that no white perfons could, according to law, be admitted as flaves, they purposed to work at a trade for a livelihood, and arrived at St. Thomas's, December 13th, 1732. Their fufferings, in the beginning of the miffion, were exceedingly great, but at length, their labours were crowned with abundant fuccefs. To ute the words of one of the Moravian fociety-" Many thousands are now gathered around the throne of the Lamb from that quarter, and about ten thousand, in our connexion, are at prefent belonging to his church here on earth." Baptift Annual Register. Y See |