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RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE.

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE.

THE Report of this Society, for the year ending at Ladyday 1811, has reached us. It contains an account of the Society's Protestant missions for the year 1810, of which we purpose, as usual, to give an abstract.

The Rev. Messrs. Kolhoff and Horst, in a letter dated Tanjore, January 30, 1810, report, that they and their fellow-labourers had had many opportunities of explaining the important truths of our holy religion to heathens and papists, and of inviting them to accept the grace of God shewed to us in Christ Jesus. They had also inculcated on their congregations and schools the great importance, the necessity, and the inestimuable advantage of living according to the Gospel of Christ; and they pray that God may bless their poor labours, and render them effectual by animating every one of their hearers to work out their salvation with fear and trembling.

Among the different casts, those called Telunger are more inveterate against Christianity than any other, except the Bramins. A man of this cast, admitted into the congregation some years since, had evinced the sincerity of his professions, not only by leading a Christian life under many sufferings, but by his endeavours to convert his family to Christianity; in which he has happily succeeded. Among all the catechumens, the family of this man had given them the greatest satisfaction by their love of the truth and their devout frame of mind.

Among the deaths that had occurred, and were greatly regretted, were two catechists, Dhewaragayam and Areelappen. They had both been converted from paganism, and trained up and employed as teachers, by the late Rev. Mr. Swartz. Although their talents were not so brilliant as those of some other native labourers, they were faithful in improving them, and had made themselves greatly esteemed by the heathens, as well as among Christians, by their Christian disposition, their unfeigned piety, and their prudence and zeal. "The country priest Sattianaden, who was still employed on the Tinnavelly province, as well as all the other teachers, had faithfully assisted them in church and schools, and in going abroad and preaching Jesus Christ, among believers and unbelievers."

CHRIST, OBSERV. No. 121.

The number of communicants had greatly increased. All of them had been fully instructed and those admitted for the first time attended a special preparation of a month or more, and were afterwards carefully examined. If any of them had been at variance with others, and not fully reconciled (a case which did not often occur), they were not allowed to partake of the Holy Sacrament. Whoever had turned his back on this divine ordinance, when in health, was seldom admitted to it on his sick bed. Such a patient, however, was visited and exhorted unremittingly to cry to God for mercy and forgiveness through Christ. Those who had not received the sacrament for a year or upwards previous to their death, and died impenitent, were interred at a distance from other Christians and without the burial service."

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The missionaries acknowledge with gratitude the mercy of God in inclining the Court of Directors to raise their allowance for the schools from five hundred to twelve hundred pagodas annually. The news had reached them when overwhelmed with anxiety, and the supply relieved them from the necessity of contracting new debts, in order to maintain the many native labourers in the Tinnavelly district, for which the annual produce of Mr. Swartz's legacy was insufficient.

The progress of Christianity, and the conversion of the heathens resident at a distance from any of their congregations, having obliged them to increase the number of their native teachers, to enlarge the old places of worship, or to erect new ones, and to visit them from time to time, their funds were un able to bear those expenses, but "they trusted that the Lord of the harvest would incline the hearts of his servants, the Honourable Society, if possible, to enable them vigorously to carry on his work in that nation." On this account, they were anxious for a printing press at Tanjore. The brethren at Tranquebar had assisted, as much as was in their power, but their supplies were utterly insufficient. "Their want of Bibles, Testaments, Psalters, and other religious books, was greater than they could describe. If it were in their power to furnish at least every Protestant family with a copy of the Scriptures, and other good books, numbers of infidels and Roman Catholics would be benefited; "the

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distance of most of their mission places from Europeans being of considerable advantage for the conversion of the natives. If Malabar types could not be procured, they might still do much good by printing Portuguese books, there being great numbers of Roman Catholics of that cast."

A letter from the Rev. Mr. Kolhoff, dated Tanjore, 29th August, 1810, communicates the death of Mr. Horst. The learning and abilities of this worthy missionary, his ardent desire to prove useful, the fervour and delight with which he ever pursued his work, and the essential services he had rendered to the mission, had given Mr. Kolhoff great cause to lament so early and unexpected a death, which had deprived the mission of a faithful pastor, and a numerous family of a kind parent and affectionate husband. It was particularly afflicting, in the present dearth of missionaries, to lose one who was likely to prove a great blessing to the missions. His sufferings had been very severe, but he endured them with the patience and firmness of a Christian His humble submission to the will of God was truly awakening, and the peace he enjoyed to his last breath was a lively example of the inestimable happiness that attends a life of godliness. The thought of his family, whom he should leave without any provision, was the only thing which afflicted his mind. A few days before his death, he requested Mr. Pohle and Mr. Kolhoff to intercede with the Society in favour of his wife and six infant children. The small property left to his family was insufficient to provide the necessaries of life.

38 baptisms, including heathens; 42 Portuguese and 206 Malabar communicants; the number of the congregation being 168 Portuguese and 304 Malabars; and at Dindegal, 17 Portuguese and 28 Malabars. In the English garrison, there had been 44 baptisms and 70 communicants. His six native fellowlabourers in the mission continued as heretofore, four as catechists and two as schoolmas→ ters. Beside these, there were two English schoolmasters. All went on well.

Mr. Pohle mentions, that it was expected that the British and Foreign Bible Society would establish a printing press at Tanjore Speaking of the death of Mr. Horst, he observes, that the senior judge, and the resi dent at Tanjore, had been making a contribution for the relief of the widow and children. Mr. Pohle besought the Society to aid the same charitable design, Mr. Horst having been eighteen years a servant of the mission, and four years one of the Society's missionaries.

Mr. Pohle, after mentioning with thank fulness the safe arrival of the annual stores and presents for the mission, adds, “Would to God that we could also receive new missionaries! I am upwards of sixty-six years old; my strength faileth me, and I may soon be goue, and the mission be an unprovided orphan, whereof to think only is painful to me. May the Lord hear our prayers, and help us, for his mercy's sake."

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It is with regret that the Society have still to report, that they have not been able to obtain any suitable supply of new missionaries. Hopes, nevertheless, are still entertained, and efforts used, for the accomplishment of this design, in behalf of their Indian missions."

The business of the mission continued to be carried on as usual. Sattianaden bad been visiting the congregations in the province of Palainatta, where he had been of much service. His health, however, being on the decline, new assistance had become absolutely necessary; and Mr. Kolhoff, therefore, begged the Society to permit the ordi-ed to him for an English schoolmaster to innation of some of their native teachers, and to grant them salaries.

The Society, having taken Mr. Kolhoff's suggestions into consideration, have agreed to grant Mrs. Horst and her family the huudred pounds which they were about to send to her husband, "trusting that God will be pleased to furnish them with additional aid from other quarters;" and also, that one or two of the native catechists should be ordained according to the rites of the Luthesan church, when salaries should be given to then also, as bas heretofore been done.

Mr. Pohle, in a letter, dated at Trichinopoly, March 3, 1810, mentions, that in the preceding year there had been in that place

Letters from Mr. Pezold at Madras state, that in the Malabar congregation at Vepery every thing was perfectly quiet. The European invalids at Trippatore having appli

struct their children, he had sent one, together with a suitable supply of books. He had also sent a Malabar schoolmaster to the same place, for the instruction of a considerable number of native females, reported to him as married to Christian soldiers. Some of them had wished to embrace the Christian religion.

The Danish missionaries, in a letter dated

* How is it that this Society should, for so many years, have been unable to procure a single missionary; while every other missionary society in the kingdom has been able to procure as many as they can support?

at Tranquebar, March 27th, 1810, state, that Mr. John had lost his sight, but by the grace of God was still able to preach alternately in the Portuguese and Malabar churches. The monthly allowance from Government, of two hundred pagodas, had been found insufficient to support these charity schools, deprived, as they still were, of remittances from Denmark and Germany. They had therefore diminished the number of children in the Malabar schools, but retained the usual number in the Portuguese schools. They had, however, increased the children in the school at Velipattam, and begun a new one at Porrear. Their well-informed and faithful senior catechist, Savaryrayen, as acting country priest, had been sent to visit the country congregations, and had given them much satisfaction by his reports. They had been much gratified by a visit from Mr. Kolhoff; and they had thereby had the opportunity of an interesting conference with him, on the various and important affairs of their respective missions, and on the means of preserving unity among themselves.

We have omitted, for the present, all notice of what is inserted in this Report on the subject of the Syrian Christians. The reasons for this omission may appear hereafter.

The plan which we announced, in our volume for last year, p. 58, to have been adopted by this Society, of forming diocesan and district committees, has been attended with considerable success; thirteen diocesan and thirteen district committees having been formed; which, it is stated, have proceeded to pursue the methods recommended by the parent board, for extending the usefulness andincreasing the influence of the Society, and for promoting the co-operation of the clergy and other friends of the church throughout the kingdom. It has been resolved by them to apply to the neighbouring clergy who are not members of the Society, and also to the opulent laity of the Established Church, requesting them to become members;—to request the officiating clergy to make amual collections for the Society;-to request the clergy and others to inquire into the state of instruction of the poor in the prisons, hos pitals, work houses, and almshouses in their respective parishes, and how far there exists in them, or among the labouring poor generally, any want of Bibles, Testaments, and prayer-books, and where any such want is found, to supply it gratuitously;—and with a view to defray the expense of supplying such wants, to promote parochial and other

subscriptions for procuring books at the reduced prices of the Society.

Encouraged by the exertions, thus made. by the diocesan and district committees, to promote the designs of the Society, the Board in London has established a Committee of Correspondence, which is to sit during the summer recess. Since the adoption of this new plan, that is, from July 1810, to Nov. 12, 1811, the Society has received an accession of not fewer than 1300 members; and a hope is expressed, that a plan so well calculated to further the designs of the Society, may experience a much more considerable extension. It is certainly very gra tifying to witness the revival of zeal which has taken place in this Society.

In the course of the year, the Society has distributed 10,224 Bibles, 16,242 New Testaments and Psalters, 20,555 Common Prayers, 20,908 other bound books, and 145,123 small tracts.

HUNTINGDONSHIRE AUXILIARY BIBLE

SOCIETY.

On the 31st of December, at the townhall at Huntingdon, in a numerous and respectable assembly, the president, his Grace the Duke of Manchester, being unavoidably absent, Lord Viscount Hinchinbrook was called to the chair, and opened the business by declaring his firm conviction of the magnitude and importance of the object for which they were assembled.

The meeting was enlivened not only by the eloquence of the three Secretaries of the parent institution, bat by the animated addresses of Lord Carysfort, S. Knight, Esq. and J. Hammond, Esq.; of the Reverends Pope, Bourdillon, Longmire, and Martyn, of the established church; of the Reverends Arrow, Morell, and Crisp, dissenting ministers; of the Rev. F. Calder, of the methodist connection; and of Mr. Wm. Brown, of the society of Friends. More than 7001 has been already received.

REGIMENTAL SCHOOLS.

In our number for November, p. 751, we noticed the orders which had been given by the Commander in Chief for the institution, universally throughout the army, of Regimental Schools for the instruction of the children of the soldiery, to be conducted on Dr. Bell's plan, as exemplified at the Military Asylum at Chelsea. On the 1st instant, the following additional General Orders on this subject were issued from the HorseGuards:

"With a most earnest desire to give the

fullest effect to the benevolent intentions of Government in favour of the soldiers' children, to which his Royal Highness the, Prince Regent has, in the name and behalf of his Majesty, given the royal sanction, the Commander in Chief calls on all general officers, colonels of regiments, and commanding officers of corps, to take under their special superintendance the regimental schools belonging to their respective commands; and his Royal Highness is persuaded, that, bearing in mind the important benefits which these institutions, under proper guidance and management, are calculated to produce to the individuals themselves, to the army, and to the nation in general, they will consider them as deserving their constant personal care and attention.

"It will rest with the children themselves, when arrived at a proper age, to adopt the line of life to which they give the preference; but it is extremely essential that their minds should be impressed with early habits of order, regularity, and discipline, derived from a well-grounded respect and veneration for the established religion of the country.

With this view, the Commander in Chief directs, that the regimental schools shall be conducted on military principles; and that, as far as circumstances will permit, their establishment shall be assimilated to that of a regiment, and formed on a system invented by the Rev. Dr. Bell, which has been adopted with the most complete success at the Royal Military Asylum.

"His Royal Highness has directed, that extracts shall be made from Dr. Bell's Instructions for conducting a School, through the Agency of the Scholars themselves,' which, having received Dr. Bell's approbation, are subjoined, as the best directions his Royal Highness can give for the conduct of the regimental schools of the British army.

"It is necessary to observe, that although, in the instructions, boys only are mentioned, yet the female children of the soldiery are also intended to partake of the benefits of this system of education, wherever the accommodations, and other circumstances, will permit.

"The Commander in Chief considers it peculiarly incumbent on the chaplains, and other clergymen engaged in the clerical duties of the army, to give their aid and assistance to the military officers in promot

ing the success of these institutions, by frequently visiting the regimental schools of their divisions and garrisons; by diligently scrutinising the conduct of the serjeant schoolmasters; examining the progress and general behaviour of the children; and reporting the result of their observations to the commanding officer of the regiment.

"It must ever be remembered, that the main purposes, for which the regimental schools are established, are, to give to the soldiers the comfort of being assured, that the education and welfare of their children are objects of their sovereign's paternal solicitude and attention; and to raise from their offspring a succession of loyal subjects, brave soldiers, and good Christians."

These General Orders are followed by instructions with respect to the details of Dr. Bell's system, which we may take another opportunity of inserting. The whole closes with the following injunction: "The attention of every person directing and superintending the school is particularly called to watch over the moral and religious conduct of the children; and to implant in them, as well by daily practice as by perfect instruction in the books recommended for that purpose, such habits as may best conduce to guard them against the vices to which their condition is peculiarly liable: in particular, the most rigid observance should be enforced of the grand virtue of truth, both for its own sake, and as supplying one of the readiest means of correcting vice of every kind. On this ground, a lie should never be excused; and a fault, aggravated by a lie, should always be punished with exemplary severity. Those portions of their religious books should be strongly riveted in their minds, which warn against lying, swearing, theft, idleness, provoking conduct, and the use of improper expressions oue towards another; and which are fitted to impress on them, from their earliest years, the principles of our holy religion, as established in this kingdom, being the surest means of promoting their success in their various pursuits in this world, and of insuring their everlasting happiness."

* Viz.-Ostervald's Abridgments of the Bible, The chief Truths of Religion, The Catechism, Prayer-Book, and Bible.

VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

Our review of Public Affairs for the present month must be much more brief than we had intended. We had hoped, by throwing a quantity of matter into the Appendix, to have brought up our arrears, particularly under the head of Religious Intelligence; a department of our work which we know to be particularly interesting to our readers in general; and thus to have obtained space for a more extended consideration of general politics. But the events in the religious world are so important, and follow each other in such rapid succession, that we have been obliged to give to them the room we had allotted for Public Affairs.

SPAIN.

On the Spanish Peninsula, there have been some very important occurrences. The army of Lord Wellington has made a forward movement; and, on the 9th instant, it invested Ciudad Rodrigo, after having carried, in a most gallant style, a strong redoubt which had been thrown up for the defence of the place. It is expected that Ciudad Rodrigo will fall before any force can arrive to its succour.-General Hill, with his column, has driven the French every where before him, and entirely cleared the country in the neighbourhood of Merida.-A force of 10,000 men having laid regular siege to Tariffa, garrisoned only by about 1000 British and 800 Spanish troops, under Colonel Skerrett, a practicable breach was soon effected, the place being defended only by an old wall. The enemy twice advanced to the assault, but were repulsed on both ocea sions with considerable loss; and on the night succeeding the last assault, they silently decamped, leaving their cannon, and a great part of their stores, behind them. Our loss has been small.-To counterbalance these brilliant exploits, it appears that Suchet had

GREAT

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS. PARLIAMENT met on the 7th inst. The Prince Regent's speech was read by cominissioners. It begins with lamenting the continuance of his Majesty's indisposition, and the disappointment of the hopes that had been cherished of his recovery; and recommends that a suitable and ample provision should be made for the King during

forced the Spanish lines before Valentia, dispersing the army of Blake, who, with part of it, has taken refuge in that city. No account has yet been received of its fall.-The Guerillas are still active, and, in many instances, signally successful.

RUSSIA, &c.

It has been confidently stated, that peace has taken place between Russia and the Porte; but no official intelligence has been received of that event. The Government of Sweden seems disposed to maintain friendly relations with us, if possible.

UNITED STATES.

The proceedings of Congress, relative to the differences between Great Britain and the United States, are marked by considerable violence. War is loudly talked of, in case we do not immediately repeal our obnoxious Orders. Our Government says, "Shew us the proof that Bonaparte has repealed his decrees: shew us even the official act of repeal: you may then, but not till then, call upon us to repeal ours." This, however, does not satisfy America; and, if we may judge from the tone of their proceedings, war is now scarcely to be avoided.

JAVA.

Intelligence has been received of the complete conquest of the island of Java, after a succession of very brilliant and almost chivalrous exploits on the part both of our army and navy. General Jansens at length capitulated, „with the residue of his force, and obtained terms for that part of the island which was not already in our possession. These terms are so little disadvantageous to us, that we presume they will be extended to the whole of the island.

BRITAIN.

his illness, and means taken to preserve to him a facility of resuming his royal functions, in the event of recovery. The speech then adverts to the effectual defence of Portugal, and the brilliant enterprise of General Hill in Estremadura; and extols the valour of the British and allied forces, and the consummate judgment and skill displayed by Lord Wellington in the conduct of the cam

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