The Christian register, 15 février 1823, samedi 15 février 1823

[" THE CHRISTIAN REGISTER.** ON EARTII PEACE, GOOD-WILL TOWARD MEN,\u201d VOL.I, MONTREAL, SATURDAY, FEGRUARY 15.1828.No.4.FOREIGN NEWS.In our last Number we commenced a survey of the Protestant Mis- 510NARY Stations throughout the world.Owing to thegreat press of hatter now upon our hands, which we ciunevive would prove more interesting to our readers, we have thought o ad visable, rather, to give an acconnt of these several stations as we insert Missionary intelligence referring to them.Through the medium of the Asser- 1eax Missionary ÎlEoISTER, We huve obtuin J some important intelligence relative to the operations oftho Crrurcus Missionary Society, from which, we extract - the following\u2014Eight new Labourers received their instructions frumthe Committee, ot a special meeting, held on the 24th of Sep .last, previous to their departure for Western Africa and the Mediteranean ; six \u2018of whom, were accompanied by their wives, to assist in their Lenevolent labours, The following perunent - remarks of the Committee mtroduce a highly interesting REPORT Of the Rev, Jaures Houan, Cliaplain to the East Inmiï Conpany, who wab appointed by them to visit the Missions in Travancore, * The.Comittee indulge a persuasion that this Document will be perused with particular pleasure by the Members ol.tbe Society, and by all who appreciate the claims of the Syrian Church on the benevolence of the Protestant Churches of Europe ; whose deliverance from the spiritual tyranny ofthe Romish Church was effected by the Providence of Almigity Gad, at.a pegiod nearly coinci- cep = \u2018 5 dent with the subjugation to that bane* - ful Power of their Syrian Bretheren in India.The rapacity and intolerance of those foreign oppressors roused a spirit of resistance among a portion of its victime, ere.litle more than half a century had elupsed; and à remuant of the Jeople succeeded, amidst every possible discouragement and difficulty, 1s accomplishing their deliveranco from the bondage in which taey bad been held.\u201cThat remnant has succeded in maintaining to this day the separation.then efli.ted, notwithstanding conting a endeavours onthe part of thy Romish Ecclesiastical Authorities of the coun try, to bring them again under their wer, \u2018The connection with the omish Church, during a period of sixty ycars, had, however, introda ,d a.- lamentable declension in .be religious, principles and mode of worship, and in the io of most of the Clergy of the, Sytian Church ; und the morals of thé .peuple experienced a correspondent deterioration, These evils unhappily sure - vived the union with the Romish Church,\u201d from which the, had chiefly proceeded.| Political degradation ac» companied the decsy of religion and social virtue ; end, in this mate of general depression they._ve continued, until attention was lately excited to - 3j their situation.It.can scarcely be + doubted, that, in proportion as the state of this Ancient Christian Community becomes known to the Members of the United Church, increasing support .will he given tothe measures in operation for tho gradual introduction of a better order of things among them : and, in .Lead v ic Re 46 this view, the Coimmnitiee attach much importance to the following represcn- tation on these subjects, from a Clergyman unconnceted with the Society's Establishments in Travancore, but deeply interested in the objects which they embrace, and who describes in this document what he hus personally seen and examined.Mr.Hough's Report, §e.Having returned from my visit to the Society's Missions in \u2018l'ravancore, Ï hia-ten to report my observations on the state of things in that interesting field, in the order in which they oc- surred, MISSION AT COTYM.(Cotym is a village on the Malabar Coast ; about 18 miles from Allepie, endnenr the New Syrian College\u2014 The Cburch Missionary Society made this a station in 1817 - Revds.B.Builey, Joseph Fenn oud H Baker, Missionaries ) * I reached Cotym on Saturday evening, Dec.9, 1820 ; and attended the Syrinn VW orship, the next morning, in + the -Coilege Chapel.Here I could ! expect nothing to gratify me ; but I was not prepared to witness so much superstitionin their Service : had I not \u201c known the contrary, I should certainly have supposed myself in a Romah Catholic Chapel, and have mistnken their Service forthe celebration of Mass : the incense, the adoration of the host, dnd the frequent crossings and prose trations before the crucifix, struck me \"as being the same, or closely resembling the forms ob:erved in the Church | of Rome, \u2018I'he Syrisc Language, in .Which the Prayers were read, is as unintelligible to the people as Latin is to | the major part of the Roman Catholics.| But notwithstanding this, one purt of the Service darted liken beam of light, through the gloom that overhung the west ; and inspired the bope, that a brighter day was\u2018 dawning on, this | .ancient, but much degenerated Church \u2014a portion of St.Matthews Gospel was read in Malayaliin, the vernucular tongue of the Congregation, It seemed like the lamp of God sill enlightening the temple ; and elicited the mvolun- tary prayer, that, ere long, it might burn with a brighter and wore steady flame ! \u2018There was no discourse at the conclusion of the Prayers.In the evening, 1 attended our Church Service in Malayalim, per- lormed by Mr.Bailey in one of the Syrian Churches : about ten Catanurs and ono hundred and fifty Syrians were pre:ent ; and they appeared to be very attentive, parteularly to the Sermon, It was singular to see the person, who, in the morning oflicinted as Priest at the Syrian Altar, now performing the office of Clerk to \"Mr.Bailey ; this was the Head Malpun of the College ; who expresses his admiration of most of our Prayers, and will permit no one else to read the responses, \u2018 Next morning I had an interview, at Mr.Bailey's request, with the Learned Native whom he is employing in the translation of the \u2018l'estament into Malayalim, He is well acquainted with Tamul ; and the object of my conversation with him wae, to uscertain whether he sufficiently widerstood the Tamul Version of the Testament to make use of itin his translation.Mr, Bailey is too judicious a man, and too deeply interested in his work, to leave any thing to the Moonshex, or to follow any Version : nevertheless, the Tamul affords as much \u2018assistance to the Moonshee, gs the English cin do 10 Mr.Builey ; and he: seemed to know how to use it with advantage, From whut I could lenrn of the portion of the T'es- tament already finished, tliero is every progpuet of their possessing, ere-long, a good Malayalim \u2018l'ransiation of the Sicred Book.\u2018 \u2018Mr.Fenn next took me to the Col-, lege, where T speht thétemäinder of the day in examining the Students, At present, the Institution bas more the 4% uppearance.of a School than of a Collease ; but the plan- which the Missionaries are about to adopt, of establishing three Grammar Schools at the most eligible stations, from which the most promising Youths are to be selected for the College, must have the elfect of raising its character.But, even now, the progress of several of the Students does credit to themselves and their Teachers, A few of them discovered a {degree of intelligence that surprised me ;and one, in particular, who has begun Latin, pursed what he read as ne- curately ns an English Schelar could have done, and was well \u201cacquainted with he leading facts and doctrines of Scripture.\u2018This was one of those young Catanars, who.had passed through Five Initiatory Ordinations - and it the Esublishmont suecesds in supplying the Syriac Churches with a few such Pricets as this lad promises to - be, it will amply rémiunerate of) the labour and funds es pended upon it, In the gvening, the Malpan wuited upon us, and we conversed together on sacred subjects.He spoke with great animation and considerable intelligence, for the spuce of two hours ; quoting the Syrine \"Testament, which lay before Lim, in confirmation of all that he advanced.I was amuzed at the exient of his acquaintance with Scripture, his shrewd remarks, and his striking illustrations 5 litle anticipating so much information and good sense among the wilds of Malabar, Nearly the whole of the 12th was spentin conference withthe Metropolitan; who returned, that morning, from a -journey which he had taken to niursy .à Catanar, ~ \"The following are the: hoads ofa private conference with .which 1 was .favoured i Q.Since,.by.this time, you: wil have been able to form an opinion;of - the object and plans of the Gentlèmen who arè placed here, will you be kind © énough to tell me whether you: pots of what has bean done ?a, fi \u2019 A.Yes: : I entirely approve, of every thing.Q.Have you any Improvements to suggest in the College Legulations, the mode of inetruction, or in any other part of the measures now pursued ?A.No : none whatever.Q.Are these Gentlemen understood, when they perform - Divine Service in Malayalun ; and also when they \u201cé verse with the people ?À.Yes, perfectly.Q.The English\u2019 Mode of Worship is, you see, very different to that of tie Syrian Church : what objection.ave you to that Mode ?A.1 have no objection tontz-it is very good, Q.Do yon percrive that any good effect is produced by what has.one hitherto for the berefit of your Catanars and people?.1, A.Yes-: a-litle improvement, \u2018both in their understanding ahd\u2019moral-\u2018conduct, Formerly none of them coild profitable discourse ; and io this \u2018state of darkness, are to be auributed the evil lives which they led : but now, by these Gentlemen, they have gamied, a dietle light, and their morals ue\u201d pro- poriouably improved, is necessary to, pray publicly, in a -language which all the Congregation uns derstand.(Here, the Apostle's.arguments were quoted, 1.Cpr, xiy.) But! I perceive it is the custom of your -Cutanars to pray - in Syrie, which, is unintelligible to \u201cthe people: do jou think fhat any portion of the Püblic Service nig ght be transiated ito Mulaÿa- lim ?and, SF so, what\u2018 parts might be rendered into that Tongue ?La A, There can beno objection te the whole: oft tho: prayers \u2018in !svhichi;the read, and they seldom or never heard \u2018a.the conversation and instructions of Q.We are told bySt, Paul, thay, it people\u2019 join.being tränelated rifle J iMulaylim 3 for our.: Church: has.no Canon against its Put such, as belong - have, as yet, with great wi 48 uliarly to the Catanars, must always used in Syriac.Q.You have seen thatitis customary for the Ministers of the Church of England, to conclude the Service with .a Discourse to the congregation on some passage of Scripture : would it not he well to adopt the practice in the Syrian Church A, This is dono sometimes \u2014nlways, at an Ordination of Cutanars ; and, occasionally at other times, when a large Congregation is assembled.There is no objection to the Catanars preaching svery Sunday, when they shall be \u2018capable of doing go ; but, at present, they are too ignorant themselves to teach the people, \u2018l'hat is, indeed, an important work ! Q.How many Catanars are there ?A.About one hundred and fifty.Q.How many of them are married ?A.Thirty-five, .Q.Wien jvere they married ?A.With the exception of two or \"three, they bave ull been married within this year.- Q.Why do not the rest marry ?A.Some are teo poor, and a few \u2026 object.Q, Are cie people charitable ?A, No\u2014we are greatly in want of Churches ; but they will not part with théir money, even for this sacred pur- _pose.\u2018This, howèver, is to beattributed to their great ignorance, Since these | Gentlemen: have been samong them, \u201c tbey know alittle better ; and I hope \u201c they will soon come forward to do all that shall be required of them, \"should remark here, on that part of the.above conversation which elates fo the alteration of the Customsand Mode * of Worship in the Syrian Church, that the Missionaries have never mede any \" reference to the subject.Greatly as it must pain them to witness so much su- : perstition and unmeaning ceremony \u201camong this intereresting people, they ; om .and dulicacy, refrained ; [rom interfering, in .144 the slightest particular, on.sacred matters.They are respected go highly, by.the Metropolitan and Catanurs, and their suggestions on temporal affaire are adopted so readily, that, were they to express their wish to have a part of the Syriac Prayers translated mio Malayalim, I have no doubt but that it would be done; but they aretoo prudent to act with precipitation, or to take upon themselves the responsibility of so important a sicp.At present they are expending their time and strength in preparing the people's minds for the reception of truth ; content to show them tho.light by degrees, us they appear ready to recciveit: (To be Continued) a OOERD SC snn HINDOO SUPERSTITIONS.WORSIIIP OP THE GANGES, Mr.Ward, in his view of the Hindoos, has-n Chapter on the \u2018 Worship of Rivers,\u201d more particularly of the Ganges.The following.abstract of that Chapter will more fully explain the annexed Engraving ; and will give our Readers a further insight into that System of Fraud and Superstition, by which the myriads of India are kept in degrading bondage, Ganga, or the Ganges, is considered as a Goddess ; and a number of idle storivs are told and believed respecting ber ; but we \u2018shall confine ourselves to the Worship paid to her, and the Supersiitious views connected with it, - All Custes worship theGanges.The Hindoos particularly choose the banks of this river - for their worship, because the merit of works performed.here becomes, according to their Sacred Books, exceedingly augmented.In four of the months of the year, the merit jssupposed 10 be greater thanin other months; and, at the full moon in these months, 18 still further enhanced, - On the tenth day of the moon's increase in the month called Jyoishthu, in-tho forenoon, a great festival is held, \u201cou LT Seer gb 49 \u2018 iu commemoration ofGanga\u2019s descent to the carth, Crowds of people ussem- ble from the different towns and villages near the river, especially at ifs most sacred spots, bringing offerings of fruil, rice, flowers, cloth, sweet-ineats, &c.and hang garlands of flowers across, the river, even where it is very wide.Af terthe people have bathed, the officiating Brahmin ascends the banks of the river with them, and performs a number \"of incantations and ceremonies, ull of which have some fanciful meaning and object, such as preventing evil spirits from coming to defile the worship, or driving them away.He next presents the offerings, which may be many or few, or even merely flowers and water, according to the ability of the offer- er ; and then performs worship to the various inhabitumts of the waters\u2014the fish, the tortoises, the frogs, the snakes, the leeches, the snails! The «fferings, after having \u2018been presented to these inhabitants of the waters] are thrown into the Ganges; \u2018T'en lamps of clarified butter are then lighted up, and all the other offerings aro presented \u2014the numes of certain gods are repeutéd, with forms of pruise the fée is presented to the Priest the Brabmins are entertain- od; and offerings are sent to their houses, At the close\u201d of these ceremonies, the people perform.their obeisance to Ganga, and then depart, Great \u2018multitudes assemble on the banks of the river, on these occasions ; and ex much both in this life and hereafter, from this act of worship, : \"Onthe thirteenth day of the decrease ofthe moon, in he month called Choitru, the people descend into the water; and, witlitheir hands clasped, immerse themselves : the ofliciating * Brahmin reads a portion of the Shaster, describ- _ing the benefits of this act of bathing : the people repeat after him.certain sig- - nificant words, and then immerse themselves again: gifts of rice, fruits, ang money are offered to the poor, the Brahmins, and the Priest.On this occasion, groups of ten or twelve persons stand in the water, to each of which groups oné.Brahmin reads the formulas: these groups are to be seen extending themselves very for ulong the river, The moment ofthe conjunction of the moon, on the thirteenth doy of her decrease, with a particular star, is considered 30\u2019.auspicious à moment, that the merita-, rising from bathing at that instantis supe\" posed to be very great, _\u2026 At the time of many of the festivals, tho sides of the Ganges are, in many places, gaily illuminated: and lights, fastened on boards or plantain-staiks, or put into carthern pots, are floated down the stream, : .Mr, Ward, in another part of his Work (see Vol.IIL p.267,) guotes, from the address of a dying Brahmin to.his brother-\u2014 I have bought a piece of land by the side of the Ganges : you will take care | that a flight of steps may be built.On thisdying injunction, Mr.Ward, remarks \u2014 CT et 1t is considered ns an act of great me; rit, thus to assist persons in coming-to,« bathe in the Ganges : these flights, of { steps are, therefore, very numerous ip.great towns and their Jrecints \"For many miles up the river from Calcutta, - innumerable flights of the:e steps are erected ; up and down which the jnha-_ bitants are seen ascending and descending continually, but especially mornin and pg the me of bathing, Below the steps, crowds of men, women, and children, of all castes, bathe, * and perform those daily ceremonics of *.their religion which are connecied with ablutions, CL Ce Seeing the Hindoos at these times; it might be immugined tbat they were a very devout race: some, with theif eyes closed, are meditating on their guardian deity : others, with raised hands, are\u2019 ; - \u2018worshiping the rising or setting suu 3.others are pouring out water to their deceased ancedtors, and repeating cers.tain forms of prayer or praise.Most * - of them, however, manifest greatinatten- tion while performing these ceremoniés * 50 OF the extravagant qualities so perniciously axeribed by these deluded multitudes to this river, Mr.Ward, in the Chapter first quoted, gives the following details, The Sacred Books déclare, that the sight, the name, or the touch of the Ganges, takes away all sin, however heinous\u2014that thinking of the Ganges, when at a distance, is sufficient 10 remove the taint of sin but that bathing in the Ganges has blessings in it, whict no imagination can conceive, In one of these Books it is said \u2014* He who thinks upon Gunga, though he moy be 800 miles distant from the river at the time, ig delivered from all sin, and is entitled to heaven.At the hour of death, if a person think on Ganga, he will ablain| a place in the heaven of Siva\u2014If a person, according to the regulwions of the Shaster, be going to buthe in Ganga, and die on the rosd, he shall ob- tin the same benefits as though he had actually bathed, \u2018lhoro are three million five hundred thousand holy places belonging to Ganga : the person who lanks at Gunga, or bathes in this river, will obtain all the fruit which arises from visiting all these three million five hundred thousand holy places.\u2014 By batling in Ganga, accompanied with prayer, à person will remove, at once, the sins of thousands of births,\u201d So.much is tlus river revérenced among the Hindoos, that many Brahmins will not look upon it, nor throw saliva into it, nor wash themselves nor their clothes iu its waters.In one of their Books, among muny other forms of praise to be offered to the Ganga,\u201d is the following: * O Goddess! tie Owl, that lodges in the hollow of a tree on | / thy banks, is exalted beyond measure : while the Emperor, whose palace is \u2018ar from thee, though he muy possess a mil- Jion of stately elephants, and may have the, wives of millions ol conquered enemies to serve him is\u2019 nothing.\u201d Some penioiis undertake a journey of five or six months to bathe in the Ganges, to perform the rifes for deceased relations, and to carry hack its water for religious and wedicinal uses, The water of this river is used in the English Courts of Justice to swear upon; as the Kordn is given to Mussulmans, and the New \"Testament to Christins | Many persons relus- lo contest causes in which large sums are ut stake, ander the lear that théy may be con- gtrained to make onth on the waters of the Ganges.It is not uncommon for \u2018one [lindoo 10 sny to another, \u201cWill yon make this engagement on the banks of Ganga?\u201d \u2018The other will reply, \u201cI engage 10 do what 1 hove said; but I cannot call Ganga to waness,\u201d If a person utter an aucacious lie while near or upon the river, the person to whom he is speaking will say, \u201c Are you not afraid of witering such a falsehood int the presence of Ganga 1\u201d Morning and evening the (lindoos visit and look at this river, to remove the sins of the night or of the day : when sick, they besmear their bodies with its sediments and remain, perhaps for'a month near the river: some of course recover and others die: a Hindoo says, that those who have stendy faith, and an unwavering mind, recover: the rest perish, 1012 | The Hindoos aroextremely anxious.to die in sight of the Ganges, that their sing may be washed away in their last moments, A man in his dying agonies is frequently dragged from his bed and carried, in the coldest or hotest weather, from whatever distanpe, to the riverside; where he lies, if a poor man, without a covering, day and night, tll ho expires : with the pains of death upon him, lie is placed up to the middle in\u2019 the water, and drenched with it: leaves of a ceptuin plant are also put inte his month; and his relatives call on him to repeat, and they also repeat for him, the numes of various gods: they spread the sediment of the river on his forcheud or brenst and, with the finger, write on this redi- ment the name of somg diety.| If a person should die in his house, and; ot by i the river-side, it is considered as a great 51 misfortune, as he thereby loses the help of the goddess in his dying moments, If a person choose to die at home, his \u2026 his memory becomes infamous ; the conduct of 0 Rajuh who died in his \"bedroom sbont the year 1800, is still mentioned as u subject of reproach, because he refused to be carried to the river before his death, \u2014\u201cAb! Ah !\"say the superstitions, when a neighbour at the point of death delays the fatal journey 10 the river, \u201che will die like Rajah Nava Krishna.\u201d : Dead bodies ure brought by the relatives of the deceased to be burned near the river ; and when they cannot bring the whole body, it is not uncommon for them to bring a single bone and cust it into the river, under the hope that this will help the soul of the deceased.\u2014Muny persons, whose relatives die at a distance from the river, preserve a bone for (his purpose, at the time of burning their bodies: The following story appears in one of the books of the Hindoos, -\u201c À Brahmin, who had been guilty of the greatest crimes, was devour.d by the wild beasts; his bones only remained.A crow took up one of these bones and was carrying it over Ganga, when another bird darting upon it, the crow let the bone fall, As soon as the bone touched Ganga, the Brahmin sprang to life; and was ascending to heaven, when the: messenger of Yama, the Judge of the Dead, seized him, asa great sinner.At this time Narayana\u2019s messengers interfered 5 and plead- .ed, that the sina of this man, since one.of his bones hud touched Ganga, were all doneaway, Appeal was nadeto Vish- 100, who decided in the Bralimin\u2019s favor.theBrahmin immediately went to heav'n.\u201d Some persons even\u2019 drown themselves in \u2018the Ganges, not doubtiug but they shall immediately ascend\u2019 to heaven, And the Sacred Books encourage this ! ~Oite of them says, (hat if'a person reñodunces \u2018life in the Ganges, whe- thet praying for-any particiilur-ben- - efit, or'by accident, or*in \u2018his\u2019 senses or not, he will be happy \"if he purposély\u2018 renounce life, he will enjoy the highest happiness\u2019; but ifhe die by accident, be - will still attuin heaven.Oue ofthe highest authorities among the Hiridoos says\u2014*\u201cA mansion with bones ior.its rafters and beams ; with nerves and tendons for cords ; with muscles and blood for mortar; with skin for ils outward covering ; filled with no sweet perfume, hut loaded with fæces and urine ; a mansion infested by age and by sorrow, the sent of maludy, harngsed with - puing, haumted with the quality of darkness, and incapable of standing long \u2014such a mansion of the Vital Soul, let its occupier always cheerlully quit.\u201d Such are the ridiculous but immoral and destructive notions, which are come monly believed concerning the virtues of the Ganges : but the following passage from one of thé Sacred Books themsolves surpasses all in folly and wickedness.Alter onumerating the most atrocious crimes of which a Hine doo can form à conception, it is snid\u2014 If this person bathe in Ganga at an auspicious period, all these sibs will.be removed \u2014~ he will be admitted into the heaven of Brahma, be'put in possession of the meriis of the man who presents a luzk of red cows to \u2018a'Brahmin learned in the Four Vedps, and afiér- ward will ascedend' and dwell \u2018at the right-hand of Vishnoo.After he had enjoyed all this happiness, and shall be re-born on the earth, he will be posses- ed of every good quulity, enjoy all kinds of happiness, aud he very hononr- able: he who shall doubt any.part:of this will be doons'd to bell, & afterward he born an ass.If a person.in the presence of Ganga, on the anivergury-of her arrival on the earth, and:accotdifg to the rales prescribed in tho Shasters,tpre-.- sent to the Brahmins whole villages, he will obtain the fruits that arise from'uil other, offerings, from all sacrifices, and from visiting all the holy \u2018places\u2014his body will be a million times more glod rious than the\u2019 sun\u2014he will obtain a\u2019 millidn of virgins and multidudes of care - ~.Tiages and \u2018palankeens, : covered with - SRE .ven away to the Bralunins for so many \u201cof time, and of money spent in muking - O 0 carry the sick, the dying, the © posed to all kinds of weather in 1he o- .in heing choked by the ¢ sacred\" water.\u201c*.is beyond expression, \u201ceyes, but those of Omnixcience, can see \u201calt ghe foul decds done upon and by.the sides of this river; and the Day of | .pers, she bas increased them a mullion- ; 52 Jjowels\u2014he will dwell for ages in heaven, enjoying its pleasures in company with his father \u2014as many particles of dust as are contained in the land thus gi- years will the giver dwell in huppines: in Vishnoo's heaven, And thus it 1 that a gixth part of the Human Race are mocked and deluded, for the benefit of cralty men! Well may Mr.Ward, close his account of these atrocious frauds, as he does, in the following words :\u2014* Every real Christian must be deeply affected on vie ing the deplorable effects of this Superstition.Æxcopt that part of the Voda which countenances the Burning of Women alive, no v.riters ever gave birth, (0 a more extensive degree of misery, - than those who have made the Ganges a sacred river.Thousands, yea millions, of people are annually drawn (rom their homes and peaceful labours, several times in the year, to visit different holy places of (hid river, at a great expense offerings to the goddess.Expensive journeys are undertaken, by vast multitudes, to obtain the water of this over ; dead, or the\u2019 bones of the dead, to is banks.Some come two or three months\u2019 journey for its water; and many thousauds perish, by dysentery and want, in these journeys, What the sick nnd dying suffer, by being ex- n air on the banks of the river, and In short, no\u2018 Judgment alone cin bring all these deeds to light,\u201d The Braliming will then see that, instead of Gunga's hn-, ving removed the sins of her worship- fold.\u201d | .There 18 a River, tne streams whereof make glud the city of God, the holy place\u201d of ths, tabernacle of the Most many generous individuals, - High.May these streams be poured forth for the healing of the nation | \u2014 and that prophetical word have its largest accomplishment \u2014 These waters issue out toward the Eust Country, qnd go down \u2018into the Desert, .and every thing shall live whither the River comelh! (lzek xlvii.8, #.) MONTREAL.FEBRUARY 15.Unper ur Domestic head, will be found accounts of Sunday Schools in different parts of the Canadas, We cannot too highly recommend these institutions to the well-wishers of Relision.\u2014 They are silently, yet gradually, working a great and important change in the morals of the pco- ple, wherever they are instituted.A great majority of the poor, are unable to defray the high charges attendant on education in these provinces ; and consequently their children are neglegied in matters of the utmost moment.They are suffered to grow up in ignorance, to become regardless of the importance of religion, and to \u2018be more casily- led into the \u201csnares .of vice,\u201d the almost constant concomitant.of ignorance.Et too often \u201chappens, that parents of die lower orders of society, di-cover a very culpable inattention to the education of their offspring : even where places of gratuitous instruction are within their reach, they too frequently avail themselves of pittance, which the infant hands of their children can earn at service, and\u2019 thereby prevent them from attending on the means of becoming wiser and better.Sunday being the only day, \u2018which | can be devoted to acquisition of knowledge, by these little unfortunates, it is to Ge hoped, that who / 53 have liitherto allowed matters of minor importance to divert their aitention from Sabath schools, witl come forward and assist in rescuing such poor children from their deplorable condition, ~ Another powerful incentive to \u201cinduce us to promote the interests of Sunday Schools, is the pleasing results which have already ensued from them In the.Mother! Country and the United States, ! thousands of children have been\u2019 made wise: unto salvation, who bad no other time to devote to.instructions than the Sab ath\u2014 These considerations should ex-! cite: the zeal of pious christians, and induce them to promote the | interests of such useful institu-\u2018 tions, either by tlieir attendance to theadutics of teaching, or by pecuniary contributions, \"7 \u2014sorm\u2014 |.From the Quebec Mercury.COMMOUNICATED.According to appointment, as published hy advertisement, the first anniversary of \u201cTie St.Jobn's Chapel Sunday School\u201d was held in the Chapel on Thursday evening, Decr.12.when'the following resolutions were passed unanimously, by a numerons and respectable assembly, preceded by interesting and appropriute addresses by Mr.Hamilton, the highly respected teacher \u2018of languages, who kindly gav.- some very valuable hints for the im- ovement of the mode \u2018of instruction ; the Rev, Dr.Harkness, and \u2018other Gentlemen,.> A Ihe Revd, M>, Parkis in the chair.\"One circumstance among others which inspired delight.was the animating information that the Rt.Hon.the Karl and Countess of Dalhousie had kindly presented the Committee with the sun of Ten Pouads, for the purpose of as- || sisting to clothe those poor chiidren, | we pee gr TA ELU $F Le > : hard, * te the who\u2019 must otherwise be deprived, during the winter, of the privilèges of the school, accompanied with sentiments which would do honor to thd most exalted of human beings.Extract from the: Report.The; number admitted during the year is 152 ; of these about 9-have left ; | ou the book at present 148 ; the utten- dance is from 80 to 86, ae some are al.- ways prevented.\u2018I'he children are-in- structed by 21 gratuitous tenchers.\u2014 Several hundreds of small books have | been circulated amoag them by loan and gin, and your Committee fervently hope that those books which h:ve bren- given vs rewards, will bave produced principles in the minds of,s>me parents as well as children who were before destitute of them \u2014principles which will tend to improve their characters.their usefulness and their happiness, | » Your Committee may, with humble coufidenco, state that, with all the-dis- advantages of infancy and unexperi-\" ence, they have no cause to ** despise .- y 7 p the day of small things,\u201d but-much for | gratitude and .encouragement,- - \"Fhey huveseen many of the children aroused © to, ** keep the Sabbuth and reverence to- the' sanctuary of God\u201d \u2014they have seen many of the children improved in neste.ness, cfeanhness and good behaviour, and they have the satisfaction of believing that, notwithstanding the disnd- vantages of a first year, when theteache ets have had every thing to learn (as to method)\u2019 at the lowest calculation, the children have committed to memory - considerably more than ten ; thousund \u201c versus, althoüzh many are but*bagine ningto leatn'(o'read.Tlius thé seed of divine truth iv sown, and watered by the influences of heaven ; in answer to your fervent, prayers, the Commiïllee - trust it will spring up, and bear much fruit to the glory of Gad, 1 Copy of a note writien.in His Erèellency the Karl Hevd, Iuao Purkiij = of Dulhousie's own, .v .- \u2018 za: in Minister af St.John's Chapel, Quebec.Sim, \"In Lady Dalhousies name and my own, I feel great pleasure wm imme- dintely answering your request, with the en