German octavo Bible was transmitted to us at the expence of your Society." On Saturday we went to the diningroom, and saw 350 orphans and other young people dining. Their provisions are very plain, but wholesome; the utmost order and decorum prevail: a young man reads during the dinner. The singing after it is beautiful. I felt constrained to bless and to adore God, when I represented to my mind that all this, and so much more which I cannot describe, was the work of one great and good man: he honoured God by his faith, and God honoured him, A Catholic clergyman, when visiting the establishment, exclaimed "Behold what confidence in the living God has accomplished!" The present king of Prussia, when first conducted to a spot from which he could survey the building, stept backward, and was heard to say, "This far exceeds my expectation." He has been, and still is, a great benefactor to the establishment, and has expressed a particular interest in the prosperity of the Canstein Bible Institution. At five on Saturday evening I met the Committee of the Halle Bible Society.

Yesterday I enjoyed the privilege of preaching in the very pulpit from which the immortal Franke had so often proclaimed the glad tidings of salvation: I chose 1 Cor. xiii. 13. for my text. Several of the professors, clergymen, and students, afterwards came, expressing their determination to do all they could for the Bible Society. One of the pious students has devoted himself to the Missionary work, and will shortly proceed to London.*

RUSSIA.

AN order has lately been issued by the Emperor of Russia, that all the monasteries, churches, and priests, should be supplied with copies of the Holy Scriptures. In consequence of which it has been determined to stereotype the New Testament in Slavonian and Modern Russ.

Letter from a poor Boy of 12 Years old to the Servian Bible Society, in Orel.

66 MOST HONOURED, &c. My father serves the Emperor. My grandfather, with whom I live, is blind. My two grandmothers are both of them old and infirm. My mother alone, by the labour of her hands, supports us all: she herself taught me to read. I have a

*We are happy to hear that Dr. S. has safely returned to England.

desire to read the word of God; but I have no books, except the Psalter in a very tattered state. My blind grandfather has by the ear alone acquired a great knowledge of divine things, and likes very much that I should repeat something to him by heart.

"Confer on me, I pray you, a holy book. I hear you have it, and that you distribute to those who have money, for money; and to the poor, for nothing. I will read it, and I will pray to God for you. “IVAN,

"The Grandson of the Blind Stephen."

SLAVE TRADE.

FROM the last Report of the African Institution, it appears, that notwithstanding the treaties which have been made by this country with several of the Powers of Europe, this infamous traffic is still carried on to a great extent. Many slave ships have been taken by his Majesty's cruizers, &c. on the coast of Africa, and condemned; beside others captured in the Rio Pongas, &c. This illicit traffic is still persisted in, not only by the Spaniards, Portuguese, and Dutch, but also some French subjects, it is feared with the sanction of the Public Functionaries at Senegal and Goree.

The treaties above referred to are said to be defective; as well as the act of registration, which is in a great measure defeated by the colonial legislators, some of whom have adopted it only in name, but have divested it of its practical efficacy. We hope these defects will be remedied by further regulations.

Captain Kelly, of his Majesty's ship Pheasant, captured a small Portuguese schooner,* the Novo Felicidade, with 71 slaves, who were found in a state perfectly shocking to every principle of humanity; they were crowded into a very small space, shackled together with irons,. and when released could hardly stand on their legs, from cramp and starvation: 34 women were crowded into a space nine feet four inches in length, four feet eight inches main breadth, and two feet seven inches in height.

By the care of Captain Kelly their lives were saved, except one who died on the passage to Sierra Leone.

Quære. Can these Christian nations expect peace and prosperity, while they thus provoke the God of mercy by their

*This vessel measured only 11 tons.

THE Society for "Foreign Missions," in the United States, have long had in contemplation a mission to Chili, in South America; but the prejudices which prevailed there seemed for a time to for

bid the attempt. But a Letter from the American Consul at Valparaiso, to Divie Bethune, Esq. of New York, dated June 20, 1820, of which the following is an extract, affords a prospect far more encouraging:

—— " I hoped that intelligence might have reached you sufficient to induce a decision to send out the young men who were designed to visit this part of the world; for I conceive that such a mission is necessary, in order to attain that knowledge which would be desirable relative to the moral and religious state of the inhabitants, and of the practicability of distributing, to a considerable extent, and with effect, the Holy Scriptures and Religious Tracts.

"In the Provisional Constitution of Chili, adopted in 1818, there is the following article respecting the Religion of the State:"The Catholic Apostolic Roman Religion is the only and exclusive Religion of the State of Chili. Its protection, preservation, purity, and inviolability, will be one of the first duties of the Chiefs of Society, who will never permit other public worship or doctrine contrary to that of Jesus Christ."

"On my arrival at Santiago, which was in 1817, a trunk of books I had with my baggage was sent to be examined by a person appointed for the purpose. Among them was a Spanish Testament, which was returned to me with a message that it was presumed it was for my own use, as they were not allowed to be offered for sale.

"Some time after this, a number of Spanish Testaments were distributed at this place, and several who received them thought they were good books; but the curate took means to get them into his possession.

“A system of policy has been formed relative to many portions of South America, calculated to fetter the mind and keep the inhabitants in ignorance; and it is not to be wondered at, that not only every thing in matters of religion differing from the Romon Catholic, but

also every thing differing at all from what is inculcated or recommended by their priests, should be considered wholly inadmissible. But with the change of government, the intercourse with foreigners, and the circumstances under which Chili now finds itself, there has already been a considerable alteration in the customs, the manners, and the ideas of many. This, doubtless, will extend itself, and many prejudices and errors be laid aside. It is but a few months since that permission was given to foreigners, not of the Roman Catholie religion, to purchase ground for a cemetery. We hope, by and by, the obstacles to the circulation of the Scriptures will be removed, and even now an attempt would doubtless meet with partial success, provided it be conducted properly. In this work it will be obvious to you that there is ample room for the exercise of prudence and judg ment; and, in its accomplishment, the young men who come here would find a great part of their business to consist. That they will come, I ardently desire, being confident that the result of the mission would fully compensate for the difficulties and expense attendant upon it."

We are happy to learn that Mr. Bethune and his companion, the Rev. Mr. Ward, of Serampore, who sailed from Liverpool on the 1st of October, arrived in safety at New York on the 2d day of November.

Hayti.-A Society has been formed in the Republic of Hayti, for the purpose of aiding the free people of colour in the United States, in removing to and settling in that island. This Society is sanctioned by the President, and proposes to raise a subscription for the above purpose, and to correspond with the American Colonization, and with any other Societies, religious or benenevolent, which are disposed to aid the object, and provide an asylum for these

distressed individuals.

Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Wm. Swann, a Missionary from the London Missionary Society, addressed to the Treasurer of the British and Foreign School Society.

Selinginsk, March 1820. My companions and myself reached Selinginsk upwards of a month ago in health and safety, having performed the journey from St. Petersburg in ten

weeks. We entered the Gate of Irkutsk precisely eight weeks after leaving the Imperial city, of which eight weeks we spent two at various resting places on the road. The remaining six were spent in travelling day and night. We remained nearly a fortnight in Irkutsk, and performed the journey from that city hither in two days, (a distance of 430 versts.) I may state in general, that as this journey has given us a view of Russia upon a large scale, the impressions upon our minds, as to the necessity of the exertions at present making for putting into the hands of the people the Holy Scriptures, and the means of reading them, has been much deepened. I have had opportunities of conversing with persons of all ranks, at different places upon the subject of Education, and have heard very few theoretical objections started. The practical ones which were frequently held up, will, I trust, be speedily removed by the munificent hand of our benevolent and beloved monarch.

We proposed, before leaving Petersburg, to make the moral and religious state of the Tartars and other tribes, inhabiting various parts of Russia, through which we were to travel, a particular object of inquiry. In Casan and its neighbourhood there are 300,000 Tartars. Casan is in fact the ancient Tartar metropolis; and here they have still Churches, and not less than twenty Schools. According to the best information I could obtain, a very large proportion of these Tartars can read their own language, and many of them also the Russian. Indeed, reading and writing are almost universal accomplishments among them. Many, or rather most of those who live in the city, are engaged in trade, and possessed of considerable property. I should be inclined to suspect, however, that the inhabitants of the villages, are, in many instances, ignorant of letters, as well as very poor. We successively travelled through the districts inhabited by the Chabastithians, Churnussians, Voileakes and Baskkovians, and skirted the immense tracts where the Kirgesians roam about with their cattle. Education is at a very low ebb with most of these poor people: they are ignorant of almost every thing but their own little concerns. The translation of the Scriptures into some of the languages of these tribes has lately been undertaken by persons qualified for the task, so far as concerns a knowledge of the languages. These translations are of course

at the expense of the Russian Bible Society, and are to be printed in the Russian character, the language having previously never had a written form.

You will be gratified to learn that the gospels of Matthew and John, which have been translated, and printed in the Mangolian language, are eagerly received by the Buriats, among whom we now dwell. I have made two journeys during the present month, along with my dear fellow-labourer, Stallybrass, to two of their great temples, one situated about 30, the other about 80 versts from Selinginsk. We carried along with us a large supply of the gospels, and also of a tract which has been published for their use, to distribute among the Lamas or priests, who were celebrating at their temple their great annual festival, which is kept in the white month, (answering nearly to our February.) Their Sacred books were all in the Tibitan, or Tangat language and character; we saw hundreds of volumes of them at the temples, and, in a tent adjoining one of them, a quantity of wooden blocks with which they print them. The Lamas, however, are as ignorant of the language itself, as many Roman Catholics are of the Latin in which their books are written. The Buriats lead a monastic life; their wealth consists of their flocks and herds, and for the sake of pasture they are compelled to live far separate one from another; we seldom find more than ten or twelve tents in one place, generally not more than three or four. The people are of a mild, hospitable, obliging character, and receive us as their friends.

All Siberia is ringing with the praises of the new Governor General Speransky. He is a man of a most liberal and benevolent mind-the decided friend of the Bible-and, like every consistent friend of it, favourable to the cause of Edu cation. He showed us much kindness in Irkutsk, and since, he has done us the honour of a visit at our own house, when on a tour through these parts to the south of the Baikal. He has within these few months established a Bible Society in Irkutsk, and likewise school for the soldiers upon the prin ciples of the British System. Some of the soldiers, he told me, had learned to read and write tolerably, during the four months they had already attended There is a similar school in Selinginsk and conducted upon the same plan. His Excellency has been here since our ar rival, (as I have already noticed) and

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lowing day Mr. B. Byron (from Hoxton Academy) was ordained to the pastoral office over the newly-formed Church assembling in the above Chapel. Mr. Parsons delivered the introductory discourse, proposed the usual questions, and gave the charge. Mr. Gilbert offered the ordination-prayer, and preached the sermon to the Church and congregation. The following ministers assisted in the devotional services :Messrs Thonger, Cubit, Perkins, Rust and Gladstone. The different services were numerously attended, and highly interesting.

Nov. 22d, a small neat Meeting-house was opened at Fovant, (between Tisbury and Wilton) Wiltshire, where preaching has been for some time carried on statedly and gratuitously by a Mr. Best, of that village, who fitted up his own house for a preaching place and school-room; but the premises having gone into other hands, a friend to the cause gave a piece of freehold ground for a Chapel and burying-ground, beside a handsome donation to the building. Several other inhabitants and neighbours subscribed, and others contributed by their labour, so that nearly half the expense (the whole being 3007.) has been defrayed. Three sermons were preached at the opening, by Mr. Jay of Bath, from Heb. xiii. 9; Mr. Good of Sarum, from 1 Thess. iii. 8; and Mr. Bristow of Wilton, from John x. 10. The other parts of the service were conducted by Messrs. Ed. Jay, Waters, Hannaford, Bailey, Gunning, and Hopkins.

AUXILIARY MISSIONARY SOCIETIES.

(Omitted in Chronicle for want of room.) SEPT. 19, a meeting was held at Newport Pagnell, at the Rev. T. P. Bull's meeting-house, for the purpose of forming an Auxiliary Missionary Society. J. H. Handscomb, Esq. having been called to the Chair, in the afternoon, the Rev. G. Burder gave an interesting account of the nature and proceedings of the London Missionary Society, after which, it was resolved, that a Society should be formed, called the North Bucks Auxiliary Missionary Society; several suitable resolutions were passed, and the meeting was addressed by the Rev. Dr. Waugh, Messrs Hillyard of Bedford, Rennals and Davis of Wellingbro,' Aston of Buckingham, Morris of Olney, West of Harrold, Morell of St. Neots, Gauntlett, vicar of Olney, T. P. Bull and Ward of Newport. Rev. T. P. Bull was appointed Treasurer, and the Rev. D. W. Aston, of Buckingham, Secretary.

Mr. Burder preaeked in the morning

from 2 Chron. xvii. 6; and Dr. Waugh in the evening from John ix. 4.

Dublin, Oct. 6. After the monthly Missionary prayer-meeting, a Ladies' Association was formed here in aid of the. London Missionary Society, the Rev. N. Hellings presiding. The liberal and Christian spirit which was so manifest at the general meeting of the Society held in Dublin on the 5th July last, in the united exertions of Christians of various denominations to promote the same great end, seems to be extending itself to towns and villages far remote from the metropolis, and was very conspicuous on this occasion. It is highly encouraging to the friends of missions to witness all minor differences sorbed in compassion and sympathy for the heathen world, and persons of all denominations coming forward together "to the help of the Lord against the mighty." [See E. Mag. for Sept. last ]

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THE third Anniversary of the Brigg Auxiliary Missionary Society was held on Wed. Oct 18. At the public meeting of the Society, in the afternoon, for hearing the report, &c. W. Rust, Esq. of Hull, was called to the Chair, who powerfully urged the paramount importance of the Missionary cause. Several resolutions tending to promote the object of the institution were successively proposed and supported in an appropriate and impressive strain by the Rev. Messrs. Eccles, Gilbert, Sykes, Nettleship, Winterbottom, Nicholson, and Lilly; and in the evening an excellent discourse was delivered by the Rev. J. Gilbert of Hull.

On the following Lord's Day the Rev. W. Eccles of Camberwell delivered appropriate and impressive discourses in aid of the Society. The attendance on those occasions, and the liberality displayed, evince an undiminished zeal in the cause of Missions to the heathen.

"THE Senatus Academicus of the Marischal College, Aberdeen, has, we understand, conferred the degree of LL.D. upon the Rev. R. Cope, A.M. tutor to the Irish Evangelical seminary

at Dublin.

Caution. Two young women, maid servants at the Node, near Coddicut, Herts, were lately found dead in their bed, in consequence of a pan of charcoal being left burning in the room.

Caution.-A boy was sent to a shop to buy some oil of vitriol, which he brought home in a cup; a fine little girl, of about two years and a half old, coming in, and mistaking it for water, drank it, and died in a few hours. Such dangerous articles should be kept in a bot tle, fairly labelled.