to perform the ceremony, it is necessary to erect a temporary residence at the north-east corner of the car to be consecrated: in this temporary residence a platform must be raised, and on that platform a square altar, four cubits long on each side, and one cubit high-then on the day preceding the consecra tion, offering must be made to devils ; the next morning a circle must be drawn on the altar, and in the centre must be placed an earthen jar, this jar must then be filled with water from the Ganges, or some other holy place; when this is done, five kinds of twigs must be placed across the top of the earthen jar, and the whole then sprinkled with a certain astringent juice. These things (still remaining on the altar) must be worshipped, and afterwards the idol put in his car; music played before it; a complete burnt offering furnished, and gifts made to the gurus, officiating priests, Brámhanas, &c., then the car may be drawn by persons of the highest, secondary, and third caste, by well trained horses, possessing certain marks, or by oxen, or by men, worshippers of Vishnú. This is the process by which a car is consecrated.

Having heard the above statement, the Yogis were much gratified, and Joimani proceeded to state as follows: In this way the cars having been consecrated, Bramha assembled all the Yogis, deities, and Brámhanas, and consecrated the temple and the three idols. They then placed the idols in the temple, and all the assembly being preceded by music, walked several times round them, offered them praise and adoration, and were immersed in a sea of joy.

The king Indradyumna, having seen Jagannath thus established, and performed puja, and attended the Játrás for many years according to the law, was taken to heaven. King Golok and his descendants succeeded him, and from that day to this continue the same practice.

At certains season of the year Hindus, from all parts of Bengal, at a great expence, visit this sacred spot, to see the idols, eat rice which has been offered to them, and to bathe in the water of that holy place. Some return to their homes, and others remain there as long as they live.

Men are induced to visit this place, from the promise of Vishnú, who said, All those who merely see my image, shall obtain the pardon of their sins, and emancipation from all future births.

V.-Proposed School in Purnia.

DIDYMUS.

We are happy to record another instance of the growing liberality and enlightenment of native gentlemen. It has been said, that the spirit of improvement is confined within the bounds of Calcutta: but documents like this (and already we have others, and shall have many such) prove that it has spread far already, and will spread, as it has ever done, until with God's blessing it regenerate the land. Who would look for it in Púrnia?" a place," which the gentleman, to whom we are indebted for this account, well describes," as a perfect waste in the way of any thing like knowledge or sound information. Though in some respects," he continues," a fine district, and yielding a considerable quota of the general revenue, it has an insulated, and out of the way character; and it shares the misfortune of the poor dog; it has

a very bad name; but I really think, as far as I have yet been able to judge, without any just cause. An attempt has been thought of here, of combating the demon of ignorance and error, by getting up a school or place of education, in order to throw some light upon the rising generation of the district; and, I am happy to say, not without effect." With this view the following Prospectus was circulated.

Proposals for Establishing by Subscription a Place of Education for the Town of Púrnia and its Vicinity.

Before circulating among the wealthy native residents, and landed proprietors of the district, the annexed paper proposing the establishment of a school by subscription, it is necessary that the countenance and aid of the local authorities, and the other gentlemen residing at the station, and connected with the district, should be engaged to foster this undertaking.

It is stated as the result of very particular inquiry, that the tide of education in this district is at its lowest possible ebb. Of this deplorable state of general ignorance, no stronger proof need be required, than the employment of strangers, to the exclusion of persons born in the district, in nearly all the public establishments, and, with few exceptions, even in the private employment of merchants and land-holders. The total want of any place, where even the commonest elements of learning may be acquired, which is notoriously the case in the town and district of Púrnia, is a circumstance that pleads strongly for the liberal and humane exertions of those who have been blessed with the privilege of education.

The want of education in this district is not confined to the middling and lower classes of its inhabitants; but is rather remarkable for its prevalence even among the higher orders, where men, possessed of affluence, may frequently be found, owing to their incapacity for business, at the mercy of their dependents, and unable to conduct the commonest affair without their intervention. Under these circumstances, it seems the only re. source to solicit the countenance and support of humane and enlightened minds, by way of example to the native gentlemen of the district, as well as a stimulus to their exertions, in the establishment of a school for the diffu sion of useful knowledge.

If a sufficient demonstration of good-will towards the formation of an institution, which seems so much called for, should appear among those connected by residence and business with the district, and who are naturally the first to be applied to, there is every reason to hope, that the Government will be induced to give strength and permanency to this effort of private benevolence by imparting their patronage and pecuniary aid towards it; and it is understood, that the local authorities of the district will be prepar ed to solicit, through the commissioner of the division, the favourable notice of Government to the undertaking.

The course of instruction provided for in the proposed seminary will be in Persian and Arabic, and as soon as the funds of the institution become equal to the entertainment of a proper English teacher, it will be most desirable to introduce the study of that language, without which it were vain to look for any really profitable result to the moral and intellectual character of those whose benefit is contemplated in the proposed institution. Those persons who have the means will be required to pay something for the education of their children, either as boarders, or day-scholars, according to circumstances; but the children of those who do not possess the means of defraying the expence of schooling, will be received as day-scholars, and taught gratuitously.

The control of an institution, founded in consonance with these views, may be vested in a committee, formed from the gentlemen of the station, as well as those belonging to the native community, with whom any subscriber, who chooses to assist, may co-operate. Periodical meetings may take place, at which the state of the institution and the account of its expences may be examined.

As no commencement of this undertaking can be made without some funds in hand, it is submitted that three months' subscription should be paid in advance, and the accumulated amount, as well as all future contributions, be deposited, with the sanction of Government, in the treasury of the collector, from whence it can be drawn as required by an order of the committee.

When a sufficient sum has been collected to admit of an actual essay of this project, a meeting of the Gentlemen of the station can easily arrange its details.

The foregoing remarks are submitted as the outline of an institution, from which, if countenanced by enlightened minds, and continued under judicious management, very substantial benefit may, in the course of very few years, be derived to the district and to the community at large.

The following list of subscriptions, which we are sure will be gratifying to our readers, was the result of this philanthropic attempt: and if Government now lend its powerful aid, to support and countenance the spirit already at work, there seems little doubt of ultimate success.

Annually.

H. Nisbet, Esq.....
F. Gouldsbury, Esq..

LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS.
Rs.

•~ ̈ ̈ ̈ ̈ ̈ ̈. 150

Annually.

Kishenchund Ghose,~

Rs.

30

Bundhoo Singh,

24

J. V. Irwin, Esq.

50

Meer Mahadee,~~~

24

C. Palmer, Esq.

G. Palmer, Esq.

50

Mirza Golamhyder,~~~~~~~~~~~~

50

A. Imlach, Esq.

Fyzallee Nazir,

Mahá Rájá Chuttur Singh, ~~~

Rájá Bejay Govind Singh,.

1240

Rání Zahoorunnisa,

150

Rájá Deedarhosein,

Mahomed Rumzan, and

Musseeuthoollah,

Moulvee Rooknooddeen,

Mirza Uskurree,

50

50

25

Rájá Beedanund Singh,

50

H. Buckland, Esq.

12

Rájá Roodeanund Singh,

50

E. W. Johnson, Esq.

24

Meer Momin Allee,

30

R. W.Jones, Esq...

50

Sulamut Roy,

Aga Ahmud Allee,

Byjenath Singh,

Shah Allee Reza,.

Rání Pudmawutti,

"Assuredly," adds our informer, " if we are permitted to make any actual essay, English, and that as the vehicle of Christian instruction, will be an established branch of study in the seminary. The study of it, of course, will be voluntary; but, without it, I should take no interest in the undertaking, and hope for nothing from it." And we too, so long as Christians sacrifice an imperative and acknowledged duty to an ill-understood and unproved expediency, can "hope for nothing from it."

• The amount of the Mahá Rájá's subscription is not yet known.

GENTLEMEN,

VI.-Millenarian Errors.

To the Editors of the Christian Observer.

As the very ancient and often revived doctrines of the Millenarians have again made their appearance in England, and have even reached this country, it may not be unseasonable to present your readers with a brief statement of their tenets, particularly those which have been inculcated in India; and also with the passages of Scripture which appear completely to nullify them.

The doctrines, or at least a part of them, as represented to us by one of their most able, intelligent, and pious advocates, relate to the following subjects: the personal appearance of Christ at the commencement of the millenial age; the present abode of the departed saints; the grand hope of the righteous; the resurrection of the just and unjust; the final judgment of both; the restoration of the Jews to Judea; the discovery of the Ten Tribes; and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, or of some other grand city called the New Jerusalem.

I.-The Personal Appearance of Christ at the commencement of the Millenial Age. The principal passages brought forward, in support of this doctrine, are chiefly drawn from the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, from some supposed unfulfilled predictions of our Lord Jesus Christ, and from the book of Revelation. We deem it needless to produce these Scriptures : 1, because doctrines founded upon unfulfilled prophecy must always, from the obscurity of the language, be uncertain; and 2, because, if it can be shown from plain parts of the word of God, that Christ will not personally appear till the close of time, the point is at once settled-every Christian believing that Scripture cannot contradict itself. We will now proceed to produce a few passages in proof of the latter doctrine. In Acts iii. 20, 21, are these words: "And he shall send Jesus Christ, who was before preached unto you, whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hast spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." Now, it seems difficult to understand "by the times of restitution of all things," any other period than that mentioned by Paul, 1 Cor. xv. 24. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power." If then, we are right in referring both passages to the same point of time, it is obvious, that the heavens are to contain Christ until the consummation of all things, and therefore, that he will not personally appear till that

event.

But lest our interpretation of these passages should be deemed erroneous, we shall now present the reader with a few others, the

meaning of which cannot, we think, be misunderstood. But before doing so, it will be necessary to remark, what we do not know the Millenarians themselves dispute, that the doctrinal parts of Scripture never speak of more than one personal descent of Saviour before the end of the world. Indeed, this seems to be more than intimated in Heb. ix. 27, 28, “And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Here the judgment spoken of is connected with the dying of all men, and consequently refers to the judgment of all. The second appearing, therefore, of Christ, mentioned in the 27th verse, seems to intimate, that as he has already been once manifested, so his only and next appearance will be when he comes to pass sentence on all. Presuming, therefore, that there is to be but one other personal manifestation of the Saviour, before the winding up of all things, the following few passages may be considered as proving the point in hand. 2 Thess. i. 7-10, "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlastiny destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power: when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day." 2 Pet. iii. 10-12, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then, that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat !" Matt. xxv. 31, 32. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separate them from one another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats." The first of these passages shews, that the revelation or personal appearance of Jesus Christ is to be coetaneous with the everlasting destruction of the wicked; the second, with the dissolution of the universe; and the third, with the judgment of the ungodly. But according to the Millenarians, he is personally to appear more than a thousand years before any of these events.

II.-The Present Abode of the Souls of the departed Saints.The Millenarians assert, that the souls of the departed saints are not now in heaven; but in a place called Hades, anxiously awaiting